Although this is not strictly a blog post, it does illustrate one of the outcomes as a result of the YMCA investing in lives of young people across the world. The young people on the seminars in Bangladesh and the Czech Republic are on a similar journey to that chosen by Romulo.
'The YMCA was appointed by the President of the 65th General Assembly to deliver the speech on behalf of the youth of the world during the opening ceremony of the High-Level Meeting on Youth on July 25th , in New York, USA.
This important meeting marks the end of the International Year of Youth.
The worldwide YMCA is strongly focused on Youth. At its world headquarters the YMCA has employed an Executive Secretary for Youth Empowerment, Romulo Dantas, from Brazil, who is 29 years old. He will deliver the speech next Monday.
“When I was given this position with the YMCA my dream was to tell the world about the critical issues for young people and now I have the chance to speak from the podium of the United Nations”, says Romulo.
From one of the poorest and most violent areas of São Paulo, Brazil, In the 90’s, Romulo invested 14 years in working with YMCA as volunteer and staff. He is an example of someone who might have become a gang-member, drug-addict or, as some of his old friends, dead.
Romulo will share the platform with Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of UN and Josepf Deiss, former President of Switzerland and current President of the UN General Assembly.
“YMCA taught me that I could do incredible things and I learned how to be a leader and an active citizen by participating in civic education programmes, camps and sports, but also volunteering in my own community”
I had no self-esteem or self-confidence before joining the YMCA. Even with a great family, you need other references in your life. The YMCA became mine”
Heads of States, Ministers and young leaders from all over the world are expected for this important meeting. The outcome of the event shall inspire and shape public policies and programmes in all countries.
“Together with other International NGOs, we have been lobbying for the recommendations from this conference to express the real needs of young people. The results are starting to be very clear.”, says Johan Vilhelm Eltvik, Secretary General of the World Alliance of YMCAs. “Most people know the YMCA song. Today our message is much more. It is about empowering young people.”
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Over 1000 Pageviews in a Month
We are delighted to note that the number of pageviews of this blog in the last month has exceeded 1000 (1086 at time of posting), people are reading it in the USA, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Sweden, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, Ireland and the UK.
We are sure you will agree that the correspondents who are posting are doing a great job.
If you want to leave comments for any of the posts you can do so by clicking on to 'Comment' at the end of each post.
We are sure you will agree that the correspondents who are posting are doing a great job.
If you want to leave comments for any of the posts you can do so by clicking on to 'Comment' at the end of each post.
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Update from Shabeb
Very tired, been out playing football in the village again. Trying to send you another blog but Internet keeps cutting out. It may come in several different messages. Had another very interesting day and I am learning so much about my self, my prejudices and how they affect my relationship with people who are different. Today we have focused a lot on our identity and how that affects the relationships we have with others. We also did our presentations about the field trips we have had over the last three days, can't wait to get back to England and show everyone them. Actually, I can wait, I would love to stay out here longer and learn more about this place, I can't say it enough times, the people at the workshop and the Bangladesh people are amazing. I can say one thing for certain....there is no shortage of food in Bangladesh, wherever we go we are being fed like kings.
Over the weekend we split up into four groups and have been on field trips to separate places. Three of the visits were to villages around Bangladesh to meet people from various projects but I decided to stay here and go on the Dhaka field trip.......and I am glad I did. It was an exhausting three days, starting at 7am each day and not getting back till after 8pm at the earliest but I have learned so much and met so many people it was definitely worth it. In the three days we made over 16 visits to various religious organisations including Dhaka central mosque (Baitul Mukarram - which can hold over 100,000 people and has been built from white marble and tile. We also visited people at the International Krishna Consciousness (a reformed Hindu group), Ram Krishna mission, Buddhist Temple, Sikh temple, a variety of churches (Baptist, Methodist, Catholic), Ahmadiya, Parliament, The National Monument Dhaka YMCA, An ancient Cemetery for missionaries. We have also had meetings with the Editor of the Independent newspaper of Bangladesh who wants to publish our story and with the Bangladesh Interreligous council for peace and Justi8ce. Perhaps the best experience was attending Dhaka University and meeting with the staff and students of the World Religion Department.
These guys were amazing but shocked us, as when we got there they had arranged a seminar at which we were the panel & speakers and there were over 60 students in attendance. We were not expecting that but it was an amazing experience speaking about peace, justice and interfaith relations with these young leaders. This seems a lot and it was, trust me, especially as we had to eat at every single place we visited (I have never eaten so much in my life). By the end of it all I was shattered but I learned some amazing things. In this world where Minorities are treated so badly and Muslims are accused of being extremist/radical/terrorists/fanatics, the people of Bangladesh (population 95% Muslim) treat their minorities with such respect and dignity. None of the places we visited had a bad word to say about the Muslims, in fact they complemented them on their understanding and support. All these minority groups are treated the same as any other Bangladeshi person and in fact many Muslims work with them, have dialogue and help them settle into society. We can learn so much about interfaith understanding, relations and engagement from this country.Thanks Ken and YMCA Bangladesh sends its compliments. hope Matts dad is ok.
Over the weekend we split up into four groups and have been on field trips to separate places. Three of the visits were to villages around Bangladesh to meet people from various projects but I decided to stay here and go on the Dhaka field trip.......and I am glad I did. It was an exhausting three days, starting at 7am each day and not getting back till after 8pm at the earliest but I have learned so much and met so many people it was definitely worth it. In the three days we made over 16 visits to various religious organisations including Dhaka central mosque (Baitul Mukarram - which can hold over 100,000 people and has been built from white marble and tile. We also visited people at the International Krishna Consciousness (a reformed Hindu group), Ram Krishna mission, Buddhist Temple, Sikh temple, a variety of churches (Baptist, Methodist, Catholic), Ahmadiya, Parliament, The National Monument Dhaka YMCA, An ancient Cemetery for missionaries. We have also had meetings with the Editor of the Independent newspaper of Bangladesh who wants to publish our story and with the Bangladesh Interreligous council for peace and Justi8ce. Perhaps the best experience was attending Dhaka University and meeting with the staff and students of the World Religion Department.
These guys were amazing but shocked us, as when we got there they had arranged a seminar at which we were the panel & speakers and there were over 60 students in attendance. We were not expecting that but it was an amazing experience speaking about peace, justice and interfaith relations with these young leaders. This seems a lot and it was, trust me, especially as we had to eat at every single place we visited (I have never eaten so much in my life). By the end of it all I was shattered but I learned some amazing things. In this world where Minorities are treated so badly and Muslims are accused of being extremist/radical/terrorists/fanatics, the people of Bangladesh (population 95% Muslim) treat their minorities with such respect and dignity. None of the places we visited had a bad word to say about the Muslims, in fact they complemented them on their understanding and support. All these minority groups are treated the same as any other Bangladeshi person and in fact many Muslims work with them, have dialogue and help them settle into society. We can learn so much about interfaith understanding, relations and engagement from this country.Thanks Ken and YMCA Bangladesh sends its compliments. hope Matts dad is ok.
Monday, 18 July 2011
'A country far far far different to the one I am used too' Further update from Laura
Hi from Bangladesh! It's finally raining here, it's monsoon season and we seem to have been missing the rain, but today we finally have had some downpours!!
Well at the weekend we got split up in groups for our field visits, an opportunity to see what we are learning in practice. As I said before, I went to Bogra YMCA and had an amazing time.
Whilst we were there, as well as local sightseeing we went in to the villages to see projects the YMCA run. One a micro-credit group which works with 90 groups across 25 villages. We visited 2 of these groups, a Muslim group and a Hindu Group, and then we visited an empowerment group who work to stop domestic violence, sexual harrassment, support womens rights and try to reduce the number of young marriages. The groups were so pleased for our visit and we had dialogue with them. They spoke about the changes in the area, about how they are supported as women to have their own identity, to be equals and how people of different faiths work together closely without conflict. Even the Hindu micro-credit Group had broken down the caste barrier. The micro-credit group supports the villagers financially when they need it by giving out loans, and this often comes to use when the village is flooded and their homes are destroyed. They can ask for a loan from the micro-credit group which is facilitated by the YMCA but run by the villagers, and they can have financial help in setting up a new home. The women in these groups feel empowered, and it means they are not completely reliant on their husbands for financial support.
It was so hot in the villages and I just can't believe people can live in those conditions. It was like something from a film, not something I ever thought I would experience. However, they know nothing different and they work hard to look after themselves and their families. They were interested in asking me questions about England, and as we were sitting with the groups people just crowded round to see what was going on. I was so famous the whole time we were away, everyone wanted to take my photo and speak with me...that will never happen to me again I am sure!! It was ok at times, but sometimes I just got frustrated! I still can't believe people in Bangladesh have never seen a white person!!
I had some great new experiences whilst I was on the field trip, and had the opportunity to see people of different faiths working together and people trying their hardest to live their lives in a positive way, working together to make a change. I was inspired.
When I have more time and I am back in England I will reflect on this experience some more, but for now this is just an opportunity for you to get an insight to some of the experiences we are having over here in Bangladesh. A country far far far different to the one I am used to!!!
Well at the weekend we got split up in groups for our field visits, an opportunity to see what we are learning in practice. As I said before, I went to Bogra YMCA and had an amazing time.
Whilst we were there, as well as local sightseeing we went in to the villages to see projects the YMCA run. One a micro-credit group which works with 90 groups across 25 villages. We visited 2 of these groups, a Muslim group and a Hindu Group, and then we visited an empowerment group who work to stop domestic violence, sexual harrassment, support womens rights and try to reduce the number of young marriages. The groups were so pleased for our visit and we had dialogue with them. They spoke about the changes in the area, about how they are supported as women to have their own identity, to be equals and how people of different faiths work together closely without conflict. Even the Hindu micro-credit Group had broken down the caste barrier. The micro-credit group supports the villagers financially when they need it by giving out loans, and this often comes to use when the village is flooded and their homes are destroyed. They can ask for a loan from the micro-credit group which is facilitated by the YMCA but run by the villagers, and they can have financial help in setting up a new home. The women in these groups feel empowered, and it means they are not completely reliant on their husbands for financial support.
It was so hot in the villages and I just can't believe people can live in those conditions. It was like something from a film, not something I ever thought I would experience. However, they know nothing different and they work hard to look after themselves and their families. They were interested in asking me questions about England, and as we were sitting with the groups people just crowded round to see what was going on. I was so famous the whole time we were away, everyone wanted to take my photo and speak with me...that will never happen to me again I am sure!! It was ok at times, but sometimes I just got frustrated! I still can't believe people in Bangladesh have never seen a white person!!
I had some great new experiences whilst I was on the field trip, and had the opportunity to see people of different faiths working together and people trying their hardest to live their lives in a positive way, working together to make a change. I was inspired.
When I have more time and I am back in England I will reflect on this experience some more, but for now this is just an opportunity for you to get an insight to some of the experiences we are having over here in Bangladesh. A country far far far different to the one I am used to!!!
Arrived in Prague
Having managed to navigate the Czech bus system, find the hotel and crack the Czech internet i am excited to finally be here. This peace and reconcilliation seminar is a fantastic opportunity for YMCAs from different countries to come together and collaborate and improve what we do. One of the greatest strengths of the YMCA is how each region tailors their work to best support their communities and the individuals who come to them. This week will enable us to learn from and support each other so that the YMCA as a whole can continue to do better and better work in the future. Personally i am very much looking forward to learning about the work that the YMCA does in other countries and how we can use these techniques in England to better help young people.
First three Days from Shabeb
Day 1Arrived in Dhaka at approx 4am after a mammoth journey. Set off from home at 5pm on Friday and arrived at YMCA Savar (Dhaka) at 6am Sunday morning.Had an extremely long day after that but heard some really moving life stories from all the participants. There are people here from all over Asia including Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Pakistan, India and of course Bangladesh. These guys are doing some amazing work in their respective countries.
Day 2, really needed the sleep after a long journey and a long day but still not used to the time difference. Another exhausting day but have learned a lot about Bangladesh, its culture, history and challenges. I went for a walk with Miguel, Chemu from Thailand and Noel from India. We ended up in a small village around the corner from the YMCA and met some amazing people. We were getting some strange looks at first but that soon changed as we came across a group of kids playing football and joined in. Sport is the universal language and after this everyone was extremely friendly (even though we could not understand each other). We even had our own little fan club following us through the streets. The things we saw were both inspiring and heartbreaking. So much poverty yet the people are getting on with their daily lives, smiling and spending time with total strangers like us. Around every corner was another surprise and we have seen some amazing natural beauty.
Day 3, another long day at the workshop where we heard from a number of countries about the issues and challenges they faced. These guys are working with people with some serious problems and in challenging conditions which makes my role at Y's Up seem a doddle. In particular the problems the people in Thailand/Burma are having brought a tear to many people’s eyes. It’s almost embarrassing that we in England allow trivial matters to affect us so much. We do not have much free time as the workshops finish at 5 and dinner is at half 7. As there are no streetlights (and no road rules) its a bit dangerous going out at night but the guys play a movie every night and there are so many people to talk to here that we are staying busy. As a group, we still went out for a look around Savar city centre but again and again people just wanted to stop and talk to us all. The people in Bangladesh are amazing, so friendly.
Day 2, really needed the sleep after a long journey and a long day but still not used to the time difference. Another exhausting day but have learned a lot about Bangladesh, its culture, history and challenges. I went for a walk with Miguel, Chemu from Thailand and Noel from India. We ended up in a small village around the corner from the YMCA and met some amazing people. We were getting some strange looks at first but that soon changed as we came across a group of kids playing football and joined in. Sport is the universal language and after this everyone was extremely friendly (even though we could not understand each other). We even had our own little fan club following us through the streets. The things we saw were both inspiring and heartbreaking. So much poverty yet the people are getting on with their daily lives, smiling and spending time with total strangers like us. Around every corner was another surprise and we have seen some amazing natural beauty.
Day 3, another long day at the workshop where we heard from a number of countries about the issues and challenges they faced. These guys are working with people with some serious problems and in challenging conditions which makes my role at Y's Up seem a doddle. In particular the problems the people in Thailand/Burma are having brought a tear to many people’s eyes. It’s almost embarrassing that we in England allow trivial matters to affect us so much. We do not have much free time as the workshops finish at 5 and dinner is at half 7. As there are no streetlights (and no road rules) its a bit dangerous going out at night but the guys play a movie every night and there are so many people to talk to here that we are staying busy. As a group, we still went out for a look around Savar city centre but again and again people just wanted to stop and talk to us all. The people in Bangladesh are amazing, so friendly.
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