Unlike mass tourism, the main characteristics of the APAY Global Alternative Tourism Network seek to promote fair and just forms of traveling activities, mutual understanding, solidarity and equality amongst members of different communities. It is a form of responsible and sustainable tourism that has minimum negative impact on the physical and sociocultural environment in destination areas and the local communities substantially benefit from the tourism program.
The workshop will showcase how local YMCA used Alternative Tourism to promote community service and volunteerism. And for many YMCAs, Alternative Tourism is also a social enterprise supporting community development.

The manifestations of gender injustices such as cases of violence against women and girls are evidently a violation of the fundamental human rights. After all, the call for gender justice is the call for basic right. It counters, as expressed in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the global recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. More importantly, these gender-biased traditions and practices undermine the core of our Christian ideal of equality and justice for all of God’s creation.
Given the realities faced by women and girls and other sexual minorities due to patriarchal, neo-liberalism and imperialist globalization, the learning session on gender justice is aimed at advancing human rights not only within movement’s immediate constituents but also the wider society. This space is created to learn about diversified culture and practices within the region that influences the understanding of gender injustices, to witness the responses from movement engaged for such causes and to facilitate contextualized solidarity actions within the region. Through this workshop, our commitment to facilitate changes in attitudes, ideas and beliefs about gender relations through education and value formation of lay leaders and professional staff on the rights of women remain at the core of the regional work.

Preservation of the nature & environment has become the biggest challenge for us in the post-modern era. We have plundered the earth since the dawn of industrialization. Carbon emission has reached new heights. Global warming has resulted in climate change which has poised much negative impacts in human lives. It is important to recognize that climate change is one of the most compelling risks that Asia and Pacific countries are facing today, with impacts on the environment and also affect our livelihoods. The YMCAs had always been a proponent to bring awareness amongst the people for the conservation of the nature through its various programs on environmental protection. This workshop will emphasis on how the YMCAs of our region can work more effectively to combat climate change and showcase the best practices of our YMCAs involved in environmental programs.

The Asia and Pacific Region has witnessed several natural calamities and human crisis during this quadrennial. As a region that has been considered as the most disaster-prone region in the world, it remains relevant for the movements to coordinate responses and mobilize resources to achieve greater impact on the efforts of rebuilding lives and communities in those areas affected by disasters.
This session is designed to provide space to learn about delivering efficient, effective and appropriate disaster responses that adheres to the humanitarian principles of saving lives, alleviating suffering and maintaining human dignity. This goal is in resonance with the YMCA mission of building communities of justice with love, peace and reconciliation for the fullness of life for all creation. Similarly, this session is aimed at witnessing on the ground disaster response work and competencies from movements that are engaged in these challenges. More importantly, this is an opportunity to dialogue on strengthening our commitment to work in solidarity with the poor, dispossessed, uprooted people in the context of disasters. 

Good Governance ensuring accountability and transparency is essential, core component of Movement Strengthening of YMCA, be it local, national, regional or global YMCA. It cannot be overemphasized if YMCA wants to maintain/strengthen its institutional viability and healthiness as democratic and participatory organization. For YMCAs in our region to be genuine faith-based social movements response-able to the changing aspirations/needs of our people and communities, Good Governance is a prerequisite and MUST. We need to admit many of our YMCAs are still weak in governance, and many of the problems, if not crises, stem from the week governance in the YMCA. In response to the missional call to be true stewards of Him, we are urged to make our YMCAs good and responsible in their Governance.     

One of the urgent global issues which date back since the beginning of history is poverty. All our efforts to eradicate poverty did not bring much result all throughout the ages, as the poverty alleviation approaches were inappropriate. Now in 2015 the United Nations have come out with a common action plan to work on poverty, inequality and climate change. The United Nations in New York adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda had focused on 17th Sustainable Development Goals the SDGs. For the next 15 years there is a need for concerted efforts to take part in an integrated sustainable development program and to end poverty permanently from the globe. During the workshop we shall discussing about the which of the 17 goals relates to our contemporary YMCA work and how the YMCAs can proactively address the issues to materialize these goals.