Collecting testimonies: The spirit of change through action remains strong among young and formers IYCW’s members

Thanks to the YCW and its See-Judge-Act methodology, we, as millions of young workers around the world have done since 1925, act to live in dignity. The spirit of the YCW encourages us to be aware of the living and working conditions in our community. Our methodology allows us as young workers, sons and daughters of God, to address the causes of the problems we face and to transform the collective reality towards reaching the values we believe in. This spirit of change through action remains strong among young workers thanks ….

A team of 3 people has started to work on these testimonies, not to achieve an exhaustive analysis of their content, but rather to highlight their similarities and identify their differences, specificities or points of concern. It is fascinating – concerning particularly the way we started in the YCW, our first steps in the movement, our first actions – to see how similar we may have been, and, at the same time, how unique the YCW call may have been for each of us, in what it triggered in our lives, and for the rest of our lives.

We will give some outline of the testimonies’ content during the International Council. Also, we have some ideas to use the testimonies as for example:

-          To write down a synthesis

-          To organize an exhibition made of significant sentences coming from various testimonies, with the name, picture, country and signature of their author… This exhibition could, further-on, be displayed as a permanent exhibition by Joseph Cardijn’s tomb in Laeken Our Lady Church.

-          To set a specific electronic site for the testimonies. We will let you know about it.

-          To arrange a “Bank of testimonies” within the YCW International Archives, where could be collected with our testimonies all the books and testimonies already available and sill to come.

All that would require some work and skill. If some of you feel interested and competent, please let us know, they will be most welcome.

To finish, we believe that with those testimonies, a seed has been planted and we have surely opened a window of opportunity for the reinforcing of the network of former YCW members and for our objective of strengthening the movement. The former members’ contribution has become a reality.

For the time being, we would like to thank you very sincerely for accompanying us along this path.

Long live young workers!

Long live the day-to-day building and constant renewal of our utopias!

Note: A registration to participate in the colloquy is required