Over 450 people from 60 countries are now in Mombasa for the YMCA Accelerator Summit, which opened in spectacular fashion today, 21 October 2024.
“Ignite! Accelerate! Take off!” said World YMCA President Soheila Hayek, welcoming YMCAs from around the world who ‘are doing God’s work and performing daily miracles, often with little resources and always with open hearts’.
The opening ceremony was hosted in three languages by Sebastian Gomez-Recio from YMCA Colombia, by Nalisoa Andrianarivo, a member of the World YMCA Executive Committee from YMCA Madagascar, and by Amy Wolf, the Environmental Sustainability Director at YMCA of the Rockies, USA.
The meeting was opened by our hosts from YMCA Kenya, the secretary general Jarded Musima and the President, Pius Ng’Ang’A. The President said that YMCA Kenya serves over 500,000 young people in the country, ‘touching them at the points that give them hope’.
Conga dancers and acrobats performed, and every YMCA Delegation – from the smallest of 1 person to up to 50 from USA – was clapped and cheered to the rafters.
The first Plenary Session begins on Tuesday 22 October at 09:00.
