The YMCA  came to the Philippines with the first contingent of US Soldiers during the Spanish-American War in 1898 serving the needs of the Military servicemen, its programs and services were at first confined to American soldiers and sailors. In 1902, it served American civilians and a limited number of Filipinos. This was known as the Army-Navy YMCA. On November 10, 1911, a local association as incorporated by the Filipino adopting the name “Young Men’s Christian Association of the Philippines Islands”, with Mr. Teodoro R. Yangco, as President. Since then the Young Men’s Christian Association of the Philippines has pioneered in, and made possible, the establishment and promotion of programs designed for the maximum development of physical, mental, spiritual and social welfare of boys and young men, as well as the improvement of rural communities in the Philippines. The YMCA has helped the Filipino youth develop their potential for leadership in a Christian democratic world setting. 

George Williams was born in Somerset, England on 11 October 1821. In 1836 he moved to London to work as an apprentice to a Draper, and by 1841 was working as a Draper. He stayed in the accommodation provided by the firm in the same building, and became one of the 150,000 young men like him that crowded the city of London

On 6th June 1844, George Williams, together with ten Christian young men, established the YMCA. “Our object is the improvement of the spiritual condition of the young men engaged in houses of business, by the formation of Bible classes, family and social prayer meetings, mutual improvement societies, or any other spiritual agency.”

Williams was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1894, and after his death was commemorated with a stained-glass window in the nave of Westminster Abbey. Sir George Williams is buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Henry Dunant, who was born in Geneva on 8 May 1828, came from a devout and charitable Calvinist family. Motivated by his strong sense of faith and desire to help others, as a young man, Dunant began organising prayer groups and Bible studies from his home. He went on to co-found the YMCA of Geneva in 1852.

The driving force behind the international YMCA Movement, Henry Dunant then played a pivotal role in the growth of the international YMCA Movement.

He became a fervent spokesperson for the YMCA, promoting it all over the world, and visiting emerging YMCAs across Europe and North Africa. He was also in regular correspondence with YMCAs around the world, updating them on YMCA work in each country. By 1852 he was corresponding with YMCAs in nearly 30 different towns.

In 1855 when leaders of YMCA Paris suggested holding an international meeting with other francophone YMCAs, Dunant expressed his disapproval and his wish to have a more inclusive international gathering with YMCA representatives from England, Scotland and Holland for example. His enthusiasm and passion to have a truly international movement led to the first ever International YMCA Conference held in Paris in 1855.

Henry Dunant would later go on to found the International Committee of the Red Cross, and win the first ever Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.

John R. Mott was born in New York on 25 May 1865. In 1885 he became a student at Cornell University, where as President of the student YMCA, he increased membership threefold, and raised money for a University YMCA building. He graduated in 1888 with a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and history, and immediately began a service of 27 years as Secretary of the Intercollegiate YMCA of the USA and Canada. From 1915 to 1928 he served as General Secretary of the International YMCA Committee (that would later become the World Alliance of YMCAs) and as President of the World Alliance from 1926 to 1937.

As a student, Mott also participated in the first ever international interdenominational student Christian conference. After graduating, Mott organized the World’s Student Christian Federation in 1895 and as its General Secretary went on to organize national student movements in India, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, parts of Europe and the North East.

During World War I, when the YMCA offered its services to President Wilson, Mott became General Secretary of the National War Work Council, receiving the Distinguished Service Medal for his work.

He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946 for his work in establishing and strengthening international Protestant Christian student organizations that worked to promote peace.

(Adopted 22nd August 1855 in Paris, France at the 1st World YMCA Conference)

The continuing basis of the work and witness of the Young Men’s Christian Association is expressed in the Paris Basis, as adopted by the delegates of the First World Conference in Paris in 1855, and reaffirmed by the 6th World Council of YMCAs in 1973:

“The Young Men’s Christian Associations seek to unite those young men who, regarding Jesus Christ as their God and Saviour, according to the Holy Scriptures, desire to be his disciples in their faith and in their life, and to associate their efforts for the extension of his Kingdom amongst young men.

Any differences of opinion on other subjects, however important in themselves, shall not interfere with the harmonious relations of the constituent members and associates of the World Alliance.” More

(Adopted at the 6th World Council of YMCAs, Kampala, Uganda – 1973)

The 6th World Council meeting in Kampala, Uganda, in July 1973, adopted at the same time the following declaration of principles:

The Paris Basis expresses that Christ is the centre of the Movement, which is conceived as a world-wide fellowship uniting Christians of all confessions. It is consistent with an open membership policy, involving people irrespective of faith as well as age, sex, race and social condition. The Basis is not designed to serve as a condition of individual YMCA membership, which is deliberately left to the discretion of constituent movements of the World Alliance. The Basis makes clear that the constituent movements of the Alliance have full freedom to express their purpose in other terms designed to correspond more directly to the needs and aspirations of those whom they are seeking to serve, provided these are regarded by the World Alliance as being consistent with the Paris Basis. Recognizing the character of the YMCAs in the world today, this act of acknowledging the Paris Basis places upon the various associations and their members as fellow workers with God such imperatives as:

1. To work for equal opportunity and justice for all.

2. To work for and maintain an environment in which relationships among people are characterised by love and understanding.

3. To work for and maintain conditions, within the YMCA and in society, its organisations and institutions, which allow for honesty, depth and creativity.

4. To develop and maintain leadership and program patterns which exemplify the varieties and depth of Christian experience.

5. To work for the development of the whole person. More

(Adopted at the 14th World Council of YMCAs –  Frechen, Germany 1998)

The World Alliance of YMCAs was founded in 1855 at its first World Conference, held in Paris. At that time, conference participants developed the YMCA’s first mission statement, the Paris Basis.

Since then, the YMCA’s mission statement has been interpreted to reflect contemporary realities, first in 1973 with the Kampala Principles, and most recently in 1998 with Challenge 21.

Challenge 21, adopted at the 14th World Council of YMCAs, Frechen, Germany, 1998 states that:

Affirming the Paris Basis adopted in 1855 as the ongoing foundation statement of the mission of the YMCA, at the threshold of the third millennium we declare that the YMCA is a world-wide Christian, ecumenical, voluntary movement for women and men with special emphasis on and the genuine involvement of young people and that it seeks to share the Christian ideal of building a human community of justice with love, peace and reconciliation for the fullness of life for all creation.

Each member YMCA is therefore called to focus on certain challenges which will be prioritized according to its own context. These challenges, which are an evolution of the Kampala Principles, are:

• Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and striving for spiritual, intellectual and physical well-being of individuals and wholeness of communities.

• Empowering all, especially young people and women to take increased responsibilities and assume leadership at all levels and working towards an equitable society.• Advocating for and promoting the rights of women and upholding the rights of children.

• Fostering dialogue and partnership between people of different faiths and ideologies and recognizing the cultural identities of people and promoting cultural renewal.

• Committing to work in solidarity with the poor, dispossessed, uprooted people and oppressed racial, religious and ethnic minorities.

• Seeking to be mediators and reconcilers in situations of conflict and working for meaningful participation and advancement of people for their own self-determination.

• Defending God’s creation against all that would destroy it and preserving and protecting the earth’s resources for coming generations. To face these challenges, the YMCA will develop patterns of co-operation at all levels that enable self-sustenance and self-determination. More