The National Council of YMCAs in Japan celebrated its 120th anniversary last weekend, paying tribute to its history and looking to the future. World YMCA President Soheila Hayek attended the event, and World YMCA Secretary General Carlos Sanvee and Director of Strategy and Policy Razvan-Victor Sassu shared their messages through video.
Carlos Sanvee highlighted the resilience exhibited by the YMCAs in Japan, citing their ability to overcome challenges such as the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 and more recently, the Covid crisis.
Said Carlos, “As you celebrate 120 years, we have just celebrated our 179th year. Recently we held a photo challenge to celebrate, and we want to thank you for answering the call. Everything we do globally includes the presence of YMCA Japan”.
Razvan provided a detailed overview of YMCA Vision 2030, including the four Pillars and 12 goals, emphasising, “It’s an opportunity to challenge your YMCA to pursue deeper and meaningful change”.