21st General Assembly 2023 - 1st Bulletin

1^st Bulletin

APAY is delighted to invite the YMCA leaders of the Asia Pacific region to its 21st General Assembly scheduled to be held from 15-20 September 2023 at Hyatt Regency Chennai, India. About 450 YMCA leaders, including men, women and youth, are expected to participate in one of the most significant YMCA fellowships of the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the 5th Youth Assembly and the 1st Gender Equity Forum will be held from 13-15 September 2023 at the YMCA International Youth Centre and YWCA International Guest House Chennai, India

APAY General Assembly(GA) is the highest policy-making and decision-making body of the Asia Pacific YMCA, held every four years. The GA brings representatives from all the national movements of the Asia Pacific region, allowing us to understand the diverse contextual realities of different YMCAs in their mission. The GA is a significant avenue for the leaders and members of all the national movements of the APAY to review the ongoing missional work, renew the leadership, and envision the thrust of the YMCAs for the next quadrennium with collective deliberation and participation for actions at the local, national, regional and global level. As a Christian faith-based movement, it inspires and challenges the YMCA to witness Jesus Christ’s life and teachings in responding to the current realities. The GA is also an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity within the YMCA family, affirming the motto of the YMCA, “That They All May Be One”.

The 21st GA is crucial as the YMCA family hopes to gather in person in large numbers for the first time since the covid-19 era, which was highly impossible since 2020 in a “new normal” situation with various restrictions. After almost 3 years, we continue to experience and witness the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in different parts of Asia, the Pacific, and the world. 21st GA taking place in this context is an opportunity to reflect on the role of the YMCA on “What does it mean to be YMCA in the post-Covid-19 era?”

YMCA Madras – Host of the 21st General Assembly

The 21st General Assembly will take place in Chennai (erstwhile Madras), India hosted by the YMCA-Madras, one of the oldest and most historic YMCAs. It was founded in 1890, also the birthplace of the National Council of YMCAs of India. Recently YMCA Madras celebrated its 132 years of meaningful service to humanity and envisioning “empowering young people”. Being the oldest NGO Network, YMCA Madras strives relentlessly for the welfare of the people, irrespective of caste, creed, and race. Holding the significant GA of the APAY in YMCA Madras is historic! APAY extends its heartfelt thanks to the NCY of India, especially to YMCA Madras, for their support and contributions in hosting the 21st General Assembly!

The Theme of the Assembly

The theme of the 21st GA is decided as “Journeying Together as a Resilient Community: Transforming Lives through Vision 2030.” Though we are still recovering, we survived the deadliest pandemic Covid-19 at the personal, communal and institutional levels. As the YMCA family, we have withstood these challenges as a resilient community. We survived and stood in support and solidarity with hope and courage to face these challenges. Our mission in these challenging contexts was prophetic. Therefore, it must be our public witness as a resilient community against crises. This resilience must be inculcated in all our interventions, including addressing various socio-political-economic challenges in our contexts. The YMCA family must reflect on its mission to be renewed with the hope of being united in the missional journey as a resilient community.

YMCA World Council in Aarhus, Denmark, adopted a Movement-wide Vision 2030 consisting of one collective vision statement, one collective mission statement, four collective priority action areas (community wellbeing, meaningful work, sustainable planet, just world), and 12 collective goals to turn the priorities into action at the YMCA, the communities and the global level. The 21st GA of the APAY is the right platform for the Asia Pacific region to have meaningful discourse in integrating and implementing Vision 2030 in diverse grassroots contexts of the Asia Pacific region through our praxis to translate the vision into a reality.

The Logo of the Assembly

The logo explained the GA theme as:

The YMCA is journeying together as a resilient community against all odds, hoping to fulfil its mission through the “Vision 2030”. A transformational journey commits to fundamental and lasting changes in people's lives based on the Christian values of love, justice, and peace. The traditional boat/raft from southern India, known as “Kattumaram”, signifies resilience, as it is virtually unsinkable. The colours represent diversity, and the cross symbolises the Christian identity of the YMCA. The boat with the cross also signifies the ecumenical movement of which the YMCA is one of the pioneers!

5th Youth Assembly at YMCA International Youth Centre, Chennai, India
APAY is thankful to the YMCA Madras for hosting the Youth Assembly. The Youth Assembly will be held from 13-15, September 2023 (13th September arrival), on the theme from the youth's perspectives. About 150 youth from all the national movements of the Asia Pacific region will gather for the youth assembly - a common platform for the youth to discuss the youth issues and concerns of their YMCAs and their involvement in leading the YMCA at the local, national, regional and global levels. The Youth Assembly will discuss and develop the YPLD (youth participation and leadership development) programmatic areas for the next quadrennium. The related Executive Secretary will prepare and organize the youth assembly with the YPLD committee members.

1st Gender Equity Forum (GEF) at YWCA International Guest House Chennai, India
Like the Youth Assembly, the Gender Equity Forum will be held before the GA from 13-15 September 2023 (13th arrival). Though there were workshops on gender justice in the previous GA, this is the 1st time the gender equity forum will take place in a parallel event with the youth assembly. About 75 YMCA members (women and men) will gather for the 1st gender equity forum to discuss gender issues, women's participation and leadership within the YMCA and prepare the women delegates to participate in the GA. The forum will discuss the gender justice policy for YMCAs and develop recommendations for the gender justice program direction for the next quadrennium to the GA. The gender equity forum will be prepared and organized by the related Executive Secretary together with the gender equity committee members.

The GEF and the Youth Assembly participants will continue participating in the 21st GA of APAY.

21st General Assembly at Hyatt Regency Chennai, India

The 21st GA will be held from 15-20, September 2023 (15th arrival, 20th departure). About 450 YMCA leaders and global and ecumenical partners, including the members of the youth assembly, gender equity forum and the local host members, will gather for the 21st GA.

APAY Executive Committee and the APAY Council Meeting
Members are expected to arrive in Chennai by 15th September. The APAY Executive Committee Meeting will be held in the evening on the 15th of September, participated by the APAY Board Members, National Presidents, NGSs, Chairpersons of YPLD and Gender Equity Committee, Past Presidents of APAY, Executive Committee Members of the World Alliance of YMCAs from Asia Pacific and the Secretary General of World Alliance of YMCAs. The APAY Council Meeting will be held on the afternoon of 18th September, participated by the National Presidents, NGSs and one Youth Delegate from each movement.

All delegates of the General Assembly, Youth Assembly, and Gender Equity Forum must arrive at the Chennai International Airport. All delegates shall depart from Chennai on 20th September.

Registration and Participation fees:

The mandatory Registration fee	US$150
Mandatory Green Fee	US$15
(Who travel to Chennai by air)
Participation Fee register by April 2023	US$250
Participation Fee register by 1 May until 31 July 2023	US$280
The Participation Fee for the GEF	US$60
Participation Fee for Spouses/ Children	US$100

The Registration Fee covers preparation and implementation costs.

The Participation Fee covers all lunches and dinners, the cost of the Exposure Program and other related direct costs of each participant. The Registration fee and the green fee (if you participants travel to Chennai by air) are mandatory for all participants. Participantion fee must be paid including by the youth participants, Gender Equity Forum participants,(if they intend to join the GA) spouses and children above three years of age when they submit their registration form.

Hotel Booking

Delegates can book their choices of room at Hyatt Regency and Courtyard Chennai by indicating in the registration form and pay the room charges when you check-in.

Check-in: 15:00

Check-out : 12:00

View the hotel Hyatt Regency Chennai

View the hotel Courtyard By Marriott Chennai

YMCA and YWCA Booking

Delegates can book their accommodation in YMCA/ YWCA by indicating in the registration form. The accommodation fee must be paid together with the registration, participation and green fees to the APAY through bank transfer when they submit your registration.

Check-in & Check-out: 24 hours

View YMCA International Youth Centre

View YWCA International Guest House

Accommodation rates

FEES US$	Accommodation Cost Rates are indicated per room.
Option 1	Hyatt Regency Hotel	Single Room w Tax & Breakfast	US$90	Double Room W Tax & Breakfast	US$97	Triple Room W Tax & Breakfast	US$111
Option 2	YMCA International Youth Centre	Double Room & Breakfast	US$33
Option 3	YWCA International Guest House	Double Room & Breakfast	US$33
Option 4	Courtyard By Marriott Chennai	Single Deluxe Room w Tax & Breakfast	US$111	Double Exe Deluxe Room W Tax & Breakfast	US$136	Double Club Room W Tax & Breakfast	US$154

APAY Bank Transfer Details

Account Name: Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs
Bank Name: Bank of East Asia Ltd
A/C : 015-515-20-05004-5
Swift Code: BEASHKHH
Bank Address: No 638 Nathan Road, Mong Kok, Kowloon, HK

Endorsement Letter: The signed endorsement letter from respective national movements must be accompanied the registration form.

Business Meetings

The Election Committee of APAY will send detailed information to the national movements soon, inviting nominations for the candidates for the APAY elections of Office Bearers for the next quadrennial to be held during the General Assembly. The APAY Executive Committee Meeting is held on the evening of the 15th of September, and the APAY Council Meeting is on the 18th of September. The elections of the new APAY board for the next quadrennial will be held on the 18th of September post lunch.

Conference Shirts

All delegates will receive the Assembly T-shirt. Please indicate your preferred size in the registration form.

Cancellation Policy

Delegates are registered upon payment of the required registration fees only. In case of cancellation, refunds of registration and participation fee will be made according to the policy elaborated in the registration form.

Program Schedule

We share a tentative program schedule of the General Assembly for your information; however, we shall share the updated program schedule later.

Registration Form

To fill out the Assembly Registration Form please click here

Conclusion

We are very much thankful to the National Council of YMCAs of India and the YMCA Madras for hosting this event and making all necessary arrangements for a successful and meaningful assembly.

All registration forms should be sent to Ms. Irene Chan, Administrative Assistant of APAY email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

If you have any other queries, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Sunita Suna, Executive Secretary of APAY and related secretary for the 21st GA of APAY, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Please be alert of the APAY office's further communication regarding the 21st GA.

With Warm regards,

Nam Boo Won
General Secretary
Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs