APAY 2022 Executive Committee Meeting

Last Updated (Tuesday, 03 May 2022 18:38)

The Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY) held its annual Executive Committee Meeting online for the 2nd consecutive time on 1st and 2nd April 2022. Due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ECM was held via Zoom with 111 registered delegates and representatives from 21 national movements. The theme for the ECM was Navigating the Crisis: identifying opportunities for the YMCA Mission.

The meeting was chaired by Prof. Chen Chin-Seng, President of APAY, and assisted by Nam Boo Won, General Secretary of APAY. Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General of World Alliance of YMCAs, Mr. Tom Valentine, Vice President of Y-USA International Group, and representatives from the Y’s Men International -- Park Sung Chul, Area President of Korea Area and Ohno Ben Tsutomu, Area President of Asia Pacific Area gave their fraternal greetings, followed by a congratulatory message from Dr. Bart Shaha, the former Secretary General World Alliance of YMCAs and APAY.

Mission Review

Learning from the two years of disruptions caused by the pandemic and seeking to look beyond the current crisis, the APAY's Executive Committee began with a Mission Review session on “Climate Crisis and YMCA Mission - How can We Be a Sharing Community?” Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic and climate crisis, Rev. Toshimasa Yamamoto, the Adjunct Professor of School of Theology at Kwansei Gakuin University and member of NCY Japan National Board warned that the current climate crisis is a result of our capitalistic production and consumption habits and those most affected by climate change are those least responsible for the crisis. Without the spirit of caring, our current paradigm of green economic growth would just be another prescription for maintaining the “greed” and “fulfilment of consumption desires”, the driving forces of modern capitalism. Challenge 21 reminds us of our ethical and spiritual responsibility to defend God’s creation. Our environmental crisis is caused by humans and can only be regenerated and restored by human transformation. Our YMCA mission is to side with those who suffer from the climate crisis and advocate repentance from our anthropogenic sin.

In his opening and welcome address, Prof. Chen highlighted several big challenges faced by the YMCA recently– namely, earthquakes, typhoons, climate change and global warming, the COVID-19 pandemic and the military coup in Myanmar. Many things are changing so fast within our society, and only those who can respond to changes will survive. Prof. Chen challenged YMCAs to face these adversities with courage and consider them as unique opportunities for YMCAs to respond and establish our relevance in times of unprecedented crisis.

Session with WAY

Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General of the World Alliance of YMCAs, shared that The World Council in Aarhus will adopt the YMCA Vision 2030, a vision of a world where every person lives in harmony with self, with society and with creation. The YMCA’s mission is to empower young people and communities worldwide to build a just, sustainable, equitable and inclusive world where every person can thrive in body, mind and spirit. This mission is implemented strategically through 4 pillars: Community Wellbeing; Meaningful Work; Sustainable Planet and Just World. Carlos reminded everyone that “this is our vision”.

Committee Reports and General Secretary’s Report:

Committee reports were presented during the ECM while the written report of the General Secretary was distributed online due to time constraints. A full GS report will be circulated in early May for ECM adoption. The Quadrennial Program Plan with 8 major program areas was formulated together in December 2019 in Taipei after the 20th General Assembly. These program areas form the basis of our common mission and the YMCA is constantly challenged to re-interpret them in view of changing realities and contexts. Despite reduced financial resources last year, APAY was still able to provide support to local YMCAs through the NLAP and Green Fund. The whole Asia Pacific YMCA family also came together through the coordination of APAY to provide emergency response and humanitarian relief to national YMCAs impacted by crisis and disasters.

Standing Committees and Task Forces reported that they were able to achieve the QPP goals through the implementation of the eight (8) Program Areas despite the imposition of travel restrictions due to the COVID19 pandemic. The work and programs in 2021 were redesigned and restructured into virtual meetings and online webinars. Although with some reduced effectivity and impact, APAY successfully accomplished most of the work and programs online including 8 series of interfaith thematic workshops and the 38th Advanced Studies Program; Climate Action Fair and Youth Led Solutions on climate change; 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. APAY actively participated together with the World Alliance of YMCAs in the UNFCCC COP26 meetings in Glasgow, organised a global webinar on climate change and drafted the Global YMCA Green New Deal through its leadership in the Community of Impact on Climate Change.

APAY’s task of empowering youth and strengthening the movements across Asia and the Pacific also include providing leadership and responding to urgent and critical issues beyond our region. APAY organised side events at the UN Commission on the Status of Women CSW65, UN-ESCAP Forum on Sustainable Development and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change COP26.

In close cooperation on youth empowerment with the World Alliance of YMCAs, APAY provided funds and mentored Youth Solution teams on the Future of Work and on Climate Change. The APAY also provided leadership in the Community of Impact on Climate Change.

KAIROS decisions

The 2021 Extraordinary ECM made a historic decision to restructure the APAY headquarters into “multiple-office function”, following the precedents set by other Area Alliances, given the needed adjustment to a new normal reality, as well as increasing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the operations aligned with the objectives of APAY. Having considered 11 important criteria and factors, the 2022 ECM decided for the new APAY Headquarters to be located in Jeju Island, South Korea, while Hong Kong will remain as the second office of APAY.

The ECM also unanimously welcomed the offer from the YMCA of Chennai, India, to host the 2023 General Assembly of the APAY.

Conclusion

The Executive Committee Meeting concluded with the President calling all YMCAs to defend God’s creation, be on the side of those who suffered from climate crisis and destruction and to advocate repentance from our anthropogenic sin. Working towards the Assembly Mandate for a carbon neutral YMCA by 2030, all YMCAs are urged to make responsible commitments (YMCA Determined Contributions) to stop global warming.