The World Council

The World Council is the highest governing body of the global YMCA Movement. It is also where the YMCA meets as a global Movement: thousands join in person and online, as we regroup and plan ahead.

World Council Page Main Photo

21st World Council

The 21st YMCA World Council will be held be held in July 2026 in Toronto, Canada.

Learn more

Our Council meets every four years

Take a look at the two most recent World Councils

YMCA World Council 2022 - Highlights of the week, 4-8 July 2022

20th World Council 2022

The last meeting was the 20th YMCA World Council on 4-8 July 2022: a truly hybrid event held both in-person in Aarhus, Denmark and online.

For complete information on all that happened at the 20th World Council visit our resources page or visit the official website below.

World Council Report
Official website

YMCA World Council 2018 - Highlights of the Week - 8-14 July 2018

19th World Council 2018

This meeting was the 19th YMCA World Council on 8-14 July 2018: an event held in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

For complete information on all that happened at the 19th World Council visit our resources page or visit the official website below.

World Council Report
Official Website

History of the World Council

In 1855, the YMCA Movement met for the first time in Paris, France. 99 delegates from 9 countries – all under 25 – came together for what was then known as a ‘World Conference’. At that meeting, our foundational document the ‘Paris Basis’ was created and adopted.

On the 100th anniversary of the first World Conference (in Paris again, in 1955), the naming convention changed to ‘World Council’.

Special highlights have included the issuing of the Kampala Principles in Uganda (1973), and Challenge 21 in Frechen, Germany (1998), and the adoption of YMCA Vision 2030 in Aarhus, Denmark (2022).

Young people have always been at the heart of our Movement, but not always at the heart of World Council. In 2014, we made it clear that our common purpose was not just to empower young people, but to bring them to the centre of World Council. In 2018, the theme of the 19th World Council in Thailand was ‘Youth Empowerment 4 Good’.

2022

Aarhus, Denmark

2018

Chiang Mai, Thailand

2014

Estes Park, Colorado, USA

2010

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2006

Durban, South Africa

2002

Oaxtepec, Mexico

1998

Frechen, Germany

1994

Coventry, UK

1991

Seoul, South Korea

1988

San Nicolas, Aruba

1985

Nyborg, Denmark

1981

Estes Park, Colorado, USA

1977

Buenos Aires, Argentina

1973

Kampala, Uganda

1969

Nottingham, UK

1965

Tozanso, Japan

1961

Geneva, Switzerland

1957

Kassel, Germany

1955

Paris, France

1937

Mysore, India

1931

Cleveland, USA

1926

Helingfors, Finland

1913

Edinburgh, UK

1909

Elberfeld, Germany

1905

Paris, France

1902

Christiania, Norway

1898

Basel, Switzerland

1894

London, UK

1891

Amsterdam, Netherlands

1888

Stockholm, Sweden

1884

Berlin, Germany

1881

London, UK

1875

Geneva, Switzerland

1872

Amsterdam, Netherland

1867

Paris, France

1865

Elberfeld, Germany

1862

London, UK

1858

Geneva, Switzerland

1855

Paris, France

Young people have always been at the heart of our Movement, but not always at the heart of World Council. In 2014, we made it clear that our common purpose was not just to empower young people, but to bring them to the centre of World Council. In 2018, the theme of the 19th World Council in Thailand was ‘Youth Empowerment 4 Good’.

1894 World Conference in London, UK

1894 World Conference in London, UK

2018 World Council in Chiang Mai, Thailand

2018 World Council in Chiang Mai, Thailand

2022 World Council in Aarhus, Denmark

2022 World Council in Aarhus, Denmark

Our World Council resources

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Report

Official 20th World Council website

View report

Video

Video highlights of 20th World Council

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Report

A summary of Co-Labs findings, 20th World Council

View report

Report

20th World Council News Bulletins

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See all resources