A diverse movement like ours, keeping a clear mission and focusing on youth empowerment is well positioned in order to create spaces for understanding and sharing. In fact, "creating spaces", "strengthening movements" and "representing" are the three main pillars of the newly adopted YMCA Europe´s Strategy 2016-2020.
Here are some concrete examples of events in which YMCA Europe was represented through our Secretary General in the past weeks across Europe. Participants reminded us the importance of sharing best practices, ensuring social justice in contemporary times, building competent organizations and promoting youth empowerment in the frame of YMCA´s mission and guiding principles. It was also an opportunity to share about our signature programmes within our Strategic Plan : Youth Empowerment, Peace & Justice, Refugees, Asylum Seekers & Migrants and Youth Employment. Our Staff Team has worked on the draft of the Operation Plan for 2016-2020 on these four topics and the ongoing events across Europe are an inspiration as we deliver the Strategy.
The YMCA continue providing clear and relevant responses to radicalization, division and lack of hope that millions of people experience daily. We are thankful to everyone at YMCAs across our continent who help building communities, preserving peace, justice and understanding.
YMCA WORLD URBAN NETWORK TRAINING EVENT 2016
Winchester, England
More than 100 YMCA global leaders gathered in Winchester, UK (June 26th-July 1st) hosted by YMCA England and YMCA Fairthorne Group. Sessions included best practices sharing from YMCAs in North America, Africa, Middle East, Latin America and Europe. Relevant programmes, social realities and YMCA strategic developments were shared by YMCAs England, Scotland, Kosovo and Belarus. Meeting with our partners from Europe, the US and Canada were some of the highlights of this event in which we emphasized the connection between the local- urban YMCAs and the global perspective of our movement. The event took place in the heart of the UK just a couple of days after the referendum about the EU. A number of conversations and side meetings focused on the impact of "Brexit" in the YMCAs across the UK. Our Secretary General Juan Simoes Iglesias shared about YMCA Europe´s perspective as a civil society organization seeking for unity and generating opportunities for young people in Europe.
TOGETHER FOR EUROPE: ENCOUNTER, RECONCILIATION, FUTURE
Munich, Germany
Close to 1,700 participants from 40 countries took part at one of the most relevant ecumenical events that we experienced in Europe this year. It was in Munich, Germany June 30- July 3. Representatives of different expressions of Christianity and other faith based organizations stated that "there is no alternative to bring together" and that "unity in diversity" is our common European hope. YMCA Munich was co-organizer of the Conference which gathered key church leaders from all corners of Europe together with representatives of the main Christian movements and networks. There were YMCA participants from Poland, Austria, Germany, Romania – Transylvania IKE, plus a number of colleagues from Latin American YMCAs hosted by YMCA Germany. Juan Simoes Iglesias present our YMCA Europe´s approach to solidarity and social transformation in one of the workshops. We were thankful for the hospitality and inspiration of YMCA Munich and YMCA Germany.
At the end of the event a "Commitment" was agreed and presented:
We live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and bear witness to it with our words and deeds.
We are pursuing the path of reconciliation and working to enable our communities, Churches, peoples and cultures to live "unity in diversity"
We meet people of different beliefs and faiths with respect, seeking dialogue with them.
We are committed to building up humanity and peace in the world.
We have a vision for Europe being together in a way that is stronger than fear or selfishness.
We place our trust in the Holy Spirit
Among the messages of greetings, Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Church Bartholomew, sent their support.
MEETINGS IN BRUSSELS: OUR ROLE IN ADVOCACY, REPRESENTATION AND PROJECTS DEVELOPMENT
Our President Mike Will and Secretary General Juan Simoes met in Brussels at YMCA Europe´s Advocacy, Project and Fundraising Office on July 3-4. The meeting included an evaluation and follow up of the results of the recent General Assembly with a focus on the delivery of the new Strategy 2016-2020. One of the key aspects of the Strategy is the Advocacy and Representation work in Brussels developed by our new member of staff Ilenia Ventroni. Objectives for the upcoming months in this field were established as we emphasize the opportunities of YMCA Europe in project management, shaping policy on youth and in representing our network within the key European institutions. More than ever, it is crucial the approach and active participation of civil society organizations in advocacy and representation in the European public context.
BASKETBALL CAHMPIONSHIP: HEALTHY LIVING AND UNITY THROUGH SPORTS
Siderno, Italy
On July 6th -10th our European Sports YMCA, in co-operation with YMCA Siderno in Southern Italy, organized this new sports event with teams from Finland, Germany and Italy. Basketball – a YMCA invention – was the instrument to create a space of healthy competition, youth empowerment and understanding among young people from different European YMCAs. Juan Simoes was invited to the event and shared a message of gratitude with the members of ESG lead by Volker Kamin, the team of YMCA Siderno and YMCA Italy and all the participants, emphasizing the values of sport within the YMCA mission. Our new Strategy identifies tools such as sports, recreational and non-formal educational activities to strengthen local and national YMCAs as they deliver their own projects within their communities.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY YMCA PORTUGAL: FROM A LOCAL REALITY TO A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Setubal, Portugal
Last July 9th, our Secretary General was invited to the General Assembly of YMCA Portugal held in Setubal. Representatives of local YMCAs met and discussed the strategic direction and developments of this new governance body of the Portuguese movement. YMCA Europe´s Resource Team (YERT) provided guidance to the process of building the national umbrella organization in 2014-15 with a focus on a new model of governance that would integrate the local realities. YMCA Setubal has been crucial in leading this development and during the same event there was a event at YMCA camp Alambre attended by more than 100 members and representatives of the community in Setubal. Emphasis was made on the important connection between the local reality and the global perspective of the YMCA movement.
Last but not least ….
Many other events, camps and trainings are taking place presently across Europe, from Iceland to Russia and from the Baltics to the Caucasus following the tradition of the YMCA intense summers. We emphasize two of them with a strong international approach :
Youth Workers Camp in Michelstadt, Germany with young people from all over Europe. The camp and the programme during the week has become a classic and solid example of the impact of the YMCA message in contemporary Europe as we have witness the last dramatic news coming from Nice, Munich, Istanbul, Normandie…
World Youth Day and YMCA Ecumenical Youth Camp in Krakow, Poland. The YMCA is one of the organizations hosting pilgrims at one of the major youth events in history in the heart of Europe. Therefore they are providing an excellent opportunity for young people to meet and grow together in this unique global gathering.
More news about this and other events in our web and social media. FOLLOW YMCA EUROPE´S FACEBOOK PAGE FOR NEWS HERE …..!!!
