All we need is LOVE

 

The festival is winding down and we are nearing the last moments we will have with the YMCA's from around the world. As I sit to fully reflect on the memories and experiences we have had this week, I find one word that describes them all: Love.

Recently, we visited the "Lennon Wall" near the Charles bridge and a quote was written in faded white paint that read "we accept the love we think we deserve."  However, after this experience, there is a change id like to make which is that we give the love believe others deserve. The ultimate lesson from this festival is that EVERYONE is deserving of our love.

 

We work for the YMCA because we love our communities and give our time, resources, and talent to the cause of the YMCA because we love the mission of the YMCA. This festival has shown us that while the YMCA is the largest youth organization in the world, it spans 119 countries and retains its influence because its mission teaches us to love each other.

As we near the end of our trip, we have bonded together and learned to love ourselves as well. We have learned to believe in our individual talents and not to fear our own god given potential. What an amazing organization the ymca is to provide a catalyst for youth to showcase their talents all across the world.

We are inspired to return to Charlotte to begin work on the "rest of our lives." I know, in my heart, that our work and purpose from this point forward will be to help, teach, and love others. This is what the Y-Europe festival has meant to us and we will forever be impacted by this experience.

We thank the YMCA of greater Charlotte for giving us this opportunity. Charlotte is an amazing place to live and we cannot wait to come home. Tomorrow will be our last day in Prague!

Adam Esmaeel

Harris YMCA


Check out Y USA videos to see and hear from the U.S. delegates during their experience in Prague!

Facebook Video Channel:

https://www.facebook.com/YMCA/app_190322544333196

YouTube Video Channel (recommended for smart phones and tablets):

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtpLsCumzoo3e0MJvGaEoMlfAGer37oD5

We can be unstoppable

Hello!

We are fresh off a very inspiring night where the "Stop Poverty" group gave an amazing performance which pumped up almost 5,000 people in attendance. This group has been focusing on mobilizing youth from around the world to combat poverty in their communities. The performance consisted of songs performed by the group, videos of poverty statistics, and inspirational quotes and speeches. One of my favorite quotes of the night was "the world has enough to provide for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed" by Mahatma Gandhi. We began to see deep within ourselves and reevaluate how we utilize our own resources.

I'd also like to share some lyrics from the song they created:

"Nothing is impossible

We are all responsible

We can be unstoppable

Believe the unbelievable

 

Be the change you want to be

Be the change you to see

We can stop poverty!"

 

I could see our teens really get in to this performance, especially when they showed the difference young people have made in the past with regards to apartheid, slavery, and overall civil rights. In the middle of a song, I overheard Ariel turn to Jordan and say "girl...we have to make a change." I could not be happier with this experience.
 
We have spent the remainder of this day getting know more people, especially folks from the United States. Our new friends are Garrett from Kansas City, Chris from Jacksonville, Troy from Marquette, and Phillip from India. So many of our programs are shared across state, national, and global borders. It has been great to learn so much about how others innovate their programming.

Lastly, I'm happy to share that our most valuable connection has been with the group from Mexico City. They have been so welcoming, kind, and caring. Given that Charlotte has a large Hispanic population, it has been quite interesting learning about how the YMCA in Mexico caters to their population.

Only one more day left in the festival and two more days until we hop on a plane to return home. Can't wait for tonight's performances!

Adam Esmaeel

Harris YMCA Teen Director

 

Not all those who wonder are lost

Evie & Allison enjoying the local cuisine in the old city.

 

 

Hello from Prague!

 

Today was "city day" for our team, which we spent most of at the Prague Castle. The Basilica of St. George was breathtaking! One of the most amazing aspects was the gothic architecture, which highlighted important events in Christian history. With several renderings of Jesus on the cross and a 300 year-old painting of Palm Sunday, the cathedral truly renewed our faith in god and each other.

 Our teens, Beau, Ariel, and Jordan, made us so proud as they soaked up all the information that was given. It's so inspiring to me, as an adult, to see our teens absorb the lessons that another culture has to offer. I could see them start to remove their own personal cultural biases and begin to look at the world through renewed appreciation for different cultures and lifestyles.

 Our companion Allison, who works at Community Development, has taken us all under her wing and led our group through the often confusing streets of Prague. What's truly amazing about Allison is her patience for our complaints and her perseverance to help us find the most inspiring sites around Prague. We would all be truly lost without her!

 Lastly, a festival highlight id like to highlight is the YMCA RGE, which is a global advocacy team that highlights environmental activism and global climate issues. They also work closely with the United Nations in empowering youth to improve the environment in their community.  This group has spent the day petitioning to get recycling services added to the festival site. Their website  is www.action.ymca.int/RGE.

 

We are enjoying our time here and can't wait to put together our presentation to highlight all the YMCA services around the world!

-Adam Esmaeel

We Are the Future

Uh-Hoy! (Hello in Czech)

 It's the second full day for our team and it has been quite a day! It has been record temperatures here and we have been doing our best to stay cool and drink lots of water! The first performance of the festival was an amazing show which highlighted the impact on the YMCA's global movement.

 The message of the night was leading through compassion, empathy, and faith. Our leadership, as young people, is being guided toward inspiring ourselves and others to be "change agents" for positive change. I heard one of our teens, Jordan, say an inspiring quite last night when she said "the burden of the future is on us because we are the future...we have to be driven to inspire ourselves and others." I was amazed at how eloquent she was after only the first day!

Today's workshops were "Find your spark" and "Leading tween programs," both of which were geared around intentional goal setting, understanding our community's needs, and learning from other ymca's around the world. Our new friends today were Shaun from New Zealand, Tom from England, Roope from Finland, and Alicia from Australia.

 Lastly, we are so very inspired to learn more about Norway's "Stop Poverty Now" program, aimed at teens being engaged in eradicating poverty in their communities. More info to come about this soon! Thank you all so much for affording us this amazing opportunity!

 -Adam Esmaeel

Harris YMCA Teen Director

"Y People" from all around the world

Hello Guys!!

 I'm writing to you from a small coffee shop in the heart of "old town" in Prague. It's been 24 hours since we've landed and there have been so many experiences. What's truly amazing is how you can tell the difference between a "Y Person" and everyone else. "Y-People" from all around the world are quick to say hello, offer their help and services, and give you whatever you need without even asking. I thought this was only in the United States, but it's clear this is the "Y Way" all over the world.

So far, we have made many friends like Patricia from Mexico, Bombozo from South Africa, Samuel from the YMCA world alliance, and Prince from San Francisco. In our hostel alone, we have folks from Malaysia, Africa, and all across the United States.

My goal is to send an email everyday to keep you all informed and to show you what your amazing and influential support has provided for our group traveling to Prague. The festival was cancelled last night because of rain and is starting today at 5pm. My workshops will be "Active Leadership" and the "Pacific Institute - Developing and teaching effective thinking skills." Our workshops are separated into categories: Healthy Living, Global Studies, and Faith.

 Ariel, Beau, Allison, Evie, and Jordan are also taking different classes in hope that we will each bring a different experience to share. I can't wait to tell you all about the start of the festival and thank you for supporting us on this wonderful experience!

 -Adam Esmaeel

Harris YMCA Teen Director

Destination Prague!

After months of anticipation awaiting today's August 4th date the team from Charlotte is ready to board the plane for their adventure across the pond!

2013 YMCA Europe Festival

The 2013 Europe Festival is a week-long international youth event. It is the largest international YMCA youth gathering - uniting 10,000 young people from around the world. Based on the theme LOVE2LIVE, participants will explore the power and potential of youth to make a positive social impact both locally and globally.

The event will be held in Prague, Czech Republic August 4-10, 2013. YMCA Europe Festival is a unique opportunity for young people to build leadership skills and cultural competencies while strengthening their commitment to the global Y Movement.

To support development of our future global leaders the YMCA of Greater Charlotte is sending a delegation of six team members (Y teens and Y staff ages 13-30) to participate in the 2013 Youth Festival. The team has particpated in fundraising and service-learning before the festival. They will also commit to presentations about their experience upon returning.

2013 Youth Festival team members: Our future Global Ambassadors!

• Jordan Williams (16, West Charlotte High School, Y Achievers, McCrorey YMCA)
• Ariel Outland (16, South Meck High School, Camp counselor/teen volunteer, Harris YMCA)
• Beau DeVaul (16, Mallard Creek High School, Leaders club/teen volunteer, University City YMCA)
• Adam Esmaeel (24, Teen Director, Harris YMCA)
• Allison Jones (22, Admin Assistant, YMCA Community Development)
• Evie Inigo (24, Lead teacher, Afterschool Inclusion Based Program, McCrorey YMCA)