A new partnership between the World Council of Churches (WCC) and an international ethics network will unlock a vast global bank of resources for ethical reflection and action. Beginning in June, the new contract between the WCC and Globethics.net will allow all WCC digital documents to be available in the Globethics online library, which currently includes some 3.5 million titles.

The two organisations reached an agreement related to the WCC Online Academy, which will continue to offer courses on many aspects of ecumenism as well as a joint series of publications. Next month the first online seminar, on "Food Security", will be led by Dr Manoj Kurian. The WCC General Secretary, Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, said: "there is an urgent need to expand online education to better understand the role of the ecumenical movement in today's world. We will use our common resources to encourage coexistence and bridge building."

Globethics.net is a worldwide ethics network that provides an electronic platform for ethical reflection and action through its website, globethics.net. Its aim is to ensure that people in all regions of the world are empowered to reflect and act on ethical issues. It was set up to ensure that people in Africa, Asia and Latin-America, have access to good quality and up to date knowledge resources.

Globethics executive director, Prof Dr Obiora Ike, said: "Building bridges and spiritual bonds which spread the Word and universal love beyond boundaries and barriers happens through shared values and ethical linkages where education is key. The WCC and Globethics.net remain committed to this service of stewardship to a humanity in need and hungry for this mission.