3
INTRODUCTION
To affirm
once again their common vision and their relationship of mutual cooperation,
the Christian Conference of Asia-Youth Desk (CCA) and the World Student Christian
Federation Asia-Pacific Region (WSCF) held a joint programme at the YMCA Wu Kai
Sha, Shatin,
This was the
fifth joint programme of the CCA and WSCF. The first one was held in Tao Fong
Shan, Hong Kong in April 1982 when the two ecumenical bodies sat down together
to reflect on and discuss their relationship, their common concerns, and their
similar responsibilities.
However
their tradition of partnership began much earlier, in 1966, when they made a
covenant to work together to develop the relationships between the churches,
represented by the CCA, and the student movement, represented by the WSCF
Asia-Pacific region.
That
covenant affirmed their common Christian ministry in society in general and the
university in particular. It also affirmed their common challenge to work
together and learn from each other. For indeed, the university is one big area
of crucial concern in the ministry of the church and the SCM operates within it
even as it seeks to respond to bigger social issues. Moreover, the university
being a part of the society is also affected and influenced by the social
realities in the Asia-Pacific region. Hence, where states/countries experience
oppression and exploitation, education in the university often becomes a tool
of domestication. Thus it is even more necessary for the two ecumenical bodies
to undertake together a critical analysis of the university situation and to
work together to achieve their common vision of a genuine human liberation.
Other joint
consultations were subsequently held: in
Apart from
bringing together the church and the student movement, the joint programme also
continued its aims of: (1) making a critical analysis of the state of education
in both the church and the university; (2) affirming a vision in the light of
the realities of the Asia-Pacific region; and (3) planning out steps for
further action to realize the vision together.
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With the
theme "Come Youth and Student, Walk the Path of Obedience," the fifth
joint regional programme brought together 21 Christian youth and students from
the two constituencies of the Asia-Pacific region.
The
programme components were: (a) worship; (b) Bible studies; (c) faith
reflections; (d) presentation on a new socio-political vision in Asia-Pacific;
(e) sharing of realities in Hong Kong and Asia-Pacific; (f) men and women
caucuses; (g) panel discussion on church and university education; (h) planning
workshop for the Ecumenical Global Gathering of Youth and Students; and (i)
workshops.
Resource
persons at the joint programme were: Ahn Jae-woong who gave the opening address on "How to
Build Up a Peaceful Global Community;" Rev. Jenny Dawson who led the Bible
studies; Edicio de la Torre
who gave the faith reflection and the presentation on the new socio-political
vision for Asia-Pacific; Rev. Kwok Nai Wang and Shum
Yum Shan who gave presentation on the Hong Konq
realities; and Jun Sabug who led the discussion on
the planning and process of the Ecumenical Global Gathering of Youth and
Students. The panellists who made their individual critique of education in the
church and university were the following participants: Elizabeth Philip, Chan Wai Kit, Upul Illandara
and Nancy Caluya-Nicolas.
Although
this report cannot fully capture the spirit of the participants during the
programme, it is an attempt at recording worthwhile inputs, valuable insights
and hopeful dreams that these may be shared.
ECUMENICAL
GLOBAL
GATHERING
OF
YOUTH
AND
STUDENTS