The full text of last year's Backhouse Lecture is now available for free online. Given on 7 July 2025 at Australia Yearly Meeting ( @quakersaustralia.bsky.social ) it offers a first hand account of the diversity of the Quaker world. Full text here: www.quakersaustralia.info/resources/ba...

"A major theme in the book (Luke) is the rules about who can eat with who. Jesus keeps causing minor scandals by eating with people considered to be sinners but he explains he has come for everyone." FWCC General Secretary Tim Gee reflects on faithful inclusivity on the BBC Daily Service.

What an image of joy, from the most recent sessions of Britain Yearly Meeting, where FWCC Friends contributions included bringing music from the World Quaker Songbook. Image Credit: Mike Pinches

Thank you @theequaker.bsky.social for helping us get the word out about World Quaker Day 2026 in your recent podcast episode. Thank you also for creating such a thoughtful conversation around Quakers and the environment. We really enjoyed the episode.

Lovely art from Friends School Ramallah:

Arising from her time at Ramallah Friends School in 24/25, Jenny Haughton exhibited artworks by the school's students at #IYM2026. The RFS art teacher, Elizabeth Tesdell, also Quaker, selected and transferred these images, which were then printed and mounted for display at Ireland Yearly Meeting.

QUNO New York is seeking a UN Representative to function as a senior member of the QUNO team, share program responsibilities, take care of outreach efforts, and look after the QUNO Program Assistant program. Find out more below. (Applications close 25 June)

Did you know that Margaret Fell had seven daughters who were also involved with Quakers and connected to Swarthmoor Hall? Find out more about them and "the tension between the demands of their Quaker faith and the expectations placed on them as women" in this online session.

The Europe and Middle East Section of FWCC has had their annual meeting, 28-30th May online. Over 50 Friends gathered together. If you are intrested, you can read the epistle on the EMES website.

"Irish Quakers, they just embraced me, and they made me feel like I belonged." @theequaker.bsky.social new podcast episode dives into the fascinating history of Quakers in Ireland, Zack having travelled to attend Ireland Yearly Meeting earlier this year. Find out more below.

“Do not give up or surrender on this path. Continue to struggle for peace.” Find out more about conscientious objectors in @qcea.bsky.social's 'Voices of Peace' report, with stories from objectors in Belgium, Greece, Eritrea, Türkiye, Israel, Finland, Russia and Spain.

Friends have just completed the annual in-person meeting of the FWCC Central Executive Committee, which this year took place at the 'first Friends World Office'; Swarthmoor Hall. Please hold them in the Light as they return home, and as we move forward with the work together.

Our FWCC Americas Section partners with the US Religion Census to survey Quaker congregations across the US. A recent report, which includes Quaker Connect participants, shows growth to pre-pandemic levels. Does this reflect what you see in your congregation? religionnews.com/2026/04/24/w...

The FWCC Europe & Middle East Section 2025 Annual Report is now available - read news of Quaker work and activity in Europe & the Middle East here: fwccemes.org/news/fwcc-em...

"Quakerism, as an experiential faith, changes over time. Friends around the world have evolved differently ... with different worship styles and theologies" - read Clerk of FWCC-EMES Ethel Livermore's account of attending all 4 FWCC Section meetings over the past year: fwccemes.org/news/reflect...

Could the epistle of James help Quakers from different places and traditions to understand one another? The latest edition of the Friend features a piece by FWCC General Secretary Tim Gee, exploring this: thefriend.org/article/home... What do you think?

The theme for World Quaker Day, 4 October 2026, is "Let Peace Be Among Us" - we're planning a massive online Meeting for Worship, bringing together Friends across borders, time zones, and Quaker traditions with a shared focus on peace. Please save the date and find out more at www.worldquakerday.org

As many Friends know our Friend Yurii in Kyiv was detained recently. Read more about his story on the FWCC-EMES website with a few ideas of things you can do to support him and other COs in Ukraine, please share it with Friends in your groups and meetings: fwccemes.org/news/ukraini...

Due to instability and war in the world, two ​Yearly Meeting sessions of the Religious Society of Friends have been indefinitely cancelled; Cuba YM planned to meet in February, and Middle East YM planned to meet in April. Read more: fwccamericas.org/2026/04/02/p... fwccemes.org/news/please-...

Are you a young professional interested in Quaker engagement with the UN? QUNO Geneva is hiring Programme Assistants for their Climate Change and Human Rights & Refugees programmes. Apply by 8 May - Swiss/EU/EFTA nationals or those with Swiss work rights. Find out more: quno.org/newsroom/app...

Quaker Religious Thought (QRT) and Quaker Theological Discussion Group (QTDG) are now on Bluesky! Share this post so we find all our #Quaker F/friends. While you're at it, check out our QTDG panel discussions from December on the topic, "Quaker Public Ministry." qtdg.org/2025/12/20/l...

What brilliant timing - a new QuakerSpeak video about Margaret Fell: quakerspeak.com/video/margar... #WomensHistoryMonth #Leadingthechange #WomeninLeadership

To mark both her recent installation as Archbishop of Canterbury, and also to celebrate her birthday, Quakers gifted Sarah Mullally a copy of Margaret Fell's Women's Speaking Justified yesterday. The meeting was warm and friendly, and finished with a brief moment of silent prayer .

We have heard today (21st March) that Yurii has been released and is home. He was tortured while held by the authorities in Kyiv

​Many Friends around the world know Yurii Sheliazhenko from Kyiv. Yurii was detained by the police in Kyiv yesterday, for being a conscientious objector to military service. Please uphold him. We are trying to get more information from local Friends. More here: ebco-beoc.org/press-releas...

Quakers will be guests at Sarah Mullally's installation as the first ever female Archbishop of Canterbury. We've long advocated for gender equality in faith settings, and we believe in loving God and neighbour across all traditions. www.quaker.org.uk/blog/why-qua...

To our knowledge, Shaker leader Ann Lee (subject of the recent movie) never was a Quaker, despite what some on the internet say. It's a little sad to learn she wasn't part of the Quaker story, but facts matter. Share if you know someone who needs to know. www.friendsjournal.org/ann-lee-was-...

This is worth reading, feat. Deputy Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain, Siobhán Haire: cte.org.uk/smashing-the... "360 years ago, Margaret Fell...published “Women’s speaking justified...Today, I largely take for granted the right to speak and to lead in my faith community."

We've been talking a lot about Margaret Fell this week. In case you're not familiar with her story, @quakeitup.bsky.social has just published a new video.

"The Quaker community seeks to uphold women in all areas of life, to believe what women say, and to support their leadership and callings in all faith communities." A message for #InternationalWomensDay reflecting on the life of the person who wrote the first full defence of women's preaching.

This seems like a good time to remember the first written version of our Quaker peace testimony, penned by Margaret Fell in 1660. More here: dailyquaker.com/2025/05/we-b... #Leadingthechange #InternationalWomensDay #IWD2026

Quakers uphold women in all areas of life, and support their leadership and callings in all faith communities. With women's leadership back in the news, Rhiannon Grant reflects on the Biblical case for equality: www.quaker.org.uk/blog/women-s... #InternationalWomensDay #LeadingtheChange #IWD2026

"Right back to the days of Margaret Fell, women's ministry has been part of Quaker identity." Read the full interview with FWCC's new clerk Clare Scott Booth about Quakers and female leadership #IWD2026 #WomensHistoryMonth #womenempowerment fwcc.world/diversity-gi...

"A pamphlet written by a woman in prison in 1666 has gone viral on Facebook. Margaret Fell, co-founder of the Quakers, wrote ‘Women’s Speaking Justified’ whilst jailed in Lancaster for her beliefs." New today in Inside Time: insidetime.org/newsround/a-... #InternationalWomensDay

Another piece about "the first ever full-lenth defence of women's ministry" in Insights Magazine, Australia ahead of Women's History Month. www.insights.uca.org.au/celebrating-...

The Westmoreland Gazette has also covered the news of the reissue of Margaret Fell's 'Women's Speaking Justified', celebrating her as a "pioneer of women's church leadership". www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/2588378...

@lancashirepost.bsky.social has published an article about Margaret Fell's 1666 pamphlet 'Women's Speaking Justified' (the first full-length defence of women's ministry in English) and how it went "viral" on Facebook ahead of International Women's Day. Find out more: www.lep.co.uk/heritage-and...

One of the foundational texts of global Quakerism, 'Women's Speaking Justified', is soon to be republished in a modern English edition. Today we went to the @quaker.org.uk library, to go and have a look at the original. Summary below.

Last week @timquaker.bsky.social & @mijecc.bsky.social visited Friends in Geneva, lead worship and met staff @oikoumenewcc.bsky.social to talk about Quakers & peace before meeting staff at @quakerunoffice.bsky.social for a catch up. Later on they spent time at Taize discussing our work for peace

Passionate about sustainable civil security? QCEA are hiring a Rethinking Security Programme Officer in Brussels. Applicants must have a right to work in the EU. Find out more below or please share with someone who might be interested.

Looking forward to being part of this. International online places still available. Bookings close on 6 February.

"My dream is that people of faith won’t kill one another or anybody else... I can’t work out if it’s extremely modest or if it’s... wild beyond our dreams." General Secretary @timquaker.bsky.social speaks on @theequaker.bsky.social's latest podcast episode here quakerpodcast.com/why-are-quak...

"I feel like there is God in me... like there is a candle in me. God is not 'there' but he is here." Sikhuphukile Nare, a Quaker from Zimbabwe, shares her inward experience of worship. You can watch it here, and if her words speak to you, please do help us share her message. youtu.be/6DvxC9N5tZI?...

“They washed one another’s feet and they committed to work together for peace.” Our General Secretary shared a message about Unity in Humility on the BBC today, as part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. You can read it in full here: fwcc.world/quakers-on-t...

"What Quakers offer is.. the spiritual space that allows people to know what their vocation is and that vocation towards good. Secular NGOs can't do that. Media can't do that. Political parties can't do that. We can." - General Secretary Tim Gee speaks on the Quake It Up podcast tinyurl.com/2sz9m5vm

Advert for vacancy in Quaker World Office now live on Charity Job. Deadline at end of the month. www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/friends...

"Working with churches who are on the surface of it quite different, is doing the hard work of peace." Find out why General Secretary Tim Gee believes interchurch engagement makes him "a better Quaker" in his recent article for The Friend here: thefriend.org/article/curi...

Find out what 2026 may hold for FWCC and the worldwide family of Friends - including dates for upcoming global gatherings - in General Secretary Tim Gee's 2026 Letter to Meetings. fwcc.world/may-our-feet...

"When the song of the angels is stilled when the star in the sky is gone when the kings and princes are home when the shepherds are back with their flocks the work of Christmas begins" (Continues)

"One of the questions that has stayed with me was: what’s the relationship between the unity of Christians and the unity of humanity?" Find out more about Friend Rachel Muers' experience of the World Council of Churches’ Sixth Conference on Faith and Order in October thefriend.org/article/the-...