17th World Council of YMCAs - Bulletin - Day 2

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Photo by Simon Williams

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21st, 2010

Celebrating the Global YMCA Story

UN Secretary General sends Message to the 17th World Council of YMCAs In a message sent to delegates of the 17th World Council of YMCAs, on 19th July, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, said: “I am pleased to convey greetings to all the participants from across the world who have gathered to further the YMCA’s global efforts to promote peace, fellowship and social justice for all people irrespective of race, class, religion, or gender.

Your work strengthens local communities; your outreach to youth and people in poor and underserved communities is invaluable, especially today as governments face fiscal crises and fall short in providing many basic social services.

I also commend your international humanitarian efforts, especially your commitment to the people of Haiti in the aftermath of January’s earthquake. Thanks to a tremendous wave of solidarity among your movements and members, you played a timely role in international recovery efforts.

three weeks, on August 12th. The theme of the Year, Dialogue and Mutual Understanding, aims to encourage meaningful exchanges of information and ideas across generations and cultures. The United Nations is calling on governments and civil society organizations to mark the observance by involving youth in programmes that redress social injustices.

I congratulate the World Council of YMCAs and send my best wishes for productive deliberations and workshops on HIV/ AIDS, climate change and problems facing women and children. May your organisations continue to harness the energy and idealism of youth to create a more just world for many years to come. Thank you again for your dedication to United Nations ideals and objectives.”

The theme of this year’s World Council -- “Global Citizenship for All” – sends an appropriate message as the United Nations prepares for a Summit on the Millennium Development Goals in September at which we hope to adopt the strongest possible action plan for accelerating progress. I thank the many YMCA movements that are engaged in programme and advocacy work for the MDGs. With just five years until the agreed deadline of 2015, your continued support is crucial.

The United Nations also counts on you to commemorate the upcoming International Year of Youth, which begins in less than

Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General

Getting Down to Business

Photo by Simon Williams

By John Ainsworth, World Alliance of YMCAs

Dr. Bart Shaha, Secretary General, World Alliance of YMCAs

After an incredible opening ceremony on Monday night at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, World Council delegates entered the first business session with great anticipation and interest.

The Golden Book President Martin Meiβner began the session by welcoming newly affiliated members: Belarus, Macau, Palestine, and Russia, and associate member Y Care International, to the World Alliance of YMCAs. A representative of each organisation was asked to sign the “Golden Book”, the official listing of the World Alliance of YMCAs’ membership.

Secretary General’s Report Dr. Bart Shaha began his report with a reflection on the “global village” we live in, where out of 100 people, 30 would suffer malnutrition, 40 would not have access to adequate sanitation, 18 would be unable to read, and 19 would struggle to survive on less than one dollar a day”. Dr. Shaha concluded by inviting World Council delegates to become ”true global citizens as we become one world, one community”. He asked the YMCA community to take the lead in nurturing the global village in the years to come.

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Dr. Shaha went on to share the work of the World Alliance in movement strengthening, advocacy, resource mobilisation and communications over the last quadrennium, as well as work to promote transformational leadership across the Movement. Dr. Shaha also recognised the life-saving work carried out after the disasters in Haiti and Chile earlier this year, for which the World Alliance of YMCAs helped launch funding appeals. Speaking about World Alliance partnerships with other ecumenical and youth organisations, as well as the United Nations, Dr. Shaha stressed the importance of these collaborative efforts to increase our impact on youth and communities, particularly relating to climate change.

He concluded his report by thanking World Alliance Officers, Mr. Martin Meiβner, Rev. Samuel Stephens and Mr. Fernando Ondarza, as well as World Alliance staff, Area Executives, and the World Council Host Committee for all their hard work to organise the 17th World Council of YMCAs.

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Global Citizenship: Striving for Life-Giving Civilization

By Rebecca Morton Doherty, World Alliance of YMCAs

Ecological Integrity and Economic Justice at Stake Speaking about the most critical challenges facing humanity today, Dr Seong-Won said “global warming and climate change have become one of the most serious life-threatening global problems...there will be at least 200 million climate refugees by 2050, and within 50 years, 25% of animal and plant species will have vanished due to global warming.”

Photo by Simon Williams

Dr. Seong-Won went on to say that economic justice and the peace and security of all nations are also at risk, “the global south as well as the global north has no future economy that is life-giving unless they adopt a paradigm different from that of the current economic model.” He added that “while military expenditure increases by 600 billion dollars per year, or 1 million dollars every minute, the world is reluctant to find the necessary funds to feed 15 million people who are dying from malnutrition.”

Dr. Park Seong-Won

In yesterday’s keynote address, Dr. Park Seong-Won, renowned scholar and ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church of Korea, shared his reflections on the theme of global citizenship.

He began by sharing a practical example of global citizenship from the YMCA of Korea. The YMCA supported the thousands of young people who decided to publically demonstrate against Korea’s international trade policies. Dr Seong-Won said, “I feel that in today’s world we need a wide-ranging global citizen’s movement to advocate for justice, peace and life for all living beings in the context of the multiple crises we face in this century.”

Global Citizenship, Striving for What?

In light of these challenges, Dr. Seong-Won sees the need for a strong movement of global citizens, and above all, a movement that will transform civilization as it stands today. He gave the example of Mahatma Gandhi, an Asian global citizen who strived to bring about a life-giving civilization. Gandhi’s core values of non-violence, truth, simplicity, spiritual and practical purity, and faith need to be promoted in today’s consumerist society.

Dr. Seong-Won concluded by urging the YMCA Movement to stand up as global citizens to make a change, “if the YMCA gave up, it would mean global society gives up”.

“This is my first World Council. It’s amazing to have the opportunity to meet such diverse people from all over the world. My country is quite homogenous so this is a new and exciting experience. So far, what stays most in my mind are the words of Martin Meiβner at the opening ceremony: ‘to make an impact at the global level, we need to work locally’’. I think this is very important. I’m looking forward to the workshops that begin today, to having more time for group debates and having the chance to discuss what the YMCA can do for others.”

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James Ekow Rhule, President, Africa Alliance of YMCAs This is my 7th World Council of YMCAs. This time we have over 1,000 YMCA delegates at World Council which is incredible, and a record number of participants registered from Africa, 120 in total. I’m looking forward to having a deeper understanding and clear actions on the concept of global citizenship to guide YMCAs in the next four years.

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Photo by Simon Williams

Sofia Laborde, YMCA Uruguay

Today’s Highlights

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21st, 2010

- Skills Building Workshops and Dialogues on YMCA Cutting Edge Issues 11:00 - 12:30 Join one of the 25 one and a half hour workshops on issues relating to capacity building and resource mobilisation, advocacy and programmes, and communications and branding. Details of room allocation for each workshop can be found outside Hall 2.

- Chinese and Cultural Night, 20:00 - 22:00 (Multi-purpose Hall) Tonight there will be a spectacular cultural evening with performances from YMCAs across the globe, together with traditional Chinese arts including the Chinese Lion Dance, a Kung Fu Dance, Chinese Opera and Chinese Diabolo.

A Day in Photos...