Over the past weeks our colleagues at the YMCAs in Ukraine and Russia have deeply appreciated the messages of concern, support and solidarity expressed from all their international partners. As we follow the ongoing situation and express the concern of an organisation which is focused on empowering young people, we stand solid in our mission to unite people, preserving human dignity and safety.
Through YMCA Europe we have remained in close contact with our colleagues in both countries, communicating about the ongoing situation and the role that our global YMCA Movement should take at local, national and international levels. The task of YMCA Europe becomes more relevant through its traditional peace focused initiatives involving young people from different backgrounds. Based on our Mission and guiding principles, our Movement has for many years run peace-building programmes, creating spaces for reconciliation and peaceful transformation of conflicts by empowering young people and positively influencing their lives.
World YMCA, all its Area Alliances around the world, and our member YMCAs will continue creating spaces for peace, understanding and reconciliation which involve young people learning the respectful understanding of differences. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those communities in conflict across the world, as we continue to take our own small steps for peace.
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