Transformation explored: 47 breakout sessions at the 21st YMCA World Council in Toronto

21st YMCA World Council, Toronto, Canada – Canada – Friday 24 July 2026

Over the course of two days, 47 breakout sessions on a wide variety of mission-focused topics were presented by more than 200 presenters at the 21st YMCA World Council in Toronto.

Click through to read highlights of some of the sessions:

A full list of the sessions and presenters follows.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22

Session 1

Embracing the tension: leading through complexity in a world that won’t slow down. Presented by Tim Arnold
Innovation with guardrails: making AI work when your mission comes first, sponsored by AWS. Presented by Brendan Kelly, Hilary Noon, Ben Turnbull, Sasha Rubel
The Community Wellbeing Pillar: YMCAs unique global position. Presented by Carlos Sanvee, Sean Malone, Karen Friedman, Todd Tibbits, Peter Nasir
The organisations young people no longer need – and how to not be one. Presented by François Taddei, Casey Harden, Gurvinder Singh, Purity Kiguatha, Diana Carillo, Jacqueline Innocent.
Making sustainability part of everyday YMCA life. Presented by: Eleanor Blair, Ianne Christine Aquino, Jillian Law, Taylor Smith, Lloyd Wamai.
Roar of inclusion: a journey to empower people with intellectual disabilities through Chinese lion dance. Presented by: Tracy Law
What if YMCA became the world’s best pathway to work? Presented by: Shareena Hatta

Session 2

Leadership at a crossroads: what to keep, what to toss, what to transform. Presented by Renee Hancock, Mark Hulet, Gobika Srioranganathan, Stephen Butz, Tim Arnold
Staying with the community: how YMCAs sustain wellbeing in contexts of violence, instability and fragmentation. Presented by: Wahbeh Asfour, Victoria Trofimova, Oriana Ortiz Parrao, Tony El Mir, Mona Zaghrout, Helen Tefera, Peter Nasir
Sustainability within reach: how YMCAs can lead communities worldwide, a “State of the Planet” session. Presented by: John Fernández, Shakil Karim
Young people, AI and the future of work: what should YMCA do next? Presented by: Lucy Murdoch, Chad Nico Hiu, Jan Owen, Lesego Kobuwe, Maricris Saldarriaga, Rehana Merali Merchant, Amy Binny, Renata Ferrari, Yannick Vuylsteke, Magdalena Fulton, Mark Cameron, Kelly Bradshaw-Walsh, Santiago Mena López, Sarah Rapp
From crisis to culture: a people-first turnaround. Presented by: Sabrina Vatcher, Maya Giorbelidze
One Platform, Many Programs: Scaling YMCA Impact with PLAYBuilder. Presented by: Will MacKeen, Jenna Leslie
Putting human skills at the heart of education and youth policy worldwide: a roundtable discussion. Presented by: Martin Houghton-Brown
Supporting youth civic participation and advocacy. Presented by: Emily Greco, Tito Kiprono
The journey of Leo: how collaborative and creative care changes the story. Presented by: Anthony De Rose, Chi Hin (Isaac) Yeung, Sheridan Parsons
YMCA CEOs that said yes to AI – here’s what happened: real talk. Presented by: Lara Gilchrist, Shaun Elliott, Jamie Bruning-Miles, Ronn McMahon

Session 3

The ‘Movement Mindset’: see differently, lead differently. Presented by: David Paterson
What do young people need to build peace? From insight to collective action across sectors. Presented by: Dr Felipe Paullier, Jon Moyal, Jonathan Belolo, Vardan Hambardzumyan, Tere Stouffer, Maurine Kouba, Sarah Rapp, François Taddei, Øivind Mehl Landmark, Daniel Lopez, Gurvinder Singh
From infrastructure to innovation: enabling scalable digital transformation. Presented by: Elsa Welshofer, Maria Makowska, Ja’Rod Morris
Helping communities through crisis: YMCA’s role in disaster response and recovery. Presented by: Kazuki Yamane, Christian Kamara, Pious Mannah, Heriniaina Randriamalala, Alex Versluis
How can we build healthier, more hopeful communities together? Presented by: Glen Gunderson, Todd Tibbits, Jamie Bruning-Miles, Sean Malone
Making organisation culture visible: a lever for YMCA transformation. Presented by: Eric Trudel, Olga Lukina
Roots and Wings: building values-led youth leadership for the future. Presented by: Yirga Gebregziabher Assefa, Ethiopia Tilahun Abebe
The power of focus: strategic alignment in multi-level Movements. Presented by: Felipe Jurado, Antonio Merino
What difference does YMCA actually make? Measuring impact across the movement. Presented by: Brad Herbig, Pedro Fueyo, Lloyd Wamai, Kelly Bradshaw-Walsh
Y Careers in action: creating meaningful youth employment pathways. Presented by: Alexandra Ash

THURSDAY, JULY 23

Session 1

Empowering young people to lead the change: a focus on youth leadership practices. Presented by: Dante Calloway, Oriana Ortiz Parrao, Mike Kerracher, Joyce Wu
Getting more from AI: practical steps to make AI work for you. Presented by: Ben Turnbull, Jorge Perez, Melissa Heinz, Mark Cameron, Kelly Bradshaw-Walsh, Chad Nico Hiu
Building YMCA spaces for the future. Presented by: John Fernández, Richard Baumert, Kathy Kuras, Emma Osmundsen, Samantha Apodaca
Making a difference: our global approach to an alternative education. Presented by: Angela Waugh, Sabah Wallace, Lloyd Wamai, Donna Merry, Kai Trigg, Lee Thorne, Damian Foley
Migration and displacement: supporting justice, human dignity and community transformation. Presented by: Alina Pop, Becky Parke, Sokthea Phay, Trang Truong-Hill, Jimena Bello Gonzalez
Putting human skills at the heart of education and youth policy worldwide: a roundtable discussion. Presented by: Martin Houghton-Brown
The future won’t wait: how YMCA can lead the next generation of economic opportunity. Presented by: Pedro Fueyo, Rehana Merali Merchant, Caroline Chernov, Magdalena Fulton, Lucy Murdoch, Ashish Thorat, Lesego Kobuwe
What makes a healthy YMCA? Building stronger organisations for greater community impact. Presented by: Razvan Sassu, Osborne Wanyama, Jeff Peterson, Renata Ferrari, Olga Lukina, Mariana Cristina Miranda, Heriniaina Randriamalala, Tudor Rus, Esther Zulu, Niclas Sannerheim, Harun Boavida
Y’s Men International (YMI): empowering lives through fellowship, leadership and service. Presented by: Johan Vilhelm Eltvik, Philips Cherian, Jose Varghese

Session 2

Big ideas small scale: Why does youth-led action stall? Presented by: Dorina Lluka-Davies, Tere Stouffer, Casey Harden, Goddy Nana Mens, Martin Houghton-Brown, Franck Gafan, Shakil Karim, Gurvinder Singh
Building peace in times of disruption: belonging, voice, and global action. Presented by: Vardan Hambardzumyan, Tuulia Toivanen, George Zavala, Antonella Taliento, Liisa Perkkiö, Lina Maria Grajales Moreno, Fouad Lahoud, Selena Gignac
YMCA in an ‘AI-world’: a conversation on what is possible and necessary. Presented by: Carlos Sanvee, Grace Rochford, Joleen Liang, Sasha Rubel, Chad Nico Hiu, Ziad Alexandre Hayek, Denise Hatton, Josue Estrada, Kelly Bradshaw-Walsh, Mariana Martinez, Greg Waibel
Around the campfire: how camp builds belonging across the world. Presented by: Rob Kennaugh, Natalie Corrall, Gustavo Elizalde
Built together: young people, belonging, and the future of mental health. Presented by: Karen Friedman, Teen Mental Health Fellowship, Øivind Mehl Landmark, Oriana Ortiz Parrao
How philanthropy and fundraising can strengthen your YMCA. Presented by: Antonio Merino, Carolyn Grady, Cristina Neglia
More than a job: creating workplaces where young staff and volunteers can thrive. Presented by: Pedro Fueyo, Ianne Christine Aquino, Christian Kamara, Christian Kamara, Mar Quintero, Renata Ferrari, Rahima Mamdani, Daniel Lopez, Sabrina Vatcher, Maya Giorbelidze, Amanda Stephens, Pious Mannah
Saving energy, lowering costs and strengthening YMCA facilities. Presented by: José Ricardo Caporal, Amy Wolf, Beng Seng Chan
The YMCA Property Development Programme: turning property into possibility. Presented by: Caroline Chernov
Youth-led climate resilience: shaping a new Habitat for Humanity and YMCA partnership. Presented by: Tito Kiprono, Evan Davis, Manik Willver D Costa, Heriniaina Randriamalala, Ceci Dávalos, Mair Kelly, Tudor Rus, Ricardo Moyano Macías Muñoz, Mike Van Haelewyn