All strength, all purpose and all hope to the global YMCA Movement for 2022. I believe that Covid has done us a service in making us think again about the future of young people, and the future of the things we collectively believe in.  It has been the accelerator for change, and the motivator for the world of dignity, equity and compassion that is our collective goal.
Maybe, in retrospect, we let 2021 happen to us, in incredibly tough circumstances. We cannot be passive in 2022: we have to make change happen. Learn from our mistakes; learn from our new approaches. Make sure that the new normal is not the old normal. Manage this pandemic, and don’t let it manage us.
So we go forward into a big year with utter determination: 2022 will see the 20th YMCA World Council – a hybrid live/online event on 3-9 July (see below – and REGISTER NOW!). And at World Council we will adopt YMCA Vision 2030: one shared Movement-wide vision, one shared mission, and four shared goals to take us to 2030.
And day by day and week by week, our National YMCA Movements all over the world will continue to serve young people and communities.
We have journeyed together for 178 years. Onwards!
Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General, World YMCA
PS, we are recruiting. We are excited to be seeking a Content and Digital Communications Officer: the deadline for applications is 28 January (see People below). We’re also delighted to welcome Kathleen Elsig as Director of Global Partnerships.