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Executive Committee Meeting of the APAY was held virtually The Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY) held its annual Executive Committee Meeting (ECM) from 16th-17th April 2021. Due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, APAY held its ECM 2021 online via Zoom for three hours, from 3:00-6:00 p.m. (HKT) each day on 16th and 17th April 2021. One hundred and ten (110) registered delegates and representatives from 22 movements in the Asia-Pacific region attended the meeting.
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Dr. CHANG Yoon Jae, professor in Theology of Ehwa Women's University and Vice-president of NCY Korea, was the speaker for the Mission Review during the ECM. He reminded the members to be “Anchored on our Rock” of going back to the roots to strive for unity in diversity. The “C” of the Y.M.C.A is the most important letter out of the four, he said. Because it explains the reason, identity, purpose and spirit of our existence.
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The Global Youth Summit was held virtually on April 22-23, 2021 led by 6 Big organizations: World YMCA, World YWCA, SCOUTS, WAGGGS, IFRC, DofE, together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation). The virtual event aims to convene young people from different parts of the world and discuss issues, concerns and solutions to take an active part in pandemic recovery. There were about 150 YMCA young leaders including from the APAY who joined the event via online platform JUNO and over 1000 live attendees – and thousands more were following live-streaming.
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Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong’s initiative – “Pandemic Can’t Stop the Service Heart” The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all walks of life for more than one year locally and worldwide. To express our gratitude to all these unsung heroes, "Joint-U Caregiving Service: Heroes in Times of Pandemic" was successfully held on 10 April 2021. Nearly 150 youth volunteers from the Alliance of University & College YMCAs of Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong prepared gift packs for over 650 service targets across different districts in Hong Kong.
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ICF’s online thematic workshop on Patriarchy, Androcentrism, and Misogyny in the Sacred Texts concluded its fourth and final session on March 25 and its follow-up discussion on March 30, 2021. There were four sessions with the resource persons and 4 follow-up discussions. 21 regular participants completed the four sessions, 15 of whom are males and 16 are females. They represented four major religions, namely, Buddhism (2), Christianity (22), Hinduism (3), and Islam (3). The first three sessions focused on Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism.
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ICF Program Committee Members Attend APAY ECM For the first time, the members of the ICF Program Committee attended the annual Executive Committee Meeting (ECM) of the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs. The Committee members participated in leading the Opening Worship on the 16th of April and presented a brief report of the ICF works at various levels.
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The COVID-19 surge reached 323,023 and deaths 2,271 as of April 26, 2021, according to the JHU CSSE COVID-19 Data. Several staff members of YMCA India, in the National Office, branches, and local units have also tested COVID-19 positive. Indians named the 2nd wave as COVID-19 “Tsunami”. Experts have predicted the peak is yet to come, and the COVID-19 surge will reach 5,00,000 per day, and the total death toll of COVID-19 might reach 1,000,000.
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A Statement issued by the APAY
XENOPHOBIA AND RACISM HAVE NO PLACE IN MODERN SOCIETY
The APAY is deeply saddened by these events and grieves with our Asian American sisters and brothers. APAY strongly condemns such discriminatory behaviours and stands against all forms of xenophobia and racism, not only in the US but anywhere and everywhere. APAY is committed to the Challenge 21 and to fostering dialogue and partnership between people of different faiths and ideologies and recognizing the cultural identities of people and promoting cultural renewal.
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“STOP KILLING PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS IN MYANMAR” In response to people’s cry and sufferings, APAY, in close collaboration with the World Alliance of YMCAs, launched an Urgent Call petition to the UN Human Rights Council urging urgent intervention in Myanmar, calling for a peaceful restoration of democracy in Myanmar. More than 70 national/territorial YMCAs worldwide signed the petition letter alongside like-minded ecumenical organizations and NGOs in our region and beyond.
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APAY e-News April 2021 1.Executive Committee Meeting of the APAY was held virtually 2.Mission Review - Anchored on our Rock, Striving for Unity in Diversity: Ad Fontes 3.Global Youth Summit 4.Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong’s initiative – “Pandemic Can’t Stop the Service Heart” 5.Religion Does Not Exist in Isolation II 6.ICF Program Committee Members Attend APAY ECM 7.An Appeal To Support The People Of India Affected By The 2nd Wave Of Global Pandemic Of Covid-19
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Mission Review - Anchored on our Rock, Striving for Unity in Diversity: Ad Fontes
Global Youth Summit
An Appeal To Support The People Of India Affected By The 2nd Wave Of Global Pandemic Of Covid-19
Dear friends and colleagues,
We wish to bring you warm greetings of the New Year from APAY. We hope you have started 2021, with a fresh mind, healthy body and renewed spirit amid unabating pandemic in our region and beyond.
Though we continue to face multiple challenges – both personally and professionally, we will not lose hope that is promised by our God. We are called to stand firm on God’s promises and envision courageously “the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1) It is still uncertain what the ‘new normal’ would be ahead of us? Nevertheless, we are called to continue to read and reflect on the signs of our time and be awakened by the ‘wake-up call’ posed by the pandemic! In this regard, we would like to introduce you a Prayer in the form of a Poem written by a theologian titled: “At the edge of a New Normal”.
Our “normal ways” are reassuring to us:
It is our normal way to slot people for wealth and poverty;
It is our normal way to classify people as “us” and “other”;
It is our normal way to prefer males to the other gender;
It is our normal way to distinguish heteros and the “other.”
