Christian leaders from 24 different countries at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC have announced and declared their support for AD 2020 Global Year of the Bible.

"It is becoming evident that this yearlong emphasis on the Bible is a God-inspired movement because many major Christian denominations and organizations have already endorsed the initiative" said the World Evangelical Alliance.

On the other side of the Atlantic, in Geneva a photo exhibition "And It Is Good" was launched in the lobby of the Ecumenical Centre that pairs photos of nature and creation with verses from the Bible on Sept. 26.

"The presence of the Bible Museum "here reminds us that although George Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, great artists, great scientists, Native Americans, and African Americans are all deservedly recognized in this city for shaping the course of this nation, the Bible's influence has been even greater," said Bishop Efraim Tendero, General Secretary of the World Evangelical Alliance.

"The same can be said for Europe. From the early centuries of the spread of Christianity, the Bible indelibly shaped European cultures.

"Even more notably, the personal encounters of Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers with the Bible set in motion massive spiritual, social, economic, and political transformation in Europe, the effects of which can be seen to this day."

He said that today the Bible is influential all over the world, noting that the best evidence of the Bible's power is the countries that go to great lengths to keep their people from obtaining one.

BIBLE SHAPING EVER ASPECT OF HUMAN SOCIETY

The Bible has shaped every aspect of human society and through its instruction and inspiration, it has emancipated people from slavery and poverty, empowered the scientific revolution, and enabled economic development, said Tendero.

It is God's revelation of how we can relate to God and how we should relate to our world and our neighbor. It is after all, the written word of God.

Timothy 3:16–17 states, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the people of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

At the gathering, it was agreed that the year of the Bible aims to recognize and celebrate the unparalleled role that the holy book has had over two thousand years in the history of the world.

The Bible educates and inspires people around the world to study, learn and apply God's Word through private and public engagement with the Bible.

It motivates and encourage followers of the God of the Bible to share graciously the Word of God with their neighbors in culturally-appropriate ways says the WEA.

"In contrast to the sacred writings of many other traditions, the Bible is meant to be read and understood by all people," said Tendero.

"It is not too mystical for people to grasp. It complements the incarnation nature of Christ, because both Christ and the Bible put the knowledge of God within our reach. Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.

"If we want to know Christ - if we want to understand the way to God - we must know the Bible. It is God's chosen means of revealing himself and his will to humanity."

In Geneva a photo exhibition "And It Is Good" was launched in the lobby of the Ecumenical Centre that pairs photos of nature and creation with verses from the Bible.

The exhibition is launched in New York and Geneva in the week of the Climate Action Summit, to draw attention to the importance of biodiversity affirm the creation is good.

It is jointly launched by ACT Alliance, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches and the World Council of Churches.

The exhibition will be presented in countries around the world until the COP25 Climate Conference in Santiago, Chile, in December, where it will be on display during the conference.