global youth forum...
In 2000, CWM initiated a series of regional youth forums to review and evaluate its Youth in Mission programmes at the national, regional and global levels. It aimed to formulate a new agenda for youth engagement in mission in a changing global context.
The Global Youth Forum was the culmination of this process and brought together in the Netherlands in March 2001 18 youth representatives/leaders and five resource persons from the CWM family.
The forum started by looking at the changing global context. Globalisation is a complex process through which people, nations and culture become increasingly integrated into a single world system. It enables people to exchange knowledge and ideas, but it also has negative consequences, like greater poverty and unemployment.
The forum also noted that mainline churches and older generations are increasingly losing touch with young people, many of whom leave for Pentecostal and charismatic churches.
The forum identified the following urgent needs:
- To raise awareness among young people of the implications of globalisation and social issues.
- To provide leadership training and to equip young people for mission.
- To encourage spiritual renewal among young people.
For a full copy of the Global Youth Forum report, please email youth@cwmission.org.uk
