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TABLE OF CONTENT
Executive summary
Topics of training
Realities of the YMCA around the world
One million voices
Breaking borders and barriers
Advocacy project in Cebu, Philippines
Fish bowl
How it feels to be disconnected
Inside the peace boat
Onboard news paper
Personal reflection
Appreciation
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Sailing for change
Executive summary
It is the story of the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) but essentially the story of young
people, of how 150 change agents flew from 60 countries from various airports around the
world to Japan to sail across the Atlantic Ocean through Philippines to Singapore then finally
went home with a sense of fulfillment, well equipped and many life time experiences that will
come handy in their quest to face the future in transforming themselves and bettering the lots
of others and their society.
The first global gathering of change agents which has been christen by some as the Asian Trip is
part of a two years international youth leadership development program at the heart of the
World YMCA which primarily is aimed at equipping young leaders across the world with
leadership skills, community development tools and international grooming to better equip
them to be impactful change makers in their societies.
This forms the third encounter of such huge commitment which took place in three different
countries and even on the Ocean from the 20th August to 1st September, 2015. Before meeting
in Japan, change agent had a pre continental or what is known as regional training, Change
agents from African countries met in Senegal in May for such training which was replicated on
other continents or regional groups.
The Peace Boat, an organization that sails around the world even to conflict areas was home to
the change agents as they conduct their training on board the Ocean dream ship whilst it
embark on its 88 voyage around the world setting off from Yokohama. Peace Boat is strongly in
the global effort to ending violence, conflict and hostility in the world hence constantly engage
the diversity of its passengers to live, work together, share ideas and learn from each other as
they enjoy a life time voyage taking them to jaw breaking natural and historic sites.
Training was conducted by the most renown youth development experts of the World YMCA
and some of the high ranking World YMCA officials like Johan Vihelm the General Secretary of
the World YMCA, Andrew Mckeinze, Romulo Dantas, Bob among others. It was a training that
held the interest and invited the participation of the change agents as the four thematic focus
areas (Education, Health, Civic engagement and Employment) were thoroughly treated using
making tools, techniques and structure to take change agent from one point to the other.
In brief the training focus on telling the story, the YMCA story and the story of young people
across the world of how the YMCA has committed effort and resources in eliminating the
injustice young people face around the world in their pursuit to live as humans. One exciting
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moment of the training was the fish bow, it was faction in a world economic forum manner
where a topic of global concern or regional attention is placed for discussion and change agents
takes up the seat in turns as many times as the want with a space of about two hours to
address these issues and to profess solution. One of such issue is LGBTQ; indeed it was an open
and frank discussion which reflected the difference of cultures yet made room for tolerance of
opinions and inclusivity.
After three days of training whilst sailing on the Atlantic Ocean, the Ocean dream ship made a
one day stop at Cebu the land of smiles in Philippines. Undoubtedly it was a humbling moment
for many of the change agents who have not come face to face with the injustice faced by
young people and for those who have encountered it were troubled that it is a global
phenomenon. Change Agents were shared into three groups with different task and area of
focus, some went to a rehabilitation center, second group to the trade market then the other to
the mangrove area where periodic typhoons has kept the people in constant fear and on the
toes of mercy.
The sum of the reports from these outings is evident that many young people are struggling
and are constantly confronted with injustices that makes their growing and learning an awful
experience hence requires a global and consented effort to help countries and organizations
tackle such challenges.
Change Agents from Africa participated fully both individually and as a group. The bonding and
learning that took place in Senegal in May during the African regional training manifested its
relevance through their participation throughout the program, this reflected in their different
group work, group challenge and the Cebu cultural nights which was the climax of a show of
collectivism in telling the story of the injustices face by young people in Africa through a poetic
performance by the African change agents in a drama sketch manner.
The African change agents were true to their commitment in making famous the S2C concept as
a vehicle in driving the change by sharing the ideas and philosophy of Subject to Citizen and
invited other change agents from different continent to share in the concept and to contribute
to its fruitfulness.
The last hours of departure was as emotional as anyone can imagine especially when the
program has succeeded in breaking many barriers making change agents to freely and willing
engage among themselves and even other young people on the ship yet the departing words of
Romulo Dantas, the Executive Secretary for Youth Empowerment of World YMCA is as
refreshing and inspiring and more of a divine calling. “The YMCA needs you”. Undoubtedly true,
the YMCA needs the change agents to continue to empower young people around the world
and to write away the many instances of injustices in the world.
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Topics of training
A team of World YMCA leaders delivered series of workshops, trainings and facilitated various
learning programs that centered on how to strengthen a global movement like the YMCA,
strategic planning, advocacy, problem solving skills, risk assessment, sharing our stories,
personal planning, fundraising and facilitation skills.
I can confidently report that, all 150 change agents have been adequately been equipped with
the above tools and knowledge which has fortified them as they face the future as drivers of
change.
Many techniques were employed to impact such trainings which include but not limited to
facilitation on the topics, open discussion, group work, and feedback on group discussion, team
outcome presentation and personal reflections.
All training documents have subsequently been sent to all change agents as a tool to assist
them to train others and to report back to their YMCAs.
Realities of the YMCA around the world
There is a famous African quote, “travel and see”. It is to tell you how different the world is,
how unique yet differently other people of different lands and cultures have embraced the
concept of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is to make you appreciate the different
side of life; I will call it the realities of the YMCA around the world.
As basic as we know the YMCA to be, there is now a high degree of acceptance and tolerance
that the YMCA can be modified in operations and appeal in other to be relevant to its
constituents. So that a YMCA led by Muslims serving Muslim youth in the Middle East is an
approach we can never fail to hold dear, that those with beliefs for same sex partnership in
Australia, New Zealand, America, etc will continue to find space in the YMCA as far as youth
empowerment is concern.
That there are YMCAs so rich yet there are YMCAs so poor, the realities of some YMCAs losing
membership whiles others are constantly growing in numbers. The realities of the YMCA around the
world are summarily an irony. Yet there is a great lesson and huge potential that can be harness as the
World YMCA frankly addresses the skewed realities of YMCAs around the world.
What I wish to report here is that, YMCA in one country can be completely different from YMCA
in another country in respect to its activities, operations and ideologies even though grounded
in the original mission of George Williams, “empowering young people”.
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One million voices
For the past three years, the YMCA has championed a research focusing on young people in the
countries served by the YMCA. This research is to dive deep into the lives of young people to
ascertain the real needs of young people, what young people are up to, opportunities available
to young people and how to create space and transform young people to bring about a desired
impact in making young people contribute to the progress and development of their societies.
Mr. Andrew Mckeinze, communications expect and an officer at the World YMCA was the lead
resource person at the first global gathering onboard Peace Boat who took the change agents
through where the research has reach and how the change agents can get involve. At this stage
may I humbly report that I had the privilege of being selected to grant a video interview that
will contribute to the final video of One million voices. The voices of young people in the 21st
century speaking about their lives as young people, their passion, worries, talking about the
injustices they face, what it means to have a voice and how empowerment looks like to them.
The final report and series of launching will be done around the world in November 2015 where
some change agents will be required to play active roles.
The report has three layers of presentation; a global perspective, a continental outlook and
country focus. There was an opportunity for change agents to scrutinize the processes leading
to the final report of which all the questions asked were satisfactorily answered.
Breaking borders and barriers
One visible outcome I can identify with the first global gathering onboard the Peace Boat, was
how change agents work together as a team and as a family to challenge traditional mythology,
stereotypes, fears and anxieties.
On the first two days, honestly speaking there was little tension among the change agents of
how to engage, what to say and not what to say, how we viewed each other and all such
perceptions people from different cultures and lands will normally have about each other but
sooner or later did all chains and pillars of borders and barriers got broken.
Change agents could freely engage each other, ask serious questions and challenge each other’s
thoughts and were willing to work with any other change agents without restriction. Indeed if
the world was a village of a hundred our experience tells us we can live harmoniously yet with
different beliefs and view point.
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This may be difficult to achieve in a world of seven billion but the YMCA change agents
demonstrated that with such international encounters, we will be able to drive a global
message of peaceful living amidst the differences we have.
Advocacy project in Cebu, Philippines
When you hear Cebu, think of sunshine and the beautiful cobalt blue seas. Of course there are
many beautiful things about the Philippines as well. Cebu has a rich history, and there are many
historical structures and memorials left on the island, including a wooden cross, called
Magellan’s Cross, said to have been erected by the explorer Magellan himself to spread
Christianity. There is also Fort San Pedro, considered the oldest fort in the Philippines which
was constructed during Spanish rule.
One of the appeals of Peace Boat is the ”encounters” at ports. Unforgettable encounters not
only make the voyage memorable, they also keep us connected with the port that we visited.
Since its first trip around the world, Peace Boat has been planning Exchange and Study courses
with NGOs, educational institutes and local communities at the ports of calls around the world.
The World YMCA faithfully learn from this practice as it was led by the change agent to live
lasting memories on the land of Cebu and to take away the unending and joyous smiles from
the land of smiles, Cebu.
Before Cebu, a lot of preparation had taken place amongst the three groups that change agents
were grouped, mainly change agent will identify with each of this groups for their advocacy
exercise: Mangrove, fair trade and rehabilitation center.
Advocacy on Mangrove was to embolden the ongoing effort to grow mangroves along the coast
that are constantly hit by typhoons periodically, the growing of the plants will serve as a shield
to block high tides and winds. It was very refreshing to see the entire community involve in this
process as even kids as young as 5 years joined the change agents to plant the stick which will
later grow to form the mangroves.
Reports from the other two groups recorded similar success of participation and a consented
effort in the approach of dealing with disabled young people who are given various kinds of
skills training to become impactful and self reliance.
Fish bowl
The Fish bowl experience was one that made the change agents had the feeling of being at the
world stage. It was modeled in a world economic forum manner where a topical issue is put up
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for open and frank but intellectual discussion and change agents takes turns to occupy the big
seat to address such issues.
The General Secretary of the World Alliance of YMCA was the chief facilitator for the fish bowl
and was very resourceful in answering most of the difficult questions and rendering
clarifications to complex issues.
Some of the issues that were discussed centered on YMCA visibility and relevance to young
people, whether or not to maintain the ecumenical identity of the YMCA, realities of YMCA in
different regions, operational issues of individual YMCA among a host of many other relevant
topics.
At this forum, change agents floated ideas on how to actively get engage in the YMCA, what
individual change agents are doing in their YMCA and shared ways that they can support each
others’ effort in their work linking it to the global effort of empowering young people.
How it feels to be disconnected
There was internet on the Peace Boat but it’s up and down in internet strength and connectivity
coupled with the high cost of being connected, disconnected many of the change agents from
the rest of the world especially their YMCAs, friends and families.
It is the practice of change agents to tweet, post and share their experience whilst on such a
historic training program. This was evident on the day of departure where change agents were
trending on twitter and facebook from all over the world as they board planes and transit in the
big cities of the world as they make way to Japan.
One will expect that, whiles on the Peace Boat, the socially media will be flooded with
messages, pictures and videos considering the level of activities going on but unfortunately it
was the opposite. Most of the social media pages of about 90% of the change agents were not
updated since they entered the peace boat but with few hours of internet salvation in Cebu and
later the flood gate open upon arrival in Singapore.
This was a big blow to the change agents as they could not even communicate with their
families and love ones to at least tell them of their wellbeing and you can imagine the trauma
that they themselves and their families might have been in whilst the Ocean was the home and
transporter of the change agents.
It was a period we were sharply reminded of how powerful the internet is yet how we have
often taken it access for granted. We were also remaindered of how important people are in
our lives and vice versa, of how important to maintain a close contact with our love ones.
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Inside the peace boat
The onboard environment feels very international, there was an opportunity for everyone to
experience the Japanese culture, there was a whole free space that served as an exchange
plaza where all passengers came to experience and enjoy the Japanese culture from Japanese
flute performance to tea ceremony, Segemon, Calligraphy, Yukata, Origami and Japanese
games.
The Ocean Dream Ship can be compared to that of a four start hotel, it has mind blowing
features and space. It has two classic restaurants that can take 1000 people at a seating, a
conference room and a theatre both with same capacity as the restaurant, three swimming
pools and three Jacuzzi, two classic bars, three decks, I mean it was really a small town to be in
on the ocean.
Onboard newspaper
Even though one can seemingly be disconnected onboard the Peace Boat with the rest of the
world especially ones close ties like family and friends, the onboard newspaper is a great tool to
get inform and to be connected with the outside world.
It is a daily publication by the communications bureau of the Peace Boat which has the detail
schedule of activities and programs for the day and even the day after. It is indeed a perfect
guide to navigate your way out in the ship and whenever you are lost, all you need to do is to
pull out your news paper which is freely distributed to know what next to do or where to find
yourself.
The onboard news paper is unquestionably a resource to knowing and relating to the big issues
happening around the world and most importantly the ports visited by the Peace Boat.
Whether it is tension and Peace in East Asia or the middle East, delivering of relief supplies to
conflict zones, how to enjoy the voyage of a life time to women’s issued as viewed through the
Lens of Filipino-Japanese Orphans, how to enjoy cultural exchanges or the remembrance of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the Sewol Accident in South Korea, the onboard news paper keeps
all passengers of the Peace Boat well inform of the world around them as they sail through
calm and trouble waters.
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Personal reflection
This is a kind of program I wish every youth in my country will have the opportunity to
participate before leaving the youth bracket. It is a type of engagement that brings you to a
global appreciation of what the world is and means to different people of different cultures and
one need to experience it to know it.
It opens your mind to understand and welcome different viewpoints challenging traditional
understanding of yourself and the world whilst introducing you to the global realities.
It is a program that prepares all beneficiaries to face the future full of hope and well equipped
to surmount challenges with the capacity to stand up for others. Anyone who participated in
such program cannot remain the same; it comes with an inner drive and inspiration to join
forces to bring about the desired change.
Finally may I report that, I feel so empowered and excited to be part of a global movement in
the business of empowering young people.
Appreciation
I shall like to register my sincerest thanks to the Leadership of the World Alliance YMCA
especially Romulo Dantas, Adi Davies and Maricris Saldarriaga for being patient with us as my
colleagues and I took them through unintentional stressful moment in preparation for this
great trip.
May I also thank Gil Harper, Mutale Chander, Llyod Muruiki and the entire African alliance team
for adequately preparing us as a befitting representation of the continent.
I wish to equally render my gratitude to the Ghana YMCA for its continued effort in supporting
me for such a program.
Finally to anyone or group of persons whose name I have failed to mention, yours is the
greatest thanks of all.
Thanks
