Just in time for the Herrnhuter Missionshilfe Annual Conference, taking place from 26 to 28 June 2026 at Herrnhaag near Büdingen, the new HMH Annual Report 2025/2026 has been published in german. It can be downloaded here We hope you enjoy reading it! Unfortunately, an error occurred during printing, and pages 4 and 5 contain the text from the 2023/2024 edition. The printed annual report is included in some copies of the magazine Weltweit verbunden – Was heißt hier Nachhaltigkeit?. We apologise for this. Please simply use the corrected digital version. You can also request a newly printed, corrected annual report from Bad Boll (Badwasen 6, 73087 Bad Boll, telephone: 07164/9421-0). It is important to us to be accountable to our donors and other funders through this annual report.

The six-day Bakery & Pastry Training course organised by the Herrnhuter Academy in Zanzibar came to an end amid great enthusiasm and with excellent results. The training was organised by the local partner organisation Tanzania Mwangaza (TAM) in collaboration with the Vocational Training Centre at the Herrnhuter Academy in Mwera and was aimed at people with disabilities. Alongside key fundamentals on baking techniques, hygiene, cost calculation and entrepreneurship, the focus was primarily on practical application. The participants made various cakes and muffins, enabling them to put their newly acquired knowledge into practice straight away. The successful training not only strengthened their practical skills but also opened up new prospects for greater independence and opportunities to earn their own income. It is a fine example of how, through targeted support, talents can be brought to the fore and inclusion put into practice.

With the support of the Herrnhuter Missionshilfe’s partner organisation in the Netherlands, Zeister Zendingsgenootschap (ZZg), a new greenhouse is being built at the Atsikana Walani Technical College (AWTC) in Malawi as part of the permaculture project. In future, tomatoes, herbs and medicinal plants will be able to be grown there – even during the dry season. This will bolster the training centre’s food supply and promote sustainable, climate-adapted agriculture. At the same time, the greenhouse serves as a practical learning environment for the students: they gain experience in sustainable farming methods and the responsible use of natural resources. A heartfelt thank you to ZZg for supporting this project and for our shared commitment to education, sustainability and new prospects for the future of young women in Malawi.

The Rotterdam Centre congregation, in collaboration with the Dutch foundation Multicultural Network Defensie, is organising a Keti Koti service on Sunday 28 June 2026 to mark the 163rd anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles on 1 July 1863. At that time, 45,000 African slaves were granted their freedom. More here and here. In a speech on 1 July 2023, King Willem-Alexander apologised for the Netherlands’ history of slavery and asked for forgiveness because his ancestors had not taken action against the system. The official recognition of the complex history of slavery and its long-term consequences remain important issues in the Netherlands, as well as within the local Moravian Church, which today consists overwhelmingly of migrants. Commemorating 1 July 1863 requires an ongoing commitment to freedom, equality and solidarity.

On 16 June 2026, the Ahuas Clinic – the Clinica Evangelica Morava – on the Honduran Mosquito Coast celebrated its 80th anniversary. The celebration was attended by 350 people. The event highlighted the clinic’s medical and spiritual significance for the people of this structurally underdeveloped region. Pupils from the Samuel B. Marx Institute performed traditional dances and a short play. There was plenty of music, and visitors had the opportunity to speak with the medical staff. Alongside the anniversary celebrations, the clinic had organised a public health fair on the topic of preventative healthcare. Presentations were held to provide further information. Several pastors from neighbouring parishes had brought their choirs along to sing songs of welcome. Everyone had a good time that Tuesday. Alongside fun and games, health was not neglected either. The clinic staff administered flu vaccinations, for example, and offered medical tests. The staff at the Ahuas Clinic wore special green T-shirts. Photos and further information here.

World Environment Day on 5 June 2026 brought together millions of people for the 54th time under the theme A Call for Climate Action. They all realised: our planet does not argue. It does not negotiate. It sends out signals: rising sea levels, raging forest fires, heatwaves, melting glaciers. That is why creativity is needed, along with an awareness of our planet’s needs. World Environment Day was also celebrated at the International Kindergarten & Shristi Academy run by the Moravian Church in Kathmandu, Nepal. A short post on Facebook read: “Through their words and actions, the children reminded us that every small step towards caring for our planet can make a big difference. Together, we want to stand up for nature, protect our resources and create a greener world for future generations. At the school, children dressed in beautiful outfits held an exciting assembly with inspiring messages. 20 photos here.

A Burundi Vision: An Emerging Country by 2040 and a Developed Country by 2060 has been in existence since 2023. Download the document here. Now, the Moravian Church in Burundi, together with many other churches and organisations, had been invited by the state to an event on moral guidance in Bujumbura at the Intwari Stadium, under the motto The Contribution of Religious Leaders to the Realisation of Burundi’s Vision 2040–2060. Also present was His Excellency Evariste Ndayishimiye, the President of Burundi. He called on people to refrain from complaining and instead to focus on national progress. He urged Christians to become politically active. He expressed the hope that “people from the congregations who have proven themselves there would enter government to do good there.” He also asked those in charge to educate their congregation members and to further develop the congregations. Pictures here.

The opening ceremony for the new media centre at the August-Theodor-Pengel School in the municipality of Bersaba, in the Para District in northern Suriname, began on Monday, 8 June 2026, with an atmospheric march-in by a police marching band. The school’s history dates back to November 1882, making it one of the oldest schools in Suriname. Over the years, the school has produced many people who have made a special contribution to Suriname. Setting up the media centre took around six weeks. Its initiators were: Karinza Pengel, police inspector; Rachel Rijkaard, district councillor; Theo Pengel, a member of staff at the Blue’s Kingdom Foundation; and Gracia Atipa, a social worker and former pupil of the school. The idea for the media centre arose after it was realised that many pupils were struggling with reading. Thanks to the media centre, the pupils now have access to books and other teaching materials, as well as a stimulating learning environment. A video here.

Raising awareness of bullying amongst its teaching staff is a key priority for the Stichting Onderwijs of the EBGS, the school foundation of the Moravian Church in Suriname. The foundation recently wrote on Facebook: “Teachers play a crucial role in recognising bullying and in combating it. Research shows that at the start of a school year, teachers identify 40 per cent of bullying victims. This figure rises during the school year, so that by the end of the school year, 60 per cent of bullying victims are identified. However, this means that 40 per cent of bullying victims still go unrecognised by teachers. Some pupils appear to be popular but feel lonely. In the latest article in her series on bullying and class dynamics, educationalist Dr Nathalie Hoekstra explains why some victims are harder to spot and what teachers can do to improve the situation. See here and here."

The Stichting Onderwijs of the EBGS, the educational foundation of the Moravian Church in Suriname, addressed its teaching staff on 19 June 2026, writing: “Dear education heroes! The holidays are beginning; the perfect time to recharge your batteries, but also to arm yourselves with fresh, innovative ideas for the new school year. Would you like to take your teaching to the next level, engage your pupils even more, and inspire your colleagues with the latest teaching trends and digital tools? Then don’t miss the workshop weeks during the holidays. An information poster is available here. Register here. Under the motto Make your teaching more innovative! Inspire others, we are organising interactive and practical sessions especially for you. Together, we’re building the future of our education! Don’t wait too long – places are in high demand and limited! We can accommodate at least 20 teachers. Your places are only secured once payment has been received (150 SRD = approx. 3.50 euros per person per session). Registration deadline: 21 August 2026. Show us what you’re capable of!"

On 19 July 2026, the Moravian Church in the Netherlands will hold its final National Diaspora Day in Zeist. The discontinuation of this event is linked to the merger of the various diaspora groups within the Moravian Church with existing congregations, effective 1 November 2026. The groups in Arnhem and Groningen will find their spiritual home in Utrecht. The Javanese will mainly be integrated into the Rotterdam congregation. The Hindustani will join the congregation in The Hague. And the members from North Brabant will be distributed amongst the congregations in Zeist, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Work has been underway for several years to prepare for this new situation, and this process is now drawing to a close. Yes, this also brings a sense of wistfulness, as the Brethren Church must bid farewell to a familiar structure. However, staff shortages, limited financial resources and ever-shrinking groups are forcing these changes.

• A fundraising event – a Sip and Paint – took place on 6 June 2026 at the Bridgetown Moravian Church in Cape Town, South Africa, in aid of the congregation’s children’s and youth ministry (BMC Children and Youth Ministry). Under the guidance of several artists, talented members of the congregation had the opportunity to paint a picture on small easels in the church hall. Light refreshments were served. The entry fee was 100 rand per person (just under 6 euros). The congregation wrote: “Without your support, today would not have been such an amazing success.” 75 pictures here.
• The local council is already inviting people to the Moravian Brass Annual Concert on 26 July 2026. Admission is 100 rand for this event too. A poster reads: “Our musicians are sure to get you fired up. It’ll have you all on your feet!” The venue is the sports ground of the Western Cape Sports Institute in Kuils River, 25 kilometres east of Cape Town.

• The abbreviation NWID is still relatively new within the global Moravian Church. It stands for Northwest Interprovincial District Conference of the Moravian Church in India, South Asia Mission Province. The third such conference took place recently in Rajpur, near Dehradun, where both clergy and laity gathered to discuss matters of church leadership, fill positions on committees, coordinate on regional issues and set new dates. Some photos here.
• The Moravian Fellowship Delhi offers a few insights into its work with children and young people, and into its Sunday school programme for biblical teaching. Some photos here. In a group photo, the Moravian Church in Rajpur shows that it is acting in accordance with Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:14: Let the little children come to me. See here.