WACC Europe’s board reaffirmed that advancing digital justice – including responsible AI – and tackling rising polarization will stay at the forefront of its agenda, following its hybrid meeting last week hosted by WACC partner Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World) in Berlin, Germany.

“AI is reshaping our digital world, and we need regulations that ensure the voices of marginalized people and minorities are not silenced by these systems,” said Ralf Peter Reimann, president of the WACC Europe Regional Executive Committee (REC).

The REC members talked with concern about the challenges for community management as misinformation and hate speech increasingly spread across social media – a trend felt acutely in Germany and in many other European countries.

Looking ahead to 2026, Reimann said WACC Europe is continuing its series of monthly online discussions, with themes related to digital justice like “How to foster digital media literacy,” “Digital colonialism,” and “Responsible AI in the church.”

Planning for regional engagement

The REC discussed the next European TV Festival of Religious Programmes, to be held in 2026 in Copenhagen. This 21st edition will continue the Festival’s tradition of showcasing broadcast programs that deal with faith and ethics in today’s world. WACC Europe and SIGNIS Europe have organized the event every 2–3 years since 1969 aside from a longer COVID-enforced pause.

Initial plans for a European seminar and assembly were on the agenda as well. WACC Europe will work with partners including the Conference of European Churches (CEC) to organize the gathering, which will likely take place sometime in March–May 2027.

Throughout the meeting, the communicators pondered how the Europe region could make clearer WACC’s identity as an advocate for communication justice. This sparked a wider conversation about revitalizing membership and finding more compelling ways to use social media to engage people concerned about communication for all.

Ecumenical partnerships for digital justice

The REC welcomed representatives from CEC and Brot für die Welt to a special session, where the partners outlined their initiatives on digital justice, media literacy, and the fight against disinformation. They shared challenges related to social media engagement, trust in institutions, and the changing landscape of civil society organizations.

Together, the participants explored new opportunities for collaboration, including efforts to challenge digital colonialism and bolster traditional public-interest media, even as they acknowledged the realities of a more polarized and demanding environment.

Members of the WACC Europe regional executive committee during their November 2025 meeting at Brot für die Welt offices in Berlin. Photo: WACC Europe