On Sunday, September 28, 2025, the opening service for Mission 21's annual campaign took place in Basel Minster. In a packed church, various speakers highlighted the theme of this year's campaign: "Standing up for a peaceful society", the content of which is more relevant than ever.
Jochen Kirsch, Director of Mission 21, and Nigerian project coordinator Yakubu Joseph kicked things off. Both pleaded for us to stick together worldwide - or as they say in Nigeria: "It is not possible to lift a roof with just one hand". With this in mind, Pastor Caroline Schröder Field led the atmospheric service, accompanied by music from the small Chorale Africaine of the French Reformed Church in Basel.
Gaby Ullrich, Head of Marketing and Communication at Mission 21, presented the 2025 campaign. This year, the focus is on peacebuilding in Nigeria, South Sudan and Indonesia. The focus is on peacebuilding in an interreligious context, gender-specific peacebuilding and peace villages in which residents are committed to combating resentment and hatred.
With these projects, Mission 21 wants to emphasize the importance of interreligious and transcultural cooperation for more peace and justice in the various countries. The intercessions of Mission 21 employees Lucy Theuer, Angelika Weber and Dorina Waldmeyer also prayed for peace in other Mission 21 partner countries.
Standing up for peace
After the service, numerous visitors came to the church coffee. There, they also had the opportunity to view the photo exhibition "Mensch Courage - Einstehen für Frieden" (Human Courage - Standing up for Peace) and thus gain a visual insight into the campaign.
Parishes now have the opportunity to view the photo exhibition "Mensch Courage: Standing up for peace" and sensitize their parishioners to the topic of peacebuilding in South Sudan, Nigeria and Indonesia.
