IYCS Asia: 13th IYCS Asian Session and Council, “Students moved by Faith Towards Education of Heart & Environment”, held on 29 July to 07 August, 2018 at Providence University, Taichung City, Taiwan.
The Asian Session & Council brought over 98 delegates composed of Chaplains, Formators, Students, and the Local Organizing Team from ten (10) Asian National Movements such as India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, including the Secretary General from the International Secretariat of IYCS-JECI (International Youth Catholic Students) in France. They were brought together to share their experiences and feedback from their respective National Movements as well as to address their issues and concerns, to revitalize the YCS Spirituality in their lives, and to reflect, discern, and move forward towards the future of the Asian Coordination alongside the election of the new Asian Team during the Council.
The Session and Council was structured around small, facilitated workshops and presentations to allow the delegates to enter into discussion that would facilitate in coming up with their National Plans of Action, Regional Campaign for the Mandate for 2018 – 2021, discussions and reflections for the Asian Council, and for the Final Statement of the Asian Region as a call to action in relation to the theme: “Students moved by Faith Towards Education of Heart & Environment”.
On the last day, the Asian Council was held in order to gather the young delegates to ratify and adopt decisions made during the Extraordinary Asian Council in 2017, to come up with viable actions that would respond to the Asian Coordination’s current challenges, to get the response of the delegates on how they want to move forward in the Asian Coordination as they came together to form the new Regional Campaign alongside the election of the new Asian Team.
Feedback from the Session and Council was very positive and enriching – the delegates greatly enjoyed the opportunity that was given to them to be able to come together to respond to the future of IYCS Asia and as a group, to create a call of action to strengthen the Global Campaign of IYCS and to create together the new Regional Plan of Action of IYCS Asia.
This program has given these different National Movements, a milestone of IYCS Asia after the plight of the many difficulties and challenges experienced over the last couple of years, to explore ideas together and raise commonalities within their own countries, to rise and act for a better future for the world and for the Church – that as one student milieu, they can keep growing and strengthening their engagement in the Church and the Society.
IYCS Asian Secretariat