Looking toward the future: The Korea YMCA GA and first Youth Assembly

The National Council of YMCAs of Korea held the 47th Korea YMCA General Assembly and the 1st Youth Assembly under the theme of “Just Transformation with repentance (Mark 1:15)” at the Daegu Grand Hotel from 11 to 13 July 2024. YMCA members from 31 cities travelled to the assemblies; among the attendees were Executive Director Da-eun Yang, President Kim Shin-hyang, and National General Secretary Kim Kyung-min.

Youth empowerment and the international peace movement

NGS Kim Kyung-min announced a two-year plan for the NCY-K, highlighting the vitalisation of youth empowerment and international peace movements. The main strategy of the youth empowerment movement is to revive university YMCAs and youth YMCAs across the country. Currently, there are about 20 university YMCAs and three youth YMCAs led by post-university members), and NCY-K will expand them to 40 university YMCAs and 30 youth YMCAs in 2026.

Regarding the international peace movement, he said NCY-K would cooperate more with the international civil societies for peace on the Korean Peninsula and climate justice. Those are based on the resolution in solidarity with the Korea YMCA for the end of the Korean War and the establishment of the World YMCA Pyongyang Liaison Office adopted at the 19th YMCA World Council (Thailand), the 20th YMCA World Council (Denmark) and the 21st APAY General Assembly (India).

Celebrating 110 years

To celebrate NCY-Korea’s 110th anniversary this year, NCY-K prepared the “110th Anniversary Vision Declaration”. The theme is ‘Waves of Life, Wind of Peace, Everything New – Just Transformation with repentance -‘ and the biblical phrase based on is “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).

The Vision Declaration focused on five areas 1) Peace 2) Climate Justice 3) Life Economy and People’s Welfare 4) Digital Justice in the Age of Artificial Intelligence 5) New Culture Creation and Educational Curriculum Development. These are adjusted versions of the four Pillars of YMCA Vision 2030 to suit the context of Korea. Especially NCY-Korea included a digital justice movement in the age of artificial intelligence.

Shin Kwan-woo, the newly elected president at the GA, said, “On the 110th anniversary of the Korea YMCA, NCY-Korea will work hard to carry out the YMCA movement, especially in the fields of youth empowerment, climate justice, and digital transformation, with cooperation with local YMCAs in Korea.”

The first youth assembly

This year’s the 47th Korea YMCA General Assembly included a Youth Assembly, which was held with the general assembly for the first time. This Youth Assembly was attended by YMCA members from 14 university YMCAs and three youth YMCAs nationwide. The keynote speech was presented by Lee Hae-min, an IT expert who was a manager in Google Korea and recently elected as a member of the 22nd National Assembly under the theme of “Age of Climate Crisis and Digital Transformation, what is youth’s future.”

She emphasised, “It is important for everyone to share the benefits of the development of science and technology, not for a few people to monopolize the benefits of science and technology,” and said that the government and the private sector should play roles together for equal access and democratization of technology.

Group discussions were followed on four topics: 1) climate crisis 2) AI-digital transformation 3) inequality 4) self-improvement. Based on the discussion, the participants wrote a resolution, and it was presented during the General Assembly.

Lee Jung-eun, president of the National Council of University YMCAs in Korea, who led the first Youth Assembly, said that it was where the youth YMCAs and the university YMCAs across the country could unite together and imagine the future together. She said she hopes that the Korea YMCA and young people continue to grow together.