ICF Program Committee Members Attend APAY ECM

Last Updated (Friday, 30 April 2021 10:06)

ICF Program Committee Members Attend APAY Executive Committee Meeting

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 meeting took place on April 16 and 17, 2021 at 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. through the Zoom video communication platform. Albeit virtual, the members of the Program Committee had the chance to participate in the leadership of the Opening Worship and giving a report. The 110 attendees of the meeting included the Officers, Board, General Secretaries of the National YMCAs, Regional representatives to the World Alliance of YMCAs, members of the Standing Committees, Guests, and partners of APAY. Rev. Dr. Chang Yoon-Jae of Ehwa Womans University in Seoul, Korea, explicated the mission review of APAY.

The regular and alternate Committee members who participated in leading the Opening Worship on the 16th of April were Teodora “Dory” Dotusme of the Philippines, Cicilia Novalia Jambuani of Jayapura, and Mohammad Ayatulla Rahaman of Nepal. Muriel Orevillo-Montenegro prepared the liturgy that made use of a song she composed with words based on Challenge 21 and adapted to the tune meter of 7.6.76. D.

Thankful for the opportunity to share, Biplob Rangsa of Bangladesh reported on behalf of the ICF Program Committee in less than six minutes, the time slot given to all rapporteurs. Considering that this is the first time for the Committee to render a report, he focused on the Committee’s Nature, Composition, and Role. He highlighted the membership, pointing out that the Committee has 10 members, six (6) of whom represent the ICF alumni, peace networks, peace activists, and experts on inter-faith issues. The other four members are ex-officio, namely, the General Secretary of APAY, related Executive Secretary of APAY, the ICF Program Officer, and the ICF Coordinator who heads the Committee. Any intern or seconded personnel are a corresponding member. A significant factor in choosing the members is the balance in gender and religious representation.

Rangsa also pointed out that the ICF Program Committee acts as a liaison of the National Forum, or, of the ICF Alumni community of their respective country. It serves as an advisory committee to the ICF Coordinator and ICF Staff in matters of planning the details of the programs following the project guidelines. The Committee plays an active role in implementing the events of ICF, especially when their respective country hosts or organizes the activity. Then, he proceeded to present the activities carried out by the Committee done mostly online after its last face-to-face meeting in January 2020 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He announced that the Committee would hold its third meeting in 2021 on May 21. On that meeting, the Committee will review the output of the March 31 meeting, formulate guidelines under the Terms of Reference, find replacements for absentee members, and explore ways to help the ICF Staff in conducting a “tracer study” on where the ICF alumni are and how they used the knowledge/skills gained from the ICF programs.

Muriel Orevillo-Montenegro
ICF Coordinator