Asia Pacific Youth Program

Initiatives of Change Malaysia

History

The Asia Pacific Youth Conference (APYC) began as an initiative of Moral Re-Armament, now known as Initiatives of Change. The first APYC was held in 1990 in Taiwan, inspired by the vision of a Chinese from Taiwan, to bring together youths from around the region to learn from the experiences of those who had successfully taken action to overcome conflict and confront corruption. The concept was developed in order to offer practical ideas and encouragement to these youths who want to use their lives as change-makers addressing social issues in their countries and the region.

In subsequent years, APYCs were held in countries that included Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan, India, Cambodia, Indonesia and Korea, hosted by Initiatives of Change together with representatives of other organizations.

Aims and Objectives

The APYCs offer young people aged 18-35 from the Asia Pacific region the opportunity for dialogue with those from neighbouring countries, build friendships and create networks for peace.

  • To build relationships of trust and mutual understanding through dialogue based on an appreciation of each other’s faiths, heritage and cultural diversity;
  • To learn from the life experiences of those who are addressing issues including corruption, communal conflict and poverty;
  • To address the root causes of social issues through personal change that deals with conflict in the individuals’ own lives;
  • To develop projects for peace-building within the region.

Values and Driving Questions

Each person, race, and nation has a story from their past, a story that is at times inspiring and wonderful and at other times, full of pain and suffering. These stories affect our perspective on life. Past hurts remain in our minds and hearts and can cause fresh feelings of hatred, anger and prejudice. Unconsciously, these negative influences shape us because our attitude and understanding towards the past has not changed.

  • How do we heal the wounds of the past?
  • How can we learn from it so that we free ourselves from the conflict and corruption in our way of life?
  • What is our hope for positive change and peace based on?