AN OVERVIEW OF THE ACTIVITIES OF BRUSSELS OFFICE IN APRIL 2022
April has been an intense month for our office in Brussels, with new staff coming in, many meetings and a lot of planning on fundraising.
YMCA EUROPE
April has been an intense month for our office in Brussels, with new staff coming in, many meetings and a lot of planning on fundraising.
This information is edited by the Chair of the YMCA Europe Working Group on Refugees and Migrants. The text is at the responsibility of the authors.
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine up until April 19, 2022, more than 340,000 refugees have entered Slovakia.
Since last February 24th our thoughts and prayers have remained with everyone impacted by the war in Ukraine and all surrounding countries.
We kindly invite you to be part of our main annual governance meeting, representing your National Movement or YMCA working platform (programme / field group).
You wake up to the news that everything that you once loved, everything you once built, that you believed in, is shattered and gone. It is the reality of the people living through the eyes of the war in Ukraine.
We are able to present a very brief update on the status and involvement of several local YMCAs in Ukraine.
The number of refugees from Ukraine who crossed the Polish border has exceeded 2,5 million. They are mostly women and children. There is also a remarkable number of the elderly. Often fleeing from war signifies the first trip abroad and facing completely new environment.
We stand in solidarity with the YMCAs in Ukraine and our members directly affected by the war. Our faith, commitment and capacities shall guide and inspire our messages and actions.
32 days after the start of the invasion of Ukraine and 97 days before the opening of the 20th YMCA World Council, YMCA Area Alliance leaders for Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America/Caribbean, as well as YMCA Canada and USA, met Directors of YMCA international programmes from across Europe.