YMCA World - Climate Justice - March 2010

YMCA World

March 2010

No. 1 - March 2010

www.ymca.int

Climate Justice

The World Alliance of YMCAs is a federation of YMCAs in 124 countries with a membership of over 45 million. YMCAs seek to share the Christian ideal of building a human community of peace with justice for all, irrespective of race, class, religion, or gender. Formed in 1844, the YMCA is one of the largest and oldest youth movements in the world.

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President’s Message

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Climate Justice

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The Copenhagen Accord:

A Failure to Deliver Climate Justice and Recognise Climate Debt YMCA at the UN Climate Conference (COP 15)

YMCA Chiang Mai Inspires Youth to “Go Green”

Environmental Action:

Good Practices from Latin America and the Caribbean Y Climate Action - A Growing Movement within the Movement Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY):

Striving to Address Climate Change

World Movement News

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Y’s Men International to be Carbon Neutral YMCA Argentina Supports Religions for Peace Global Youth Network

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World Alliance News

YMCA Global Operating Plan: Latest News!

IT Corner - Websites to Make Life Easier

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Journey in Mission: This World and Our Stewardship

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YMCA World –No.1– March 2010 A quarterly of the World Alliance of YMCAs Published in English and Spanish

YMCA World

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12 Clos Belmont, 1208 Geneva, Switzerland Tel : (+41 22) 849 51 00 Fax : (+41 22) 849 5110 E-mail : office@ymca.int Web Site : www.ymca.int

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Editor : Rebecca Morton Doherty Editorial Assistant & Graphic Design : John Ainsworth Resource Material : Claude-Alain Danthe Printing : Sro-Kundig, Geneva, Switzerland

No. 1 - March 2010

President : Mr. Martin Meißner Secretary General : Dr. Bartholomew Shaha

Climate

Justice

Do you have a story to share? Comments on our magazine?

Internet links or resources that could be useful to the Movement?

Please send an e-mail to rebecca@ymca.int Would you like to subscribe to our magazine?

Please send an e-mail to john@ymca.int

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Editorial

Climate Justice Increased poverty, threatened food security, growing numbers of environmental refugees, increased vulnerability of women, children and youth; these are just some of the social and economic effects of climate change, and the reason why the YMCA Movement must urgently act and advocate for climate justice.

Despite making up a third of the world’s population, and set to inherit a future irrevocably marked by climate change, children and youth have rarely featured in climate change debates. This, despite the fact that they will suffer more health consequences from warming temperatures.

The current main killers of children - malaria, diarrhea and under nutrition – are highly sensitive to climate.

we also have a closer look at the historic Summit on Climate Change that took place in Copenhagen in December of last year (COP 15). Athena Peralta from the World Council of Churches reflects on the outcomes of the meeting, and whether or not it really delivered “climate justice”. We also hear from the YMCA delegation to COP 15, about their impressions of the Summit, and to what extent they were able to make young peoples’ voices heard.

For over 25 years, YMCAs around the world have been implementing programmes that aim to protect and preserve the earth’s resources for coming generations. YMCA action has included awareness raising campaigns, nature conservation, supporting community-based initiatives, and use of renewable energy sources. In recent years, a number of programmes have emerged that aim to give young people a real voice on climate issues, and bring this voice to key national and international forums.

The climate change issue will be taken up at the upcoming World Council of YMCAs (Hong Kong, July 2010) and the preceding Youth Forum. There will be spaces for YMCAs to share experiences and good practices; this will also be an opportune time to deliberate together on the opportunities for other types of actions, and to pose a challenge to our global Movement: can we do more? Some YMCAs are already taking up this challenge head on, and considering how to take responsibility for their Movements’ carbon footprint, such as YMCA Australia and other members of the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs. Y’s Men International has also made a commitment to become “carbon-neutral”, and is already planning how to reduce and offset their carbon emissions.

This edition of YMCA World highlights examples of such projects, including the Y Climate Action project run by the YWCA-YMCA of Sweden, and the recently launched Ecoblog in the Latin America and Caribbean Alliance of YMCAs. In this edition of the magazine

As a global Movement, active in 124 countries, in over 12,000 communities, operating in office buildings, training centres, schools, universities, sports centres, hotels, and other premises all over the world, the YMCA Movement has a tremendous potential to really make a difference. As a

starting point, we could for example undertake audits of our premises and working practices to measure our current carbon footprint. This can be done at low cost using free online tools. Specialised firms also offer more comprehensive assessments to identify major emission sources and opportunities for improvement. How well does your YMCA fare compared to national and international averages?

Studies show that simple energy improvements in new and existing buildings could drastically reduce carbon emissions. Taking some simple steps could make a huge difference, e.g. turning off lights, heating, electronic appliances, when they are not being used, or investing in low-flow toilets, faucets and shower heads. Other actions include: avoiding air travel where possible, using video conferencing, avoiding the use of disposable items such as plastic containers and utensils, and recycling paper and other office materials.

YMCAs can also develop organisational policies and training programmes to ensure that the above-mentioned actions are institutionalised, and contribute towards reducing our “organisational footprint”.

We can also encourage our partners, including other NGOs, donor agencies, and UN bodies to consider similar steps, as well as lobbying local and national government bodies to adopt “cleaner” technologies. There are many courses of action that we as individuals and as a Movement could take to help combat climate change; what is clear is that we can and must do more.

Despite making up a third of the world’s population, and set to inherit a future irrevocably marked by climate change, children and youth have rarely featured in climate change debates.

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Editor Rebecca Morton Doherty World Alliance of YMCAs

YMCA World - March 2010 3

President’s Message President Mr. Martin Meißner World Alliance of YMCAs

The Holy Scripture tells us that the Lord handed the world over to us so that we

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could cultivate it. Cultivating the earth means ensuring its protection, and at the same time, guaranteeing every individual’s right to live in a safe and sustainable environment. To do this we must raise our voices, even if some governments do not want to listen, and claim justice for all.

The results of the COP 15 were disappointing and dictated by economic considerations rather than social and environmental ones. What we really wanted to see was change; the world owes this change to the next generation. However, we must not be too discouraged. Climate justice, like many other issues, challenges us to strive for a better world.

Our advocacy actions will not end at COP 15. We will be bringing this issue to the 17th World Council of YMCAs and International Youth Forum to be held in Hong Kong in July 2010. Climate change issues will be addressed not only in the skills building workshops and dialogues, but also during the International Youth Forum, where a public concert will be held, focusing on the environment.

I want to thank all those who organised and participated in the YMCA’s actions at the UN Climate Change Conference.

Thank you for your continued commitment, and for taking this issue forward in the future.

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“YMCA Global Citizens: Acting and Advocating for Climate Justice” – This is the slogan under which a YMCA delegation participated in the 2009 UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen (COP15). I believe that for the YMCA, this is much more than just a slogan – the YMCA has a mandate and an obligation to act and advocate for climate justice.

“Protecting and preserving our earth for future generations” is not only one of the mission priorities of the YMCA, and one of the Millennium Development Goals, it is also our responsibility as YMCA Global Citizens.

the YMCA has a mandate and an obligation to act and advocate for climate justice.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT Dear Readers, Please be informed that this year, there will not be a June issue of YMCA World; it will be replaced with a double issue of the magazine in September, with a special focus on the 17th World Council of YMCAs. This will allow us to share with you all a larger collection of exciting articles, news and photos from the World Council meeting, due to take place in July in Hong Kong. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Please do not hesitate to write to: rebecca@ymca.int should you have any queries about this.

The editorial team World Alliance of YMCAs

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Climate Justice

The Copenhagen Accord:

A Failure to Deliver Climate Justice and Recognise Climate Debt

Athena Peralta Consultant in Poverty, Wealth and Ecology World Council of Churches

A Moral Issue as much as a Social, Political and Economic One The human-induced climate crisis confronting our world today is, at core, a moral issue: God calls us to care for life and all creation and to promote justice for our sisters and brothers who live in the margins of society.

Climate change is also one of the thorniest social, political and economic issues of our time. Heads of states, business leaders and civil society representatives gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark from 7 to 19 December 2009 for the 15th Conference of Parties (COP 15) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The agenda: to hammer out an international agreement to significantly cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that cause climate change, and to ensure urgent assistance to poor countries that need to adapt to a warming environment.

Following two weeks of gruelling – often deadlocked – discussions, the meeting’s final outcome is the three-page Copenhagen Accord. For struggling communities in the global South who are most affected by climate change, the accord falls tremendously short of climate justice goals.

More specifically, it fails to address the enormous climate debt owed by the rich, industrialised North to them.

The Climate Debt Scientific evidence has shown that the atmosphere cannot continue to absorb GHG emissions at the rate of the last decades. The atmosphere, which serves,

among other functions, to collect GHG emissions, is a global commons that everybody shares and everybody needs.

However, in accumulating wealth and in attaining and maintaining their current standards of living, rich, industrialised nations in the North have used up far more than their fair share of the atmospheric global commons. This has been at the expense of the equitable rights of Southern countries.

The burden of adjusting to variations in the climate falls heaviest on the poor and women in particular since they are the most dependent on the environment – land, seas, rivers and forests – for their livelihoods, food and other basic needs.

For many of them, climate change spells displacement from their homes, joblessness, hunger, and illness.

The global North owes the global South an “emissions debt” for their excessive historical and current emissions that deny developing countries their fair share of atmospheric global commons. They also owe an “adaptation debt” for their disproportionate contribution to climate change that requires developing countries to adapt to effects on homes and sources of sustenance. The “emissions debt” and the “adaptation debt” comprise the climate debt, which is part of the larger ecological debt owed by the North to the South.

At the COP 15, the World Council of Churches (WCC), together with many other civil society organisations and Movements, challenged world leaders to come up with a climate deal that would “signal hope”. The model agreement would entail binding commitments by rich, industrialised nations to cut their CO2 emissions by at least 40 percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. They would also need to contribute at least 150 billion US dollars per year to help poor nations curb their CO2 emissions and adapt to climate change impacts. It bears mentioning that the proposed annual financial assistance of 150 billion US dollars would be negligible compared to the hundreds of billions of dollars allocated by rich country governments to annual military expenditures, and the trillions more raised to bail out ailing banks and financial institutions at the height of the global financial crisis in 2007.

While contributing least to GHG emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, peoples and communities in the developing world are disproportionately affected by climate change consequences such as rising sea levels, massive weather disturbances, famine and drought.

In a 2008 study, researchers at the University of Berkeley in California concluded that through disproportionate emissions of GHGs, rich, industrialised countries have imposed climate-related damages on poor countries equivalent to over two trillion U.S. dollars – an amount that is considerably greater than the latter’s current foreign debt.

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A Weak Accord

Measured against these minimum yardsticks, the final Copenhagen Accord is a letdown with potential life and death consequences for millions of people in the global South. But what does the accord actually contain?

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The accord reaffirms the international community’s commitment to reduce emissions, enough to prevent a two degree Celsius rise in global temperatures – which, according to scientists, still risks causing considerable environmental damage. It does not, however, oblige countries to meet targets. Rather, it merely asks developed and developing countries to commit to mitigation actions under the basic structure of the Kyoto Protocol (and to submit them by 31 January 2010 as part of a framework for monitoring, reporting, and verifying nations’ emissions cuts).

The accord continues to place importance on market-based solutions to emissions reductions such as carbon trading. However studies on the European carbon trading system for instance reveal that such approaches have very seldom resulted in significant cuts in emissions. It represents a triumph for the carbon trading business – which, according to analysts, could constitute a market worth more than $3 trillion by 2020 – and their lobbyists who were present in large numbers in Copenhagen.

While the accord sets up mechanisms through which short-term assistance (30 billion US dollars for the period 20102012) and long-term assistance (100 US billion by 2020) could be provided to de-

veloping countries for adaptation purposes, there is little clarity on where exactly the funds will come from and whether the assistance will be in addition to official development aid. In response, the lead negotiator of Tuvalu – an island state in danger of being inundated by rising sea waters – could not help but charge: “…we’re being offered 30 pieces of silver to sell our future. Our future is not for sale.”

Finally, the accord is essentially non-binding since the Parties merely “took note of ” and did not approve the document.

The lack of a broad and resounding endorsement of the accord may be traced to the undemocratic process – a last minute, closed-door meeting between leaders of 25 of the world’s most powerful countries including the United States and members of the European Union – that drafted the document. Many developing countries felt that their voices and concerns had been sidelined in the development of the accord.

System Change, Not Climate Change Beyond the Copenhagen Summit, civil society organisations and Movements must continue the critical task of building awareness, mobilising communities and pushing governments to meaningfully tackle the climate debt owed by the global

North to the global South. The WCC in partnership with civil society organisations and networks such as Jubilee South are looking to organise a series of peoples’ tribunals aimed at establishing accountabilities, ending impunity, securing climate debt reparations and transforming political and economic systems.

In its statement to the COP 15, the WCC emphasised that “a change of paradigm is imperative” if we are “to save our planet from the catastrophic and suicidal consequences of climate change”. Indeed, one of the more popular and compelling civil society mottos at the Copenhagen Summit was: “System change, not climate change.”

Historically and in the present, climate debt is accumulated in the name of development. Mainstream economic thought and dominant economic systems have largely reduced the concept of development to mere economic expansion or continuous – even unlimited – growth in production, income and consumption. A fundamental question that we must tirelessly pose is: “why is the goal of sustainable development…growth in the production of goods and services on environmentally-sustainable terms, instead of growth in the health of persons and the rest of nature in communities within their respective habitats?”

YMCA youth join civil society demonstrations in Copenhagen.

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Climate Justice

YMCA at the

UN Climate Conference (COP 15)

Rebecca Morton Doherty Executive Secretary World Alliance of YMCAs

The UN Climate Change Conference 2009 (COP15) was the latest in a series of annual UN meetings that aim to coordinate international policy on climate change.

During the first week of this critical Conference the YMCA was represented by 28 delegates, including from the World Alliance of YMCAs, Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY), Latin America and Caribbean Alliance of YMCAs, YMCA Lebanon, YWCA-YMCA Sweden and Y’s Men International.

Under the slogan “YMCA Global Citizens: Acting and Advocating for Climate Justice” – the YMCA delegation organised and participated in a series of advocacy and communications activities to give visibility to the YMCA’s extensive work in climate change, to strengthen youth participation in climate justice at the global level, and support other youth and ecumenical organisations in the call for a “global climate deal in Copenhagen that is fair, ambitious and binding.”

Activities included: • YMCA Climate Pre-Conference During this one-day Pre-Conference event, YMCA delegates shared experiences and good practices in climate change actions taking place in YMCAs in their respective countries and regions. They learnt more about the effects of climate change and possible responses in an informative session led by Lister Cheung, representative of APAY and long-standing expert in environmental issues. The group also took time to further strategise on their participation in the Conference.

• Young and Future Generations Day On 10 December, the YMCA delegation joined hundreds of youth from around the world to celebrate “Young and Future Generations Day”. This special day sought to send a powerful message of intergenerational equity to COP15 delegates, as well as highlighting the vital role of youth as both advocates for, and implementers of climate solutions. In an interview with the National Swedish Radio Station (Sveriges Radio), Paska Kinuthia, from Y’s Men International, said, “we are doing our best to get through to our leaders; we (the youth) are the ones who will be affected by the decisions they take today.”

• Youth Arcade During the first week of the Conference, civil society organisations were allocated exhibition spaces to share materials and information about their work. The YMCA had a very well placed stand in the “Youth Arcade” that attracted hundreds of visitors each day. Visitors were invited to show their own individual commitment to climate justice by writing their names on small paper footprints that were then glued to a large blue YMCA Globe that was prominently displayed throughout the week.

In total over 300 individuals including members of the press, civil society, and official delegations, from over 50 countries added their names.

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On Friday 11th December, the YMCA delegation also organised a side event at the Youth Arcade. Through a dramatic performance of different “cooperation games” they highlighted the need for solidarity and cooperation among decisionmakers, that transcends economic and political self-interest. They also shared information about the impact of YMCA work with young people on the environment and climate change.

• Global Citizens in Action On Saturday 12th December, the YMCA delegation joined the mass demonstration through the streets of Copenhagen with an estimated 100,000 other climate justice activists. The Swedish delegates worked most of the night to make posters and signs, and a boat made of cloth. On the sail, they painted the words, “YMCA Global Citizens” and on the side of the boat, “It’s our future!”

Clarissa Balan, Executive Secretary at the World Alliance of YMCAs, said “the march took more than 5 hours through the cold winter weather, made bearable by the joyful spirit of the marchers and the support of onlookers. To keep us motivated, we chanted slogans, there were drums, and lots of music, food and water were shared among us. This was truly Global Citizenship in action.”

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A Learning Experience Observing the various meetings, press briefings and advocacy actions at COP 15, the YMCA delegation learnt not only about climate related issues, but the negotiation process, and the political, economic and social obstacles to achieving a fair and effective climate deal. For many of the delegates, COP 15 was also a personal learning experience that will impact their own lives, local YMCAs and communities.

Caroline Steen, 21, YMCA Sweden said: “There are people here from all over the world, from so many different cultures. It is inspiring to see so many people gathered with different experience and knowledge, all with a burning interest in climate issues. Through my experience at COP 15 I have gained knowledge on UN policies on climate issues, such as the Kyoto Protocol, but also learnt how to communicate with different people

on these issues. On a personal level, I have learnt a lot about myself, when it comes to working in such an intense environment; I am testing my own boundaries. As a result of my experience here I will try to be more aware of my carbon footprint and my everyday actions – specifically I will continue to eat more vegetarian food, travel less and influence the people in my close surroundings to try harder too. The small things we do are just as important as the big things people here are doing.”

Next Steps On the 13th of December, the YMCA delegation spent the morning in a wrapup session to reflect on their experience and plan for the future. In her COP 15 Diary Blog, Clarissa Balan, World Alliance Executive Secretary said “most of the recommendations were focused on the 17th World Council and the International Youth Forum in July 2010, the need to share our experience with

other YMCAs, COP16 and many others. We were excited at the possibility of building a Movement of YMCA young people committed to the environment and acting locally to reduce their own as well as their community’s carbon footprint. We affirmed the importance of developing a policy and strategy as well as a campaign to make YMCAs around the world carbon neutral.

Gratitude was expressed to everyone who played their part in making our experience an enriching and life-changing one. We started off as YMCAs concerned about climate change and ended up seeing ourselves as part of a global Movement working for climate justice.”

To learn more about our participation at COP 15 please visit the World Alliance website: http://www.ymca.int/1329.0.html You can also view photographs here: http://gallery.ymca.int/main.php?g2_ itemId=2230

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Climate Justice

YMCA Chiang Mai

Inspires Youth to “Go Green”

Patcharin Aviphan Director, YMCA Sao Hin Chiang Mai, Thailand

The YMCA of Sao Hin in Chiang Mai began a forest preservation programme 14 years ago. Although environmental issues were not yet popular in Thailand, YMCA staff were aware of climate change and the damaging effects it would have on local communities.

The YMCA began teaching local people about global warming, its effects, and possible solutions like energy conservation.

Environment and Energy Learning Centre In 2002, the YMCA expanded its work on conservation by opening the Environment and Energy Learning Centre. The Centre uses interactive learning techniques to teach visitors of all ages how to protect and preserve the environment.

The Centre is separated into seven different areas, each focusing on different topics such as forest preservation, alternative energy and efficient energy use. In each area there are hands-on experiments and games, as well as demonstrations on how to build simple solar ovens or prepare garbage for recycling for example. The aim is for visitors to take home what they have learnt and apply it in their everyday lives.

Y Green Schools YMCA Sao Hin also runs environmental programmes in 25 rural schools throughout Northern Thailand. The YMCA helps each school develop a curriculum. It also provides start-up costs for hands-on learning projects, and provides training and follow-up support to school staff.

Students and communities learn about global warming and how to curb its harmful effects. The programmes also equip participants with useful vocational skills that can be used to generate an income.

Trained professionals teach participants about agricultural methods and alternative fuels.

Today, Y Green Schools serve as excellent models for other schools, businesses or

community members. Those interested can come and learn about the activities and how they could replicate them in their own homes or organisations.

“If anything is going to get accomplished, we have to start it by ourselves,” Romteera said, “and then once we start, we can tell others about it and lead by our example.”

Student Movements

Romteera is right; we have found that communities that live near our Y Green Schools or have attended our training seminars now use alternative energy methods as it not only saves non-renewable resources, but it decreases their monthly household expenditure. Instead of using wood or charcoal, many use the ‘efficiency stove’ that runs on waste such as sawdust.

Communities who go to Y Green Schools also learn about protecting their native forests and often plant trees, pick up rubbish and build dams to keep their homes and neighbourhoods clean, and healthy.

The YMCA runs several youth camps that encourage students to take action to slow down climate change. After attending these camps, many students go back to their own communities and schools and start their own projects. YMCA youth volunteers have for example started ‘environment clubs’ that monitor energy consumption in their schools and local communities. YMCA volunteers have also motivated their peers to join public marches for the environment, and to work in rice fields for a day in order to learn the real value of food.

“I’ve been involved in several camps run by the YMCA,” said Romteera Sriwitit, YMCA member and 12th grade student at the Jakkhamkanatorn School in Lamphun Province. After attending a YMCA Energy Saving Camp, Romteera put what she had learnt into practice in her own life by conserving electricity and water at home. Romteera also participated in several environmental campaigns and other YMCA youth volunteer activities. At her high school, Romteera and her friends started a YMCA Youth Club that now leads various environmental activities including promoting the use of trendy cloth bags instead of disposable plastic ones, and riding bicycles to school instead of scooters.

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YMCA Sao Hin staff serve as advisors on various governmental boards in the City of Chiang Mai, and have also noticed positive changes in environmental policy. This includes a new ban on burning rubbish within the city limits, and the creation of several bicycle lanes throughout the city.

We know that the world still has a long way to go, but we want to be sure that Northern Thailand is doing its part to slow down climate change by educating and inspiring Thai youth. As part of the global YMCA Movement, we should all consider what part we play in slowing down climate change. We could inspire others to change their daily habits, and become “greener” by setting a positive example at our YMCA offices, hotels, day camps and other premises. Just as Romteera said, we should be the first ones to take action.

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Climate Justice

Environmental Action: Good Practices from Latin America and the Caribbean

Daniel Gomez Director of Communications Latin America and Caribbean Alliance of YMCAs

Biofuels, solar power, reusing resources, technology, and creativity; YMCAs in Latin America and the Caribbean are using all these approaches in their everyday work to preserve and protect the environment.

In 2009, YMCAs in Guatemala, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and the Regional Office, all developed new “environmentally friendly” projects. As a result, the YMCA is fast becoming a reference point in the region for good social practices in preserving the environment.

Solar Power in Guatemala Chichoj YMCA Camp is located 204 km from the capital of Guatemala on the shores of lake Chichoj. The camp covers 192 km2, and for over 20 years has provided recreation, camping, and leisure activities for young people. The Camp promotes nature conservation, and supports children, youth and their families to get involved.

In 1992, the Camp also installed the first organic waste processing plant in the region. It has since become a model in the region, and been replicated by government authorities for organic waste disposal in the coffee industry and the local market.

In 2009, in collaboration with the YMCA of Southwest Illinois (USA), YMCA Guatemala replaced all its water pumps powered by traditional fuels, with new solar powered systems. This not only resulted in a more permanent water supply, but also positioned YMCA Guatemala as a pioneer in implementing environmentally friendly technology.

Renewable Biofuels in Chile 500 km south of the capital, in the city of Concepcion, the YMCA provides sports, recreation and social projects for the disabled and children. Swimming lessons are one of the most popular activities at the 8000m2 YMCA Centre.

The Centre has a water heating system to heat the building, swimming pool and showers; this amounts to one hundred thousand litres of hot water every day.

Originally, the boilers were fuelled by oil; in the late 80s these were transformed into machines that ran on sawdust that were equally pollutant, emitting large amounts of gases into the city. The YMCA in Concepcion recently decided to find a cleaner and more economic alternative.

They designed an automatic boiler, run on renewable biofuels made from wood.

This system meets the building’s hot water requirements, and is well below the minimum level of emissions required by the country’s environmental regulations. This new system has been in place since 2009, and is often visited by public and private organisations wishing to replicate this experience.

Re-use of Rainwater in Brazil The YMCA of the Porto Alegre region, located in Rio Grande do Sul, has been managing the John XXIII Ecumenical

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Cemetery since 1993. This is a very particular YMCA model; they provide an essential public service in return for funds that are earmarked for social projects and job creation for the poor.

Since 2006, the YMCA has been running a project to collect and re-use rainwater for various purposes including irrigating land to preserve vegetation and cleaning the facilities, particularly in times of drought and rationing.

This simple idea, based on the use of nontreated water, is not only more environmentally friendly, but also more sustainable.

Environmental Publicity in Uruguay The YMCA of Montevideo is one of the most recognised places in the Uruguayan capital for social activities, sports and recreation. More than 10,000 families regularly participate in its programmes. One of the most popular activities at the YMCA is swimming, and due to the amount of visitors, the YMCA has made a large investment in water facilities for showers and other amenities at the pool.

In 2009, the YMCA capitalised on its tremendous social reach by launching a series of campaigns to raise awareness about the responsible use of water. These creative advertising campaigns highlight how much water we use on everyday actions like showering or shaving, by showing the equivalent in bottles of water.

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Climate Justice

The YMCA campaign had a very wide reach through the internet and media. It also raised the YMCA’s profile as a promoter of environmental responsibility, and as a social centre that promotes healthy lifestyle choices.

An Eco-blog from the Regional Office The Regional office of the Latin American and Caribbean Alliance of YMCAs has also been active on the climate issue through the creation of an Eco-blog.

EcoYMCA is a virtual space in which young people from YMCAs in the region can write to one another, share news, events, ideas and information relating to climate change, environment, ecology, and recycling. This space was launched during the UN Conference on Climate Change held in Copenhagen in December 2009. It uses mass-use software so that it is easy for everyone, particularly young people, to engage with. It is hoped that in future the Ecoblog platform will be replicated in every YMCA in the region. To learn more please visit: http://www. ecoYMCA.blogspot.com

Photo above: A 7 minute shower uses 140 bottles of water.

Photo to left: Shaving for 7 minutes uses 140 bottles of water.

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Climate Justice

Y Climate Action – A Growing Movement within the Movement

Aron Wängborg Volunteer YWCA/YMCA Sweden

The harmful and irreversible effects of global warming are becoming clearer every day. This is why global expectations for a fair, ambitious and binding deal to be reached at the Copenhagen Climate Summit (COP 15) were tremendous. This is also one of the main reasons why Y Climate Action was created.

The idea behind Y Climate Action began to develop in 2008 when a group of Swedish YWCA-YMCA volunteers participated in an international youth conference on the environment. “[There] we learnt about the severity of global warming, and realised that we need to do something now!” explained Emma Ivarsson, 28, one of the initiators of the project.

The group also realised the incredible potential of the global Movement they belong to, the YMCA. With all this in mind, Emma and her friends developed a plan for climate action within the YMCA, and Y Climate Action was born.

Y Climate Action provides a platform for volunteers to learn about climate change, share information, advocate for climate justice, and learn about the Movement and its potential. Emma admits that one of the purposes of Y Climate Action is also to test the structure of the Swedish YMCA. Is it mature enough to engage in a green agenda? Is it possible for new, creative and genuinely youth-led activities to grow within the Movement?

Y Climate Action at COP 15

Y Climate Action went to COP15 in December to express the aspirations of young people, but also to learn, create new networks and show that the YMCA is active in the environmental movement. With 15,000 official delegates, journalists and other NGO representatives around us, it was not easy to get our voices heard. However by organising side-events, collaborating with other youth movements, and using the YMCA exhibition space, we were able to express ourselves.

Unfortunately, Y Climate Action cannot boast that it was able to lobby the global

political leadership into delivering an agreement at COP 15; it was quite clear from the outset that differences were too great, and the stakes too high for this to happen.

Nevertheless, YMCA delegates were very proud of the impact they made. “It has been incredible to show that the YMCA is taking action on climate justice,” said Caroline Steen, 21, student of political science and one of the volunteers in the project. “The climate issue is urgent, particularly for youth because it is youth that will take care of the damage caused by climate change. So, one of the greatest outcomes of this project is that we have shown the world that youth are active on this topic,” she explained.

While the official outcomes of COP15 were disappointing, hope is far from gone.

“We marched in Berlin and the wall fell. We marched in Cape Town and apartheid fell. We march in Copenhagen and we will get a real deal!”

These words from archbishop Desmond Tutu at one of the rallies in Copenhagen were very encouraging; he reminded us that popular action can make a difference. The mass actions undertaken by civil society in

Young people from outside the YMCA have also joined Y Climate Action, because they now see it as a youth Movement with a voice on environmental issues.

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Since its establishment, young people from all over Sweden have joined Y Climate Action, regardless of what type of YMCA work they are usually committed to. Young people from outside the YMCA have also joined Y Climate Action, because they now see it as a youth Movement with a voice on environmental issues.

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Climate Justice Copenhagen clearly demonstrated that the climate movement is in motion, and will not stop until results are achieved. Moreover, the YMCA is onboard!

The Future of Y Climate Action So what happens to Y Climate Action now?

The initial phase of the project is nearly over, but the next chapter has already begun. The project has already evolved into a new local association in Sweden which will focus on global issues. The association is strictly made up of youth, for youth, and the board consists of young people only.

Caroline Steen was recently elected as the first president of the new association and has a clear vision for the future: “We want to influence both politicians and the YMCA movement, nationally and internationally. One ambition is to share Y Climate Action with other YMCAs at the upcoming World Council of YMCAs due to be held in Hong Kong, and also at the COP 16 meeting scheduled later this year in Mexico.” Emma added that the ambition is for knowledge to be transferred from youth to youth, in true YMCA spirit.

YMCA exhibition stand at COP 15.

Can the YMCA “Go Green”?

The YMCA is committed to working for social, cultural and economic justice all over the world; some may ask if the Movement also needs to embark on climate justice? This is a relevant question and the answer ought to be a clear Yes! A sustainable environment is essential for lasting social, cultural and economic justice to be achieved. Furthermore, it is the youth of today who must take care of mother earth tomorrow, so this is a critical issue for them.

Given that the YMCA has thousands of programmes, facilities and structures worldwide, the Movement has a tremendous potential to actually make a difference on both local and global levels. Has your local YMCA taken climate action yet?

YMCA youth organise a side event at COP 15.

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Climate Justice

Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY): Striving to Address Climate Change

Jose Varghese Executive Secretary Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs Ric Odom CEO YMCA New Zealand

From 18th – 21st January 2010, YMCAs from the Asia and Pacific region participated in a Forum on Global Warming. They shared knowledge and experiences on climate change issues, and planned common actions for the future.

Hosted by YMCA New Zealand and YMCA Christchurch at Camp Wainui Park in South Island, the forum brought together 15 participants from Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, India and New Zealand, as well as APAY Executive Committee members. Three local organisations including the Christchurch City Council also joined the forum, and shared news about their work to help combat climate change.

Commenting on the Copenhagen meeting, he said “When the world’s leaders have failed to reach a meaningful agreement for combating the [climate change] issue at a political level, perhaps it is time for organisations like the YMCA to consider other ways of encouraging people to act together to combat global warming and prevent accelerated climate change.”

Sustainability of Life for All

Rod Oram, a highly regarded financial journalist and commentator on economics and climate change, gave the keynote address.

Like Dr. Park, he stressed that global responses to climate change appear to be failing, and that local level responses from communities and individuals are therefore crucial. Mr Oram encouraged participants to advocate for change, to give people hope and encouragement, to push national governments into developing sound and workable policies, and to bring countries together to forge international agreements.

The Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs is deeply committed to “Sustainability of Life for All” – this is one of the focuses of its 2008 – 2011 work plan. The Forum in New Zealand was an excellent platform to develop new ideas and programmes on climate change.

In his opening address, Dr. Park Jai Chang, President of the APAY said “our commitment to the environment is rooted in our spirituality. Failure to care for creation is a failure to conduct our relationships in the way God wants us to. Climate change is also an issue of justice and sustainability that has unparalleled effects economically, environmentally, politically and socially.” Dr Park went on to say that understanding the issue and its impacts is not enough; transformative action and a redefinition of the current development paradigm is needed.

The Power of Community Action

Good Practices in the Region Throughout the Forum, YMCAs shared their experiences and good practices on climate change issues. YMCA Australia has developed a Statement of Commitment on the environment which was shared with the group along with some examples of how it is being implemented.

YMCA Australia - Commitment to Environment “Honesty, Caring, Respect and Responsibility” The YMCA Movement in Australia is committed to being a leading environmentally responsible organisation, acting in a sustainable way, and minimising our environmental impact. We recognise the critical importance of caring for the environment for the future of humanity. In providing programmes and services that build strong people, strong families and strong communities, we will also protect, sustain and restore our natural environment. Our commitment to the environment will be achieved by our Member Associations through:

• Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions - We accept the science of climate change and our responsibility to reduce our environmental ‘footprint’.

• Sustainable Use of Water - We adopt and promote water-efficient strategies.

• Sustainable Use of Land and Resources - We preserve the earth’s ecological diversity and the natural ecosystems in our communities.

• Community Leadership and Advocacy We actively encourage public education and awareness – for our staff, volunteers, members, participants, partners and other stakeholders.

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Climate Justice YMCA New Delhi Promotes Renewable Fuels The YMCA Rural Community Development Centre in Hodal is running a biogas programme in collaboration with Action For Food Production (AFPRO). Today the YMCA is a focal point for the construction of biogas plants in the Faridabad district of Haryana. Biogas plants significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions; biogas is a renewable fuel and depending on the size of the plant, can effectively meet the energy needs of individual houses and even large schools in the community.

The YMCA Community Centre has also taken steps to promote renewable energy by introducing Jatropha plantations. The Jatropha plant is considered to be one of the best sources of bio fuel. It is a drought resistant plant that can grow in a variety of climate and soil conditions. The seeds of the plant contain a high percentage of oil, which can be extracted and converted into bio diesel

fuel. The plant has other uses including soap production, organic fertilizer, medicines and pest control. The Jatropha plantation is also benefitting hundreds of marginal and dry land farmers by boosting their agricultural income.

YMCA Christchurch - Project Promise Project Promise is a new initiative of YMCA Christchurch in New Zealand. It is about using leadership, experience and mentoring to inspire and educate children and young people to make a difference in our world. It is based on three promises: • Promising to inspire appreciation: Outdoor educational programmes are used to help students reflect on the natural environment and help them understand just how important it is to make the right choices today to protect the environment.

• Promising to protect our natural treasures: YMCA Wainui Park has already begun an ex-

tensive re-forestation project with the support of the Department of Conservation.

• Promising to educate children and youth about environmental issues: Wainui Park has developed a module on sustainability, called the School Earthkeepers programme, that will be incorporated into every school camp.

Students and teachers carry out simple projects with an environmental focus. The School Earthkeepers programme includes experiential learning about: - Energy efficiency and alternative energy options - Waste – recycling, composting, landfill, sewerage - Natural habitats - Things we take for granted – what things are made of, where they come from, where they end up Students also set Earthkeepers goals for their school or class room as well as individual Earthkeepers goals for their homes.

Participants at the Forum on Global Warming.

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APAY Commits to Climate Change One of the main outcomes of the this Forum was the adoption of a Statement on Climate Change by the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs.

APAY Statement on Climate Change 1. Introduction

3. Our Commitment

This Statement describes the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCA’s (APAY) understanding, commitment and response to the issue of climate change. YMCAs’ commitment to this issue is a mission imperative embodied in Challenge 21 - ‘Defending Gods creation against all that would destroy it and preserving and protecting the earth’s resources for coming generations’.

YMCAs in the APAY Region are committed to:

While APAY acknowledges the initiatives taken by the UN Framework on Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in raising awareness of climate change, members of the APAY commit to taking action to combat climate change.

In APAY the capacity and capability of member movements to implement changes relating to climate change are varied. The expectation is that member movements will adopt strategies to combat climate change, that suit their circumstances.

2. Our Understanding 2.1 We accept the scientific consensus that climate change is real and a threat to sustainability of life.

2.2 Increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere cause global warming, which triggers extreme climate change. This is largely caused by human activities, primarily by increasing carbon emissions.

2.3 Global warming and its associated impacts need to be addressed.

2.4 The poor and marginalised are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and are often the victims most affected by natural disasters induced by climate change.

This is an issue of climate justice.

2.5 Climate change is more than an environmental challenge. It impacts on the social, economic, cultural, and political aspects of society.

3.1 Tackling the primary causes of global warming and minimising impacts on vulnerable communities.

3.2 Reducing their own carbon footprint.

3.3 Supporting the target of achieving CO2-e levels of less than 350 ppm.

3.4 Ensuring that any action to combat climate change has no negative impacts on the ecosystem (for example replacing food crops with bio fuel crops).

3.5 Encouraging all to take responsibility to adapt their behaviour and actions to help reduce the impact of climate change.

4. Our Response The APAY Forum on Global Warming recommends that YMCAs: 4.1 Do a carbon audit on their organisation.

4..2 Establish a Green Team at local, national and regional levels.

4.3 Reduce Energy (from fossil fuel based sources).

4.4 Reduce Waste / Recycle.

4.5 Plant, protect and conserve forests.

4.6 Develop innovative programmes.

4.7 Facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology (and resources where possible).

4.8 Reduce use of fossil fuel based transport.

4.9 Advocate and lobby on social policies relating to environmental issues.

4.10 Become carbon neutral, use Carbon Offsets for remaining carbon emissions.

For a full report of the Forum and the discussions that took place, please visit the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs website: http://www.asiapacificymca.org/

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World Movement News

Y’s Men International to be Carbon Neutral At the 2007 meeting of its International Council, Y’s Men International (YMI) leaders agreed to consider becoming carbon neutral. The first task was to measure the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with YMI’s activities and practices. After considering travel, energy and water consumption, and waste production, travel was found to be the main contributor to YMI’s carbon footprint. The total GHG emissions of YMI leaders and travel delegates was estimated at around 700 tonnes per annum.

Two years later, YMI leaders decided that the organisation must take responsibility for its impact on the environment and become ‘carbon neutral’. YMI has now budgeted to invest CHF 14,000 per annum in projects that will reduce GHG emissions. This may include investment in tele/video conference facilities in order to reduce travel.

Colin Lambie Chair Y’s Men International Environment Committee

greatest reduction of GHGs for the funds available. As a last resort, YMI will also invest in carbon ‘offset’ projects such as tree planting.

A YMI project that has already achieved a reduction in the use of fossil fuels is ‘light up Costa Rica’. The Owen Sound Y Service Club in Canada has provided communities in Costa Rica with solar powered LED lights, which replace dangerous candles and kerosene lamps.

The 2010 YMI International Convention will take place in Yokohama, Japan under the theme: ‘from our hands, we pass nature’s torch’. The meaning of the theme is that we value and wish to protect all creatures and pass them on to the next generation. We hope that Y’s Men Clubs will be inspired by this underlying principle, and participate in local projects with an environmental focus.

Together with the promotion of environmental issues, our Movement has been involved in working towards the UN Millennium Development Goals since being granted “Special Consultative Status” in 2006 with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. In 2009 YMI conducted a highly successful project to purchase and distribute 25,000 mosquito nets through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRCRC) to the YMCA of Sierra Leone. In 2010 YMI will complete a five year Unified Global Project addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS. Strong partnerships with the YMCA, the United Nations, and the IFRCRC demonstrate the commitment of Y’s Men International to address global issues and make a greater impact in society while enriching its members.

YMI will also seek to support projects that reduce emissions from partner organisations such as Y Service Clubs and YMCAs. Projects could include the installation of energy and water equipment that allow water to be harvested and reused locally, and reduce use of fossil fuel based energy. Projects that reduce waste, particularly organic waste which produces harmful methane gases in land fill, will also be considered. The best choice of projects to reduce GHG emissions will vary from country to country, as will the costs, depending on subsidies available, cost of labour and materials. YMI are looking for projects that provide the Solar powered LED lights in Costa Rica.

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YMCA Argentina Supports

Norberto Rodriguez National General Secretary YMCA Argentina

Religions for Peace Global Youth Network On the 13th and 14th of February 2010, the Religions for Peace Global Youth Network (Argentinean branch) met at the YMCA’s premises in Escobar.

The Religions for Peace Global Youth Network, established at the 2006 World Youth Assembly in Hiroshima, Japan, promotes multi-religious cooperation for peace.

Our inter-relatedness calls us to cooperate to protect all persons and our earth. Today, my security depends on yours and no one is safer than the most vulnerable among us.

The Global Youth Network focuses on multi-religious youth action to confront some of our most urgent challenges – building peace, saving the earth, and reducing poverty.

The Campaign already has the support of hundreds of religious leaders, youth, adults and dignitaries from various countries including Costa Rica’s President Oscar Arias Sanchez, who gave his signature when the Campaign was launched in Costa Rica.

The aim of this latest meeting in Argentina, was to plan national activities for the “Arms Down! Religions for Peace Campaign for Shared Security”. Through education, mobilisation and advocacy, this campaign aims to advance shared security by working to reduce nuclear and conventional weapons and to reallocate military spending to support urgently needed development, as set forth in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The meeting in Escobar was used to plan advocacy and awareness raising activities aimed at three particular groups: 1) members of organisations and faith communities that are part of the Global Network; 2) relevant political actors at national, provincial and municipal level, particularly those in public office; and 3) the general public.

The YMCA will aim to rally over 20,000 people from its circles, and will influence and encourage political and social actors with whom it already has strong relations.

The YMCA will also be providing logistical support for the public advocacy and awareness-raising work.

The meeting in Escobar brought together young representatives of the Alliance of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches of Latin America (AIPRAL), Interfaith Committee for Peace (COMIPAZ), the Evangelical Church of the Silver River (PPER), the Mennonite Church, the Waldensian Church (Argentina and Uruguay), the Student Christian Movement (SCM) and the Youth Pastoral Roman Catholic Church (Episcopal Conference of Argentina).

The campaign aims to gather 50 million signatures in support of the above mentioned goals. These signatures will be presented to the UN Secretary General, permanent members of the Security Council, and parliamentarians from different countries.

Campaign leaders believe that “Shared security” is a new political paradigm. It echoes the holistic notions of peace that are found in the world’s great religions. It recognises that each person’s vulnerability is an invitation to approach others with compassion.

Meeting of Religions for Peace Global Youth Network at YMCA Escobar.

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World Alliance News

YMCA Global Operating Plan: Latest News!

To support and sustain the vital work of YMCA Movements worldwide, in 2002 the World Alliance of YMCAs developed a long-term plan for Movement strengthening to help YMCAs grow stronger and more relevant. We refer to this plan as the Global Operating Plan (GOP).

The World Alliance of YMCAs plays a critical role in the GOP process by helping to identify YMCAs in need, raising funds, offering technical expertise, collecting good practices and providing platforms for these to be shared.

Africa Alliance Partnership Summit Building up the institutional capacities, sustainability, and relevance of African YMCAs has long been a priority of the Africa Alliance of YMCAs. Over the last eight years, seven African Movements have been through intense processes, in which they have been supported by groups of international YMCA partners, including from the UK, Norway, Germany, USA and Canada. Under the framework of the Global Operating Plan (GOP) these YMCAs have been supported to undergo institutional diagnoses, to identify their strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, and develop road maps to help them become more viable in the future. Many other African YMCAs have been receiving bilateral

partner support for many decades, mostly in the form of project support.

From 4th – 6th May 2010, the Africa Alliance of YMCAs is organising a Partnership Summit in Accra, Ghana. This Summit will be a unique occasion to celebrate achievements in building up the capacities of African YMCAs. It will address the question of how much progress we have really made and how effective the partner groups have been in supporting these processes. We will analyse where we have failed and what needs to be improved.

African YMCAs and international YMCA partners will be widely represented, and key findings of the event, including good practices in movement strengthening and partnership, will guide the movement strengthening work in Africa in years to come.

Evaluating the Global Operating Plan The outcomes of the African Partnership Summit will be part of a thorough evaluation of the Global Operating Plan. This evaluation will provide useful insights ahead of the

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next World Council of YMCAs, to be held in Hong Kong in July, allowing us to further define our strategic directions for the next Quadrennium.

This global evaluation, which will analyse all movement strengthening activities under GOP over the last four years, will be based on a series of methodologies: 1) A Survey to be completed by YMCAs and international partners, who have been involved in GOP work 2)

Focus group discussions

3) Analysis of GOP country assessments and evaluation reports developed in recent months The hope is to have a comprehensive overview of the impact of these movement strengthening efforts, which can be used to further improve the GOP framework and its tools.

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GOP Assessments in Cambodia and Ecuador From 20-22 November 2009, YMCA Cambodia underwent an organisational diagnosis with support from YMCA international partners and the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs. YMCA Cambodia was able to identify areas where capacities need to be strengthened. A roadmap was also developed to strengthen YMCA Cambodia in the coming years, and will help guide the International Partner Group as it supports the Movement.

The International Partner Group includes YMCAs from Singapore, Australia (Perth), Japan, as well as the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, Y Care International and APAY. In November 2009, a Swiss Management Consultant was engaged to help undertake an institutional diagnosis with YMCA Ecuador.

This was organised with support from the World Alliance, Latin America and Caribbean Alliance of YMCAs and HORYZON. This review comes at a critical moment, as YMCA

Ecuador is currently undergoing a change in leadership. At the same time, the new government in Ecuador is changing the framework under which it collaborates with civil society; YMCA Ecuador needs to be able to adapt to the new situation. The outcomes of diagnosis were seen as an “eye opener” by most of YMCA Ecuador’s leadership. YMCA Ecuador has many international YMCA partners who are willing to further support the very relevant and highly profiled work that YMCA Ecuador is doing.

The Reforestation Programme at YMCA Portoviejo, Ecuador.

The Youth Citizenship Programme at YMCA Portoviejo, Ecuador.

YMCAs have been supported to undergo institutional diagnoses, to identify their strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, and develop road maps to help them become more viable in the future.

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IT Corner

Websites to Make Life Easier

Claude-Alain Danthe Archivist / Webmaster World Alliance of YMCAs

Photo sharing with Flickr www.flickr.com

Social bookmarking with Delicious www.delicious.com

Shortening a long URL with Tinyurl www.tinyurl.com

Taking photographs has never been so easy. You can use a digital camera or a mobile phone – both of which have improved in quality and fallen in price. Sharing your photos with friends, family, or your organisation, without overloading their email accounts can however prove to be more difficult. Luckily, there is an excellent solution for sharing your photos online: www.flickr.com

In the early days of the web, people saved their bookmarks in their computer’s browser. If the computer crashed, and they hadn’t backed everything up, they would lose everything. Today you don’t need to worry about this. There are several web 2.0 applications that can help, the most famous of which is: delicious.com

You may also have tried sharing this kind of url with a friend or colleague:http:// www.ymca.int/index.php?id=113&tx_ ttnews[tt_news]=435&tx_ttnews[backPid ]=111&cHash=689083be70

Flickr is a typical “web 2.0” application; it’s free and after registering you can use it immediately. Wherever you are in the world, if you have access to the Internet, you can upload your latest photos onto the web. Flickr will automatically resize the photos making them “web friendly”, and display them in chronological order.

You can then label or “tag” your photos and make them visible to friends, family and others depending on your chosen security settings.

The free flickr account allows you to create 3 photo albums. If you want to create more albums, there is an annual fee of 25 US$. Flickr is becoming so efficient and world renowned that even institutions like the Oregon Unviersity Archives, the Library of Toulouse, and many others have an address on Flickr to show and share their photos.

You need to create an account and then wherever you are in the world, on whatever computer, you can access your personal bookmarks. The great thing about delicious is that you can view and sort your bookmarks either chronologically or by keywords. You can also share your bookmarks with friends by giving them the url to your virtual space. This can be extremely useful in an organisation where colleagues are researching the same topics for example.

The problem with these long urls is that they can break up when you email them, making it difficult for people to follow the link. There is a free online service (that doesn’t even require registration) that can automatically shorten your url. So in the example above, tinyurl can transform a url of 99 characters to just 25: http://tinyurl.com/ny6byx This is just a small selection of hundreds of useful applications. New ones are always appearing; keep an eye on this website for advice and updates: http://www.go2web20.net/

Sharing a presentation with Slideshare www.slideshare.net Have you ever prepared a wonderful PowerPoint presentation with diagrams and images, and then realised that the file is too large to be sent by email? You can avoid this dilemma with: slideshare.net.

After registering to use this free service, you upload your presentation, and you will be given a link to a flash presentation of your slideshow. You can then send this link to friends or colleagues who can view your presentation without having to download it.

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Journey in Mission

Secretary General Dr. Bart Shaha World Alliance of YMCAs

Soon after the COP15 Meeting in Copenhagen I tuned in a radio station for the news, and was shocked to hear from the announcer, who also makes comments on current issues, that the climate change issue was a “hoax”. He was reading out passages of some reports and e-mails he had in his hands.

Indeed there was some confusion on the science of it all, as the meeting progressed in Copenhagen. And so, it was good to read the editorial of the International Herald Tribune on 18th February, which put the matter quite clearly: “Disclosures of isolated errors and exaggerations in the 2007 report from the United Nations (UN) panel on climate change do not undermine its main finding: that the planet has been warming gradually for more than a century and that human activity is largely responsible. But the mis-statements have handed climate sceptics a public relations boost.”

The editorial proposed that the UN panel on climate change should “tighten procedures and make its deliberations more transparent.”

Fortunately in the YMCA, the issue of the global ecological and human development crisis has been a subject for continued deliberation and action for a long time. One key global event organised by the World Alliance on this issue was in 1995 in Seoul, Korea. At that time, I was working as the Executive for Global Programmes at the World Alliance, and it was my privilege to organise it. There were 93 participants from 46 countries present. The keynote presentation was made by Dr. David C. Korten, President of the People-Centred Development Forum based in the USA.

This World and Our Stewardship Focusing on “Environment and Development”, Dr. Korten made a critical analysis of four decades of development since 1950 and shared some of the main global outcomes, which were: growing eco-system stress (climate change, ozone depletion, soil, water, forest and fisheries losses, toxic contamination), and a disintegrating social fabric (crime and drugs, family breakdown, civil war and its casualties, refugees and rising police and security expenditures).

World” magazine in the past few years so that many more YMCAs can learn from this and engage in socially-relevant programmes.

YMCA representatives present at the meeting decided to: a) establish the YMCA as a model of environmental good practices through review of the entire YMCA operations, facility construction and programmes to ensure environmental stewardship; and b) support popular participation and decisionmaking processes that advocate the creation of socially and environmentally just economic structures. A Report of that Global Workshop was published by the World Alliance, titled: “Creating Just and Ecologically Sustainable Communities”, which included all the papers presented, the deliberations and recommendations of the participants.

It is only by giving this important issue a priority in our programming that we will be true stewards of this beautiful world, as I tried to express through a song we sang at our meeting in Seoul, Korea in 1995:

Many YMCAs around the world have since, given increased focus on environmental and sustainable development concerns and have organised specific programmes on the issue, involving young people and the communities which the YMCA serves. It is encouraging to see how these programmes have evolved over the years involving large numbers of people, who attend YMCA camps and leadership training events. YMCA programmes that began with awareness raising at the local and national levels, have moved on with extensive programmes on conservation of nature and practical communitybased initiatives based on critical needs of the grassroots communities. Some of these stories have been shared in our “YMCA

There were great expectations at COP15 that an agreement would be reached to significantly cut green house gas emissions and to ensure assistance to countries in the South. The outcomes were far from those expectations. But, as a Movement of people, we must never lose hope.

This World is Full of Wonders

This word is full of wonders, this world is full of joy We are its only caretakers Shall we let it be destroyed?

We are not to dominate We’re to let it grow We are made to liberate Never to stop its flow.

Woman and man God made us and gave us each a face, Co-creators we are called giving to all a place.

Each one we will recognize respect every race Oppression we’ll end for ever and voice the year of grace.

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