In December 2025, the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU) celebrated Human Rights Week by issuing a Statement on Human Rights. The association also celebrated the coming of the “Prince of Peace” during Christmas, an important value for Methodist educational institutions and a clear hope for the world today.
In January 2026, the association reacted to the news of violent actions that contradicted the values and hopes of its worldwide community. Students, faculty, staff, leadership, families, and partners who are involved in the education offered at Wesleyan and Methodist institutions honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and were appalled by the escalating conflicts in many parts of the world, where powerful political leaders disrespect human rights, democracy, sovereignty, and international law. IAMSCU could not remain silent or indifferent to these situations because human rights are key to Methodist education, taught at many institutions.
Yet the world has witnessed even more violence and cruelty against innocent civilians in many places around the world, but the attention of IAMSCU’s members turned especially to Minneapolis, in Minnesota (USA), the metropolitan area where one of the Methodist educational institutions is located. After government authorized forces promoted fear in the community and killed two innocent American citizens who were exercising their human and constitutional rights, the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU) is reaffirming its statement on human rights, reiterating its message of peace, and inviting members of its educational community to courageously uphold the primacy of human rights, peace, and justice as well as their compatibility with the Christian and Wesleyan traditions.