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“Restore our Earth, we are on our Way” More than a hundred youth from different YMCAs and youth groups from the APAY attended the first Youth-Led Solutions (YLS) Climate Action Fair organized by the Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY) on May 22, 2021. This YLS Climate Action Fair is the APAY's initiative to follow through and mentor the APAY YLS Solution Teams in their implementation of projects and also as part of the continued commitment to strengthening the network and green movement towards a carbon-neutral YMCA by 2030. It showcased the 7 solution projects did by the youth-led solutions team. By Jeannie Chen from Taichung YMCA & Magda Gana from YMCA of Makati.
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Manila Downtown YMCA: Virtual Summer Youth Camp Manila Downtown YMCA held its 14th Youth Club Annual Summer Camp (YCSC) of 2021 from May 15-22, 2021. Over 58 participants from various schools to develop leaders of today's youth attended. The 14th YCSC was successfully conducted through different platforms such as Zoom, Facebook, and Discord, prioritizing safety amidst the global pandemic. Prior to the camp itself, participants were given various tasks assigned to groups that became their respective teams throughout the camp activities. By Venus May G. Alinsod
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Request from NCY Sri Lanka for Financial Support for COVID-19 Relief The third wave of the Covid-19 surge reached 3000 new cases a day and deaths 35 as of May 25, 2021, and on a steady rise. As a small country wherein the state-run health sector is the primary service provider, they are ill-equipped to deal with the growing state of the pandemic in Sri Lanka. The National Council of YMCAs of Sri Lanka requesting financial support, the solidarity of the YMCA family and members worldwide. Your generous donations will support the most vulnerable COVID-19 pandemic affected community members, medical aid to the community, and basic need for displaced people by the recent cyclone that caused the flood in many parts of the country. By Theonis C. Brownson
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YMCA of Hong Kong organizes Flower Festival: ‘Grace is So Beautiful’ ‘Grace is So Beautiful’ is one of the YMCAHK’s fund-raising efforts to fulfill its commitment towards the Child Development Fund’s BOSS project, which matches students from underprivileged families with mentors, to walk alongside with them to achieve targeted savings, formulate personal development plans and realise dreams. By YMCA of Hong Kong
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Sharing on the Escalation of Violence in Palestine and Israel: Impact on YMCA and Local Communities “We are human beings: we just want justice, we just want to live.” Hani Alfred Farah, General Secretary of YMCA Gaza, set the tone. Moving his camera around his living room – without windows, all blown out by the bombing – he shared how his past few days have been: “We face constant bombings. I have to move my family every evening, trying to find a secure place for the night. At the moment, we don’t have a place to live. We don’t know where to be safe.”
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ICF staff and ICF alumni in the Philippines attended Youth Peace Summit Calling on the youth to learn lessons from the current situation in Myanmar, Bishop Rex Reyes Jr urged them never to allow again the military to rule the Philippines. He mentioned that the peace process is a major step in ending the war, and it is the least expensive and least deadly way. He concluded that the Peace Ecumenical Peace Platform (PEPP) continues to call for the resumption of peace talks between the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and the Government of the Philippines. Baidido Saganding
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COVID 19 Second Wave: YMCA India Response YMCA India has responded to the second wave of the pandemic by initiating its second phase of relief operations. The work will be carried out on all nine regions, projects (branches), and member associations with 2000 volunteers and staff involve in relief work. Thankful for the generous donations from YMCA family. Bertram Devadas
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Gender Equity Committee (GEC) met to work on the proposed programs of 2021 Philippines The Gender Equity Committee members met on May 26, 2021, to work on the proposed programs for the next six months, June - December 2021. Members present in the meeting are: HAHN Meerha (Presiding officer) Korea, Nagako OKADO, Japan, LAW Lap Man (Siu Law) Hong Kong, Asher Leo, Malaysia, Venus Alinsod, Philippines, Cecilia Lou (for Grace Kuan Sok Leng), Macau, Marshia Milli Gomes, Bangladesh, Elizabeth George, India, Nam Boo Won (General Secretary-APAY), and Sunita Suna (Executive Secretary in charge of Gender Justice Program- APAY). By Sunita Suna
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ICF Program Committee held its Third Meeting On May 21st the ICF Committee members met virtually for the third time this year. In attendance were the following members and alternates: Biplob Rangsa from Bangladesh, Cicilia Jambuani from Indonesia, and Mohammad Ayatullah Rahaman from Nepal. Dunhill Angelo Maraya and Dory Dotusme attended as alternate members from the Philippines. Also, present were the ICF Staff as well as APAY’s Executive Secretary Sunita Suna. By Annika Denkmann
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Australia’s WhyNot digital platform – on sustainability WhyNot is YMCA Australia’s national online platform designed to give young Australians the opportunity to have their voices heard. It exists to stimulate debate, prompt conversations and create awareness about issues that matter to young people. WhyNot Editorial Committee have been driving the platform.
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Australia’s young people’s response to the federal budget – on key issues of Health/mental health, employment for young people, climate change and inclusion. Here the voices ((11) Federal Budget - what young Australians thought - YouTube )
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| SOLIDARITY SPACE | ||
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MANIFESTO FOR LIFE AND DIALOGUE Participation, as a constitutional principle, a fundamental right, a civic duty, and a fundamental aspect is the basis for the construction of citizenship, all of it committed to the development of an entire country. Young people have been the promoters of great changes in the country through their artistic and cultural manifestations, which have changed the social dynamics of Colombia.
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| ANNOUNCEMENT | ||
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Plant a tree, contribute to just peace In support and solidarity with the Palestinian farmers, 200,000 olive trees were sponsored and planted in the last 20 years. In 2022 we Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Olive Tree Campaign, by targeting 40,000 olive trees more. The East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI) invites you to join our celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Keep Hope Alive (KHA) - Olive Tree Campaign (OTC). |
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| OBITUARY | ||
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Founder General Secretary, YMCA Ranchi, India 26.12.1940 – 19.05.2021
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APAY e-News May 2021 1.“Restore our Earth, we are on our Way” 2.Manila Downtown YMCA: Virtual Summer Youth Camp 3.Request from NCY Sri Lanka for Financial Support for COVID-19 Relief 4.YMCA of Hong Kong organizes Flower Festival: ‘Grace is So Beautiful’ 5.Sharing on the Escalation of Violence in Palestine and Israel: Impact on YMCA and Local Communities 6.ICF staff and ICF alumni in the Philippines attended Youth Peace Summit 7.COVID 19 Second Wave: YMCA India Response 8.Gender Equity Committee (GEC) met to work on the proposed programs of 2021 Philippines 9.ICF Program Committee held its Third Meeting 10.Australia’s WhyNot digital platform – on sustainability 11.Australia’s young people’s response to the federal budget – on key issues of 12.MANIFESTO FOR LIFE AND DIALOGUE - YMCA Colombia 13.Mr. Phoung Phiroth is appointed as the National General Secretary of the YMCA Cambodia 14.Tribute to late Nityanand Naik
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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.”
