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No.37/November 2004
The Executive Committee and Related Meetings will be held from 3-5 March 2005 . Prior to that, the Officers and the Chairpersons of Standing Committees will in the evening of 2 March 2005 . The National General Secretaries will meet on 6 March. A highlight of the Executive Committee Meeting will be a Special Lecture on Ecumenism in the Present Time and Geo-Political Context on 3 March . To deliver the lecture will be Dr. Ninan Koshy , a well-known ecumenical leader from India . He was for many years an Executive Secretary for International Affairs, World Council of Churches, and was a Visiting Fellow at Harvard Law School , Massachusetts , USA . He has authored several books and articles on international affairs, religion and human rights. He recently authored "A History of the Ecumenical Movement in Asia " (Vol.1) and edited a second volume on Essays by prominent Asian Ecumenical Leaders, a project that we were invited to be a partner of. We will be taking the opportunity to hold the YMCA Launch of these two volumes by Dr. Koshy.
Two Youth Exchanges were implemented this year. Reports have been encouraging. We share here insights and experiences from the participants. Ms. Rieko Hana , a volunteer of the Kobe YMCA, Japan , has in her mid-exchange report shared her journey and search for answers to the question of women empowerment so far. She is doing her volunteer work with the Migrants' Workers' Resource Center of the YMCA of the Philippines until mid-January 2005. Rieko has reflected that in order to empower women, both women and men should have the opportunity to challenge each other, reflect on their own behaviour and realise that the strength of the community lies in them working together, hand in hand. Rieko has adjusted to life in the Philippines and "work" with the Migrants' Resource Centre. She hopes that the experience will give her a better understanding of the concerns of migrant workers. Dr. (Ms) Bianca Nazareth of the Nagpur YMCA and a Vice President of the National Council of YMCAs of India, was with the Sri Lankan YMCAs from 20 September to 23 October. She was involved with organising the National Students and Youth Gathering attended by participants from EASYNet member organizations. She gained insights on the Sri Lankan realities, and conflict situation in the country, especially in the Jaffna Peninsula and High Security Zones. She likewise facilitated better understanding between Indian and Sri Lankan cultures. Her participation in the exchange programme brought challenge and inspiration to the young YMCA leaders in Sri Lanka .
Fourteen participants from eleven countries , including a special guest participant from the Shanghai YMCA, China , participated in the 22 nd Advance d Studies Programme, from 24 th October to 26 th November 2004 at YMCA 's Wu Kwai Sha Youth Village, Hong Kong . The Studies were inaugurated by Mr. Louis Tong, President of the Hong Kong C ouncil of YMCA s on 27 th October 2004 at a dinner hosted by YMCA of Hong Kong. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Soo, Bishop of the Western Diocese of the Hong Kong Anglican Church, and a Board Member of the Chinese YMCA, spoke at the Closing Celebrations hosted by the Chinese YMCA on 25 November. The participants' engaged in participatory learning, sharing experiences and specific knowledge with each other. They built a community. At the end of their Studies, they presented Contextual Programme Responses focused on various issues and concerns: namely, Solidarity with Community / Community Building (6), Youth Participation (3), Sustainability (2), Women and Transformation (1), Membership/Volunteer Development (1), and, a Knowledge Management Project for the APAY - "Building Communities of Practice".
The Mission in Action Programme (MAP) is a multilateral cooperation initiative implemented this year that emphasises and fosters responsiveness to contextual realities and the APAY quadrennial priorities. There are now 8 MAP supported action programmes being implemented. Movements were invited in July to submit proposals for programmes that will contribute to empowering people, building communities, attaining just-peace with special focus on interfaith cooperation programmes were for MAP 2005. To date, we have received several proposals for 2005. Movements may submit proposals for MAP 2005 up to 31 December 2004 . (Visit the APAY Website www.asiapacificymca.org for more information.)
The YMCA of the Philippines held its 34 th National Council Meeting and celebrated its 93 rd Anniversary on 6 November at the Makati YMCA, Manila with an Anniversary Fund-raising Concert in the evening. There were 181 delegates from 21 local movements from a membership of 29, present. Following the Keynote "The YMCA Towards a More Relevant and Dynamic Future" that I gave, the delegates met in 4 workshops to work out the programme thrust, how to strengthen the member associations, membership recruitment/retention, and development of resources. The lay and professional leadership are now working to establish the future work-plan based on the outcomes of the workshops.
On 19-21 November 2004, 150 YMCA Board members and Staff gathered in Sydney for the 46 th National YMCA Convention that was opened by Senator, the Hon. Kay Patterson, Minister for Family and Community Services. The Convention, a biennial event, explored opportunities for the YMCA to build strong people, families and communities . Importantly the Convention provided YMCA Board members the opportunity to determine the future direction of the YMCA Movement in Australia . The Convention decided to change the name of the National Council of the YMCAs of Australia to YMCA Australia. It also adopted a new Values Statement and endorsed a Vision Document determining the direction of YMCA Australia for the next 3 years. ( Adapted from Website of YMCA of Australia )
The Youth Participation and Leadership Development (YPLD), Gender Equity and Building Community and a Culture of Peace Task Groups formed during the Leaders' Quadrennial Roundtable held in July have issued questionnaires to gather information for action-planning and policy-making at the forth-coming Executive Committee Meeting. Findings of the survey will be shared with the Standing Committee Members prior to the Executive Committee. We encourage the National General Secretaries and related persons to return the completed survey forms by 15 January 2005 .
International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) AssemblyThe International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) a member of the EASY Net, held their Pan Asian Pacific Assembly (PAPA) with the theme "Towards an Alternative Globalization – Students with the Marginalised" on 21-29 October 2004 at College General, Penang , Malaysia . Ms. El Shiela Kanavathi a young staff of the Kuala Lumpur YMCA represented the APAY at the Assembly and their Golden Jubilee celebration. The Assembly expressed concern on the impact of globalisation, commercialisation of education, family-fragmentation due to forced migration for economic survival, and the consumerist culture dominating the media. Challenged, they have committed to a deepening of their "Spirituality of Action" based on the example of Jesus Christ, and deep study and reflection on social realities. Responsiveness to Eco-Health in Asia A Workshop on Asian Churches ' Response to 'Asiatic' Epidemics - Enhancing Eco-Health in Asia " was jointly organised by t he Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and the Ecumenical Coalition for Tourism (ECOT) the emergence of alarming infectious diseases in the region such as SARS in 2003 and Avian Flu in 2004. The Workshop underscored the need for international solidarity against these threats that can spread readily and widely, with highly adverse consequences for health, economies and societies in a closely interconnected and highly mobile world. The Workshop called for the restoration of harmonious balance with all creation, for healing and reconciliation of the entire relationships of all living systems, and to meet the obligation to make the urgent and radical shift from human self-centeredness to inclusive ‘ecological' patterns and communitarian standards . Mr. Luu Van Loc, Executive Director and Nguyen Duong Dinh Thai , Executive Secretary of the Vietnam YMCA participated in the Workshop. Activism Against Gender-based Violence The participants of the 22 nd Advanced Studies Programme joined in the campaign on "16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence" with a Worship that reminded of the Earth's beauty and the beauty of God's creation of woman and man. Everyone was encouraged to remember the love of God for all Creation amidst oppression, discrimination, exploitation, including gender-based violence, and together help restore its sanctity and co-create the new heaven and the new earth, " Pray. Signify. Connect. Spread the Word." This is the message of the 16-day Campaign that the Asian Network of Ecumenical Women, including the APAY, has committed to. The focus of the ecumenical campaign is to pray and act for victims of sexual harassment. The World Alliance of YMCAs has also encouraged everyone to reflect and organise activities in relation to Violence Against Women and HIV/AIDS. Together for Peace and Reconciliation, ASYG 2004In the spirit of ecumenical unity, around a hundred youth from the Ecumenical Asia Pacific Students and Youth Network (EASY Net), including more than 10 participants from YMCA, will gather in Cipayung, Indonesia from 7-14 December for the Asia Pacific Students and Youth Gathering (ASYG). Under the theme "Together in Action for Peace and Reconciliation", discussions and exposures will focus on globalisation, peace, reconciliation, inter-faith partnerships, etc. towards nurturing youth's spirituality, celebrating cultural diversity, learning and sharing together. The ASYG will develop ways of furthering ecumenism at the grassroots, thereby increasing the involvement of member movements in ecumenical praxis.
Young leaders from 4 ecumenical organisations - World Alliance of YMCAs, World YWCA, World Student Christian Federation, and World Council of Churches will have an opportunity to play a role in the coming World Social Forum and the Ecumenical Youth Pre-event to be held on 23-31 January 2005 in Porto Alegre', Argentina. The interactive Ecumenical Youth Pre-event will include: practical responses to key world social issues, such as trade justice and power; exposure visits, exploring what the Bible says about social justice, worship, challenges for action, and preparation for the WSF main event. (For registration and more info visit www.ymca.int and www.forumso c ialmundial.org.br )
The YMCA of Greater Vancouver in Canada invites participants from the region to YMCA Youth Peace Network to be held from 10 June to 12 September 2005 . The YMCA Peace Network will combine skills-building in the areas of conflict resolution, mediation, youth leadership, asset development, outdoor education, and global education. Please send in nominations from your Movements to reach the APAY Secretariat by 7 January 2005 for short-listing after which the short-listed applications will be sent to the YMCA of Greater Vancouver. (For programme information, please visit www.vanymca.org )
Heartiest Congratulations to our former APAY General Secretary, Dr. Bart Shaha, Secretary General of the World Alliance of YMCAs, who 2 December 2004 will be conferred the Doctor of Philosophy degree by the Hong Kong University . His thesis on "Leadership for Process-oriented Social Development: A Path Towards Building Community" has met all the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Hong Kong . His research subject was inspired by his close involvement and development of the leadership programme of the Alliance dating back to 1981, when as the then Asia Alliance's Executive for Leadership Development, he initiated the Advanced Studies Programme. His thesis is based on the theory that Leadership for Social Development has changed dramatically in recent years. The research proposes the notion of a Process-oriented Social Development defining it as a process of achieving holistic development in the context of the community through collective action, commitment to justice and peace, and maximum mobilisation of community resources, both human and financial. It is a process of building community amidst religious plurality and multiplicity of cultures.
One of the major events of the year, the Advanced Studies, is over after 35 days of intense study, reflection and life together ….. supporting, encouraging, motivating each other. The participants came individually as "strangers", but left together as a "community". It was not easy…. life was different and challenging …. things were new to some; but for everyone, opportunities to delve deeper into important issues and related concepts, to refresh their perspectives of the YMCA mission. They shared their lives and appreciated each other's. The participatory process of learning certainly led them to seriously review their long-held views and perspectives, consider more deeply their contexts and mission. The Studies had led them to change their perspectives, understanding of the YMCA mission in the midst of a troubled world back home and elsewhere. There was change. There was rejuvenation. Therefore, let us not forget that though we are living in a fast-paced world that increasingly places importance on immediate results and quick fixes rather than long-term benefits and sustained growth, we need to develop sustainable transformation in our lives, our YMCAs and in society. Only with commitment and dedication can we really expand within our movement the capacity for change and the ability to become catalysts for change. The Lord bless you and keep you...... Yip Kok Choong with Shella Quezada-Zagada & Lakshan Dias , Executive Secretaries
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Leaders' Roundtable: Achieving Spirituality of Transformation New Officers Unanimously Elected On our way to the 16th General Assembly |