The Annual General
Meeting & the National Leaders’ Conference are the utmost
important & attractive amongst the regular programs of the
National Council of YMCAs of Bangladesh. In this connection, with
much enthusiasm the 27th Annual General Meeting
and the 13th YMCA National Leaders’ Conference were
held in the Prayer Garden of Bangladesh Baptist Fellowship at
Rajendrapur, Gazipur from May 28-29, 2004. The Honorable Members of the
National Executive Committee and its Past Presidents, Lay
& Professionals Leaders of the Local YMCAs and the light &
leading Personnel of Christian Society ; about 75 delegates
assembled for the occasion.
In the inauguration
ceremony, His excellency, the Most Rev. Francis A Gomes, Bishop of
Mymensingh Diocese was the Chief Guest while, Messrs. Gabriel
Manik Gomes, Alexander Pereira, Symon P. Adhikary and James Ruram,
former Presidents of Bangladesh YMCAs were present as Special Guests.
The opening devotion was conducted by Rev Philip Adhikary the honorable
President of Dhaka YMCA. Soon after the devotion, a multimedia
presentation on the overall activities of Bangladesh YMCAs was
screened by the National General Secretary.
In his speech,
Bishop Francis A. Gomes expressed his deep satisfaction over the
ongoing programs of the YMCA. He called upon all the YMCA Leaders
& Professionals to devote themselves in embracing social &
Christian responsibilities for the well-being of the downtrodden
mass in the society shunning all personal interests.
The themes chosen
for the Leaders’ Conference of the year were
(i) The history of
the ecumenical movement & its endeavor in
Bangladesh.
(ii) "Just Peace" –
the precondition of the real peace
(iii) Importance of
active participation of the members for the fullness of
Y-Movement
(iv) The harmony
between volunteerism & professionalism for ensuring a better
dynamic Y-Movement.
Principal of Notre Dame College Dhaka, Rev. Martin Adhikary, Director for Promotion & Personnel of the Leprosy Mission
Bangladesh, Mr David Pronob Das, Ex-President of Dhaka YMCA and
Dr Neville D’Rozario a renowned Lay Leader of Dhaka YMCA spoke respectively
on the aforesaid themes.
In the Annual
General Meeting the President of Bangladesh YMCAs emphasized on Youth & Gender Issues, Community Organising Programmes, extension of Y-Movement in Bangladesh and
also the self-reliance of Bangladesh YMCAs. He also stressed the
need for concerted efforts of all the YMCA Leaders to come up with
the issues.
The National
General Secretary delivered his speech &
presented the Annual Report. He informed that despite various
territorial & social hazards, Bangladesh YMCAs is still
continuing its battle in alleviating the poverty for the sake of
building a happy & prosperous Bangladesh in the offing. After
all the proceedings of the Annual General Meeting, a cultural
soiree was present by various YMCA artists who came from the local
YMCAs.
