About 1,000 youth ambassadors from 125 countries gathered in Hong Kong to discuss young people's role in helping to solve pressing global problems. The 17th World Council of YMCAs was held at the Wu Kai Sha Youth Village from July 17-24. It was the first time the city had hosted the conference, which is held every four years. The youth representatives discussed various issues under the theme of 'Striving for a Global Citizenship for All'. The topics included poverty, hunger, HIV/Aids, climate change, the generation gap, the media, environmental protection, and gender issues. Top officials of the World Alliance of YMCAs, including secretary general Dr Bartholomew Shaha and president Martin Meissner, were present at the opening ceremony at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Shaha urged young people to take action to help build a better world. 'With a high level of awareness and compassion for global issues, young people are in the best position to become leaders of global citizens,' said Shaha. Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who also attended the ceremony, said: 'Promoting global citizenship is part and parcel of living up to our aspiration as a truly international city.' The conference consisted of 75 workshops and sharing sessions which helped the participants improve their knowledge and gain a better understanding of international affairs. As the meetings drew to a close, the young leaders from around the world said they had benefited immensely from the exchange of information and ideas. Douglas Liu, a YMCA representative from Hong Kong, said the conference had helped broaden his horizons. 'We shared our experiences gained from volunteering work. I learned what young leaders from other countries are doing to make a difference to the world,' Liu said. Liu, a Year Three international relations student at Baptist University, has been working as a volunteer on the mainland and in some Asian countries, including Bangladesh, for the past two years. He said his involvement with the YMCA has allowed him to see first-hand the plight of people who lack basic necessities in life, such as food, health care, housing and education. 'Young people should try to help alleviate the situation by doing volunteer work,' Liu said.
