The World Day of Prayer is a worldwide movement of Christian women of many traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year, and who, in many countries, have a continuing relationship in prayer and service.
- It is a movement initiated and carried out by women in more than 170 countries and regions.
- It is a movement symbolized by an annual day of celebration – the first Friday of March – to which all people are welcome.
- It is a movement that brings together women of various races, cultures and traditions in closer fellowship, understanding and action throughout the year
Through World Day of Prayer, women around the world:
- affirm their faith in Jesus Christ;
- share their hopes and fears, their joys and sorrows, their opportunities and needs.
Through World Day of Prayer, women are encouraged:
- to become aware of the whole world and no longer live in isolation;
- to be enriched by the faith experience of Christians of other countries and cultures;
- to take up the burdens of other people and pray with and for them;
- to become aware of their talents and use them in the service of society.
Through World Day of Prayer, women affirm that prayer and action are inseparable and that both have immeasurable influence in the world. The motto of the World Day of Prayer is “Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action”.
The International Committee
The worldwide growth of the World Day of Prayer movement called for international involvement in planning and responsibility for World Day of Prayer. The World Day of Prayer International Committee (WDPIC), made up of representatives of National/Regional Committees, first met in 1968 in Sweden. It continues to meet in a different area of the world every four years: Thailand (1970), Mexico (1974), Zambia (1978), Germany (1982), United States (1986), Jamaica (1990), Australia (1995), South Africa (1999), England (2003), Canada (2007), USA (2013), Brazil (2017) and Scotland (2022).
Each meeting brings special contributions to the growth of the movement when women gather:
- to share experiences of World Day of Prayer
- to select themes and writers for the worship service
- to elect an Executive Committee that is ecumenical with representatives from Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions and comprised of a Chairperson, Treasurer and Representatives from Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America and the Pacific
WDPIC Executive Committee Members 2017-2022
The Executive Committee carries on the recommendations made at the International Committee Meeting. Each regional representative promotes communication and leadership in her respective area. Together they provide a global perspective in the decision making and coordination of the worldwide ecumenical movement that is World Day of Prayer. They are themselves engaged in a process of widening their understanding of faith traditions, churches, societies, cultures, and organizing structures.
The Executive Committee is comprised of women who volunteer to serve in this capacity.
Executive Committee
Chairperson: Laurence Gangloff – France
Executive Director: Rosângela Oliveira, New York, NY USA
Treasurer: Susan Jackson-Dowd
Regions
Africa: Henriette Mbatchou & Joyce Larko Steiner
Asia: Moumita Biswas & Vino Schubert
Caribbean / North America: Ruth V.E. Phillips & Lauren Wilks
Europe: Emmanuelle Bauer & Senka Sestak Peterlin
Latin America: Rebeca Cascante & Esther Susana Renner
Middle East: Maral Barzkian Haidostian & Nora Carmi
Pacific: Vicki Marney & Henrica Nio Marona
Upcoming Themes
| Year | Theme | Writer Country |
| 2024 | I Beg You ….. Bear With One Another in Love | Palestine |
| 2025 | I Made You Wonderful | Cook Islands |
| 2026 | I Will Give You Rest: Come | Nigeria |
Click here to find out more information on the World Day of Prayer International Committee.