World YMCA

Great to join YMCA Europe at YMCA Bratislava along with representatives from 22 National Movements for the opening of the HP Digital Hub and Gaming Garage. Among the nearly 50 guests were partners from HP, Accenture and Microsoft . It’s a chance for YMCAs to connect, learn more about developing Digital Hubs and share their experiences. Said Bernhard Fauser, Managing Director Central and Eastern Europe at HP on gaming, “If you think about the skills young people get and how they transfer to business life, what they learn is very relevant.” Look for updates on the meetings tomorrow! 🙌

This week, Carlos Madjri Sanvee and Kathleen Elsig had the opportunity to meet with leaders from several global organisations in our offices in Geneva to discuss the crucial role of young people as peacemakers. Stephen Hecht and Jonathan Moyal of Million Peacemakers shared their innovative "Nonflict" approach to bringing peacemaking to the community. We were also joined in office by Dr Amjad Mohamed Saleem (PhD), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - IFRC; Neha Sinha, IOM - UN Migration and Linda Peterhans and Anja Tresse of the Kofi Annan Foundation. Participating online were Vardan Hambardzumyan, YMCA Europe; Niclas Sannerheim, KFUM Sverige; Camilla Ojala, YMCA Finland - Suomen NMKY:n Liitto; Peter Nasir, The East Jerusalem YMCA and Johanna Dorenburg, IOM. We look forward to continuing this critical conversation and exploring how to further support young people in driving #peace and #justice in their communities.

Hyper-Y: Connecting the YMCA Movement We are partnering with HyperCycle to launch ‘Hyper-Y,’ a pioneering AI platform connecting YMCAs globally. This platform will provide staff, volunteers, and members with streamlined access to information across our network. After a successful prototype unveiling in October, Hyper-Y is expected to roll out to YMCAs worldwide in 2025. Better and more accessible data will enable more strategic decisions, improved coordination and greater support for young people and communities. 📖 Learn more: https://bit.ly/4azX7io

🌙✨ Happy Lunar New Year! As we welcome the Year of the Wood Snake, let’s celebrate wisdom, transformation, and renewal. Wishing health, happiness, and harmony to all who are celebrating. 🐍

🌍 United by YMCA Vision 2030, YMCAs worldwide make a difference every day—empowering young people and communities with skills, supporting refugees, improving health and protecting our planet. At the YMCA Accelerator Summit in Mombasa in October 2024, we showcased eight films highlighting this work. We’ll be sharing each one of these films over the coming weeks. Here we spotlight Global Pathways to Meaningful Work. 🤝 YMCAs involved: YMCAs in New York, Philadelphia, Colombia and Spain ✨ Impact: Has helped nearly 4,000 young people, many of them refugees and immigrants, in its first pilot year, 2023-2024 👉 We've shared highlights here - watch the full film on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/gaiENwDa YMCA America Latina & Caribe YMCA Europe YMCA Colombia

🔻Great to see the Nordic YMCAs connected, exchanging strategies and best practices in Oslo Norway. 🙌The leadership of KFUM og KFUK á Íslandi, KFUM og KFUK i Danmark, YMCA Finland - Suomen NMKY:n Liitto, KFUM Sverige, and KFUK-KFUM Norge, hosted by the team in #Oslo, had the opportunity to align their mission and vision as movements—aligned for more relevant work empowering youth and communities! #ymca

🌟 Mentorship in action 🌟 The YMCA and Enhesa partnership is creating opportunities for growth and connection worldwide. 🌍 In Setúbal, Portugal, the first mentoring cycle wrapped up in December, helping participants build confidence, navigate challenges, and develop practical skills for their future. 📖 Learn more about their journey here: https://bit.ly/3PX8NC5 YMCA Europe YMCA Setúbal. Portugal.

🕯️ 80 Years of Remembrance 🕯️ Today, we join the world in remembering the Holocaust and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. We honour the millions who suffered and the survivors who rebuilt with courage. While horrors persist, YMCAs around the globe are committed to building a just, sustainable world, standing for a peaceful and dignified life for all, and working to ensure such atrocities are never repeated.

We are thrilled to announce the recipients of the EU Youth Empowerment Fund grants implemented through the Global Youth Mobilization (GYM). 🙌 Through these Network Solutions micro-grants, YMCA leaders worldwide will implement innovative youth-led solutions to address pressing local challenges. With a focus on climate action, underrepresented groups and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), these grants will empower young people to drive meaningful impact in their communities. 🌱♻️ 👉Follow the link to see the 7 YMCA grant recipients: https://bit.ly/4g7F04p YMCA Europe YMCA America Latina & Caribe Africa Alliance YMCA

📚 Today is International Day of Education. Through YMCA Vision 2030, YMCAs worldwide are empowering young people and communities with the tools and opportunities to learn, grow and thrive. At the YMCA, our focus extends beyond traditional education. From skilling opportunities that prepare individuals for Meaningful Work, to sustainability education and fostering critical thinking and innovation, YMCAs are equipping people with the mindset and skills to shape a better future. 🙌