#EarthHour2EarthDay: 27 Day Challenge ! The Challenge 21 implores us to: Defend God’s creation against all that would destroy it and preserve and protect the earth’s resources for coming generations. The APAY is committed to combat climate emergency, and we are extending our invitation to join us. As they say, tiny drops of water make a mighty ocean.
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While climate change is a new concept in science, humanity has been changing the world, changing the environment, and changing climate from the early days of civilization, even before. More recent studies show that even the Sahara Desert, the largest expanse of barren desert in the world, was not authored by nature alone but had humans to nudge along its ultimate descent into non-life.
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YMCA Yokohama organized an online Film screening in commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster Fukushima Mothers
The film Fukushima Mothers' story is about Ms Eiko Kanno, Ms Yoshiko Kanno, who were evacuated from their village due to the nuclear disaster. Their lives completely changed after that incident! These two inspiring, positive and determined grandmothers find the company in each other and new ways to restore their lives in happiness with others by sharing their indigenous wisdom.
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‘Interfaith Partnership for Sustainable Development Goals: Organizing and Mobilization of Youth’: The side event featured three (3) young panellists who shared their experience on interfaith and ecumenical collaboration in peacebuilding, protection of indigenous people and engagement in interfaith dialogue.
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“Green Ambassadors in a Post-COVID19 Society” Green Ambassadors Training 2021 In the current context of COVID19 and as preparation for the post-pandemic society, the training was specifically designed to reflect on the personal and organizational practices that contribute either to the positive or negative impacts of the crisis on the environment climate. It also looked into potential ways to contribute to rebuilding resilient societies with nature-based solutions.
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Religion Does Not Exist In Isolation After introducing the participants to the words Patriarchy, Androcentrism, and Misogyny, Dr. Muriel gave insights on the circumstance of the bible arguing that it is crucial to understand the broader context to understand the sacred text. She said, “it is up to each one to take a deeper look into their sacred texts, acknowledge the texts of terror with their enslaving and marginalizing dimensions and not take them as authoritative”.
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APAY’s Parallel Event during the UN CSW65 It is historic for the APAY to organize the NGO CSW Parallel Event during the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women through the Gender Equity Committee. It’s also historic for the UN CSW to organize the whole event virtually, which is an opportunity for many of us to participate online. Thanks to the World YMCA leadership for coordinating the regions and bringing a delegation of around 40-50 members from different parts of the world to participate at the Virtual UN CSW 65 this year.
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International Women’s Day Regional Symposium The month of March is dedicated to the women as we commemorate the courageous women who fought for equality, justice, peace and development. Who have paved the way for us to continue our journey for women’s emancipation. The Gender Equity Committee decided to celebrate International Women’s Day through a regional Symposium to make it meaningful and memorable.
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Manila Downtown YMCA and Youth Club celebrate Women's History Month! The Strand Up for YMCA's cancer project is a mission by former Vice President for Youth Club Social Works, Ms Ann Melody Yao, back in 2013. It is now in its 8th year of advocating for cancer awareness and women empowerment this 2021. Strand Up for Cancer started from being a hair-collecting project that outsourced its wig-manufacturing and final distribution of wigs to a partner organization named “Kythe” from a local Jesuit university.
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NCYB and local YMCA leaders explore peacebuilding and ecumenical coexistence The NCYB and local YMCA leaders met the newly appointed Archbishop Bejoy N D'Cruze for the Catholic Church of Bangladesh on 1st March to explore peacebuilding and ecumenism. During the conversation, the Archbishop expressed his interest in working more on peacebuilding and community strengthening by facilitating interfaith dialogue and ecumenical coexistence.
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YMCA Savar organized regular support for an education program for the victims of the Rana Plaza tragedy YMCA Savar organized the program since the incident took place in 2013 with support from Y's Men Club Dhaka Central's support. The program supports the education expenses of ten students. With this support, the families are not only happy, but the students can continue their study. Many of these students are now studying in colleges and doing well. Savar YMCA always stands with them.
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Savar YMCA Responded Mental Health issues through Badminton Tournament Savar YMCA works with youth for improves their mental & physical health as well as their potentialities. So every year, we arrange a few sports tournaments like Football Tournament, Badminton Tournament, etc. 12 February 2021, Savar YMCA organised a Badminton Tournament 2021 at Savar YMCA Multi-Purpose building Dewgaon our premises.
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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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Global Youth Summit
The virtual Summit will take place from 23 to 25 April 2021 The Global Youth Summit is a unique virtual event designed with young people for young people. Over three-days, young people, leaders, policymakers and changemakers will come together in one space to discuss the challenges facing young people across the world. |
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Youth-Led Project On Climate Action Empowering young people to put their projects into practice, YMCA’s Youth-Led Solutions Initiative has selected 35 youth-led climate action projects in 20 countries for funding worth a total of some $175,000.
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New Chief Executive Officer of Metropolitan YMCA of Singapore The Board of Metropolitan YMCA Singapore (MYMCA) announces its appointment of Ms Grace Chan as new Group Chief Executive Officer from 1 April 2021. Grace will be taking over the role of Group Chief Executive Officer from Ms Phyllis Tan who had served MYMCA faithfully for 31 years.
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New General Secretary of Lahore YMCA APAY is happy to inform you of Mr Emanuel Sarfraz's appointment as the General Secretary of Lahore YMCA, Pakistan. The Board of Directors of YMCA Lahore unanimously selected Mr. Emanuel as a successor of Mr Samuel Pervez on 3 February 2020.
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APAY e-News Mar 2021
1.EarthHour2EarthDay:: 27 Day Challenge! 2.WHAT’S IN A MEAL: Sustainable Agriculture in an age of Global Warming 3.YMCA Yokohama organized an online Film screening in commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster - Fukushima Mothers 4.‘Interfaith Partnership for Sustainable Development Goals: Organizing and Mobilization of Youth’: UN ESCAP Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development 2021 Side Event 5.“Green Ambassadors in a Post-COVID19 Society” -Green Ambassadors Training 2021 6.Religion Does Not Exist In Isolation 7.APAY’s Parallel Event during the UN CSW65 8.International Women’s Day Regional Symposium 9.“Strand Up for Cancer” 10.NCYB and local YMCA leaders explore peacebuilding and ecumenical coexistence 11.YMCA Savar organized regular support for the education program for the victims of the Rana Plaza tragedy 12.Savar YMCA Responded Mental Health issues through Badminton Tournament1. Mothers of Fukushima
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WHAT’S IN A MEAL: Sustainable Agriculture in an age of Global Warming
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.”
