The IAMSCU Human Rights Network holds a meeting on December 11, 2025, to mark the “International Human Rights Day,” which is celebrated worldwide on December 10 to commemorate the adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The network has been organizing this event every year since 2014, and in 2025 this celebratory moment is more important than ever, as a growing number of individuals, organizations, and countries are concerned with the increasing actions and measures that disrespect human rights.
In this year’s edition, the IAMSCU Human Rights Network will focus on discussions about the connection between defending human rights and advocating for economic rights. To this end, the network will have a lecture on the “New International Financial and Economic Architecture (NIFEA),” a program being promoted the World Council of Churches in partnership with the World Communion of Reformed Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Methodist Council, Council for World Mission, and United Society Partners in the Gospel. This initiative coincides with ongoing debates about the current financial system and how organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have implemented economic measures that affect the rights of a growing number of the world population.
This lecture will be given by Bishop Rosemarie Wenner (Germany), who is a retired Bishop of the United Methodist Church (UMC) and currently serves as Ecumenical Officer of the UMC Council of Bishops as well as Secretary of the World Methodist Council in Geneva (Switzerland), serving as Liaison with the World Council of Churches (WCC). She has been one of the leading voices in this debate about NIFEA and is very well informed about the WMC and WCC programs, the intersection with political and theological debates, and the educational initiatives being promoted to bring awareness about the intersection between economics, the environment, and human rights. Among the educational initiatives, the WCC is promoting an Ecumenical School on Governance, Economics, and Management for an Economy of Life in Panama City, Panama, on 17-28 August 2026.
The virtual event on “New International Financial and Economic Architecture (NIFEA),” takes place on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 8:00-10:00 am Eastern Time (Atlanta, US) (14:00 in Germany). For more details, contact IAMSCU: iamscu@iamscu.org