The Salvation Army’s Palais de la Femme in Paris is celebrating its centenary this year. Founded in 1926 by Blanche and Albin Peyron, the facility has provided housing and support to tens of thousands of women over the last century. According to the outlet, the resident profile has evolved from early female workers to include single mothers, victims of violence, and recent migrants. The building currently houses over 400 people in 350 studios and includes a daycare center. The organization states that every individual deserves shelter and a path toward autonomy, adapting to modern forms of precarity while maintaining its original mission.
In Canberra, Australia, female pastors and church leaders from the Micah Women’s Network lobbied parliamentarians regarding international aid reductions. The group argues that cuts by the US, France, and Germany threaten global health. According to a study cited by The Lancet, these reductions could cause over 22 million avoidable deaths by 2030. The network, active since 2018, uses women’s influence to advocate for justice and safer worlds. This delegation met with over 400 MPs to highlight the impact of budget cuts on vulnerable communities.
In Tema Newtown, Ghana, the Child and Youth Development Center (CDEJ) has launched a peer-led initiative to address rising school dropout rates among adolescents. Director Godfrey explains that traditional adult-led warnings about drug consumption and early pregnancies were ineffective. Instead, the center trained selected young people to counsel their peers, leveraging the fact that teenagers are more receptive to advice from friends than from authority figures. This innovative approach aims to curb these social vices by empowering youth to guide each other, hoping to stabilize the alarming situation in the community located near Accra.
Swiss Protestant EPER and Catholic Lenten Action, partnering with Etre partenaires, launched a campaign highlighting how agro-food giants threaten global food security. The initiative, part of a three-year cycle on the right to food, urges Swiss consumers to buy local and seasonal produce. Loïc Bardet of the Swiss Farmers Union notes that direct purchases remain limited, with origin labels often missing. Charles Belle Yoko leads awareness efforts in French-speaking Switzerland, aiming to connect local consumption choices with improved access to food in the Global South.
The Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart in Herne, Germany, is organizing a Harry Potter-themed evening on February 28. The event, titled 'Harry Potter Gottesdienst,' aims to attract non-regular attendees by recreating the atmosphere of Hogwarts' Great Hall with candles and themed drinks like butterbeer. According to the parish, the initiative seeks to engage young adults and adults by using familiar symbols from the popular saga to demonstrate how hope takes shape within a spiritual context. This approach highlights the church's effort to connect with those who do not typically visit religious services.
The Service d’Entraide et de Liaison (SEL) in France is calling on churches to examine the connection between labor and poverty ahead of its annual day on March 22, 2026. Citing International Labour Organization and UNICEF data, the group highlights that 138 million children worked in 2024, with many facing dangerous conditions. The SEL argues that work should restore dignity rather than cause exploitation. To support this reflection, the organization offers a free kit containing sermon proposals and biblical meditation guides for congregations to use during worship services.
Foyers Matter launched the 'Jeunes et Citoyens' program in Lyon, France, in 2024. The initiative pairs former inmates, known as 'Compagnons', with young volunteers to assist homeless individuals. Participants provide food, clothing, and conversation to those sleeping on the streets. The organization states that the project aims to restore self-esteem for the volunteers by allowing them to act as active helpers rather than passive victims of difficult circumstances. Educators supervise the interactions to ensure safety and support. The outlet reports that this approach fosters empathy and mutual recognition of dignity between the participants and the people they assist.
The French Interior Ministry announced on February 12 that authorities recorded approximately 2,500 anti-religious acts in 2025. Of these, 843 were classified as anti-Christian, representing 34 percent of the total. According to the data, the vast majority involved property damage, while physical and online hate crimes increased by 70 percent. The report highlights the September murder of Ashur Sarnaya in Lyon and notes the anniversary of the 2016 killing of Father Jacques Hamel. These figures underscore a growing trend of hostility toward Christian communities in France.
An American family left a country in Africa after a decade, including time in Chad, due to visa issues and diplomatic tensions. They settled in a city in France, joining a ministry supporting migrants. A former teacher now instructs Sudanese refugees in French weekly. The story highlights the emotional difficulty of leaving friends and work behind, while describing new connections formed in their new home. Refugees share their previous professions, such as teaching and plumbing, during lessons, creating bonds through shared experiences of displacement and professional identity.
Christian humanitarian organizations gathered in a village in Burkina Faso for a two-day forum aimed at enhancing coordination among actors responding to the crisis. The event focused on mapping local Christian groups, mobilizing resources, supporting trauma victims, and preventing youth recruitment into armed groups or prostitution. Participants described the gathering as a space for mutual learning and networking rather than just a conference. The initiative seeks to build a durable network for sustained cooperation and impact in the region.
Evangelical pastor Vincent Mieville has been officially accredited as a member of the Ecumenical Jury at the Cannes Film Festival in France. The jury, active since 1974, consists of six Christian members selected by SIGNIS and INTERFILM to evaluate films based on artistic quality and shared Gospel values. The festival is scheduled to take place from May 12 to 23. Mieville, the former president of the Union of Free Evangelical Churches of France, brings a background in theology and cinema to the role. His selection highlights the intersection of Christian faith and film criticism within the prestigious event.
Ralf Kiefer, president of the Christlicher Kulturpark association in Germany, has launched a project to build a large-scale Noah's Ark. Inspired by similar biblical parks in the United States and the Netherlands, the initiative aims to present all 66 books of the Bible. The structure will be located between Brunswick and Magdebourg, visible from the A1 highway, to attract motorists. According to IDEA, the ark will host three main exhibitions covering biblical history, the relationship between the Bible and science, and the influence of Christian tradition. The broader park will also include various rest and play areas for visitors.
The SEL Day 2026 campaign, launched in France, invites churches to reflect on the dual nature of labor. According to the outlet, recent estimates by the ILO and UNICEF reveal that 138 million children worked in 2024, with 54 million in dangerous conditions. Additionally, 27 million people face modern slavery, and nine out of ten workers operate in the informal sector, often earning less than 1.90 dollars daily. These issues predominantly affect Africa and Asia. The campaign highlights how work can offer dignity or become a site of exploitation, urging religious communities to address these injustices.
Scottish lawmakers rejected the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill on February 3, ending its legislative journey. The proposal, introduced by independent MP Ash Regan on May 20, aimed to penalize clients rather than sex workers, framing prostitution as exploitation. It also included provisions for housing, financial aid, and legal support. The Catholic Church in Scotland, represented by Bishop John Keenan, had urged Prime Minister John Swinney to support the measure as a vital step for protecting vulnerable individuals. The rejection marks a significant outcome for the debate on sex work regulation in the UK nation.
According to historian and CNRS researcher Sebastien Fath, the number of evangelicals in France has risen to 1.1 million, representing 1.6 percent of the population. This marks a significant increase from the 0.2 percent recorded in the 1970s. Fath discusses these trends in his new book, The New Evangelical Power, and during a France Culture interview. He notes that French evangelicals practice their faith more frequently than Catholics and demonstrate higher levels of civic engagement. The article highlights this demographic shift within the broader context of global evangelical expansion.
Tensions regarding Donald Trump's January annexation proposals for Greenland have eased due to diplomatic efforts and local resistance. Paneeraq Siegstad Munk, the Lutheran bishop of Greenland, publicly opposed the plans, stating that the island's future must not be decided without its people. Her statement gained significant attention because the Evangelical Lutheran Church represents 90 percent of the Greenlandic population. The bishop's intervention highlights the strong determination of the Greenlandic people to retain control over their destiny amidst pressure from Western leaders and international diplomacy.
On January 23 in Bari, Italy, eighteen representatives from various Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church led by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, signed the 'Pact between Christian Churches' to promote unity. However, on February 2, the board of the Italian Evangelical Alliance (AEI), which did not sign the document, issued a critical statement. According to Evangelical Focus, the AEI challenged the pact's assertion that divisions between churches constitute a wound to the Body of Christ and reflect sin. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions regarding the theological implications of ecumenical agreements among Italian evangelicals.
A Protestant society has initiated a peace program in Lebanon and Syria. The project trains twenty young leaders to foster non-violence and reconciliation. The organization aims to transform educational settings into safe spaces and empower mothers as community agents. This initiative addresses deep divisions between local and refugee children. It integrates psycho-social support and dialogue within community centers. The effort is a partnership with an academic institution focused on non-violence and human rights. The goal is to build a just society through education and spiritual values amid ongoing regional instability.
The Kheur Guney center in Senegal has launched a new income-generating project to support vulnerable families and talibés amid rising costs. According to the outlet, economic pressures are forcing many parents to send children to work instead of school. In response, the center collaborated with SEL to create training in soap making and textile dyeing. By February 2025, mothers began producing household goods and dyeing traditional fabrics. The initiative aims to provide sustainable revenue sources, helping families resist the crisis and keep children in education. One participant, Fatima, now sells dyed textiles at the local market.
Translated from Français
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