- Manila, Phillipines
- paxromanaimcsap@gmail.com
Manila Catholic Youth Forum (CYF), 27-28 June 2025 | Youth of Asia-Pacific Affirm Global Commitment for a Synodal Church
From June 27–28, 2025, over 40 young leaders, chaplains, and animators from across Asia-Pacific and Africa came together for the Catholic Youth Forum (CYF) 2025, hosted by IMCS Asia Pacific and IYTC.
With the theme “Asian Youth Engagement for a Synodal Church – Jubilee Pilgrim of Hope,” the forum was a milestone in the journey toward Jubilee of Youth 2025 (Rome) and World Youth Day 2027 (Seoul) — culminating in the launch of the Manila Declaration, a bold youth commitment to justice, synodality, and peace.
Forum in Focus:
1. Opening Calls to Hope and Leadership
IMCS President William Nokrek and Archbishop Peter Chung (Seoul) opened the forum with powerful messages of trust in young Catholics.
“You are not only the hope of the future, but the present light of the Church today.” – Archbishop Peter Chun
2. Expert Input & Prophetic Reflection
Speakers explored Pope Francis’ legacy, youth accompaniment, mental health, social justice, and synodality in Asia. Contributors included Rev. Jojo Fung SJ, Marina D’Costa, Florence A. Alexius, Rev. Enrico Ayo, and Giancarlo Francisco.
3. Youth Panel & Real Stories
Panelists from South Korea, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka shared how young Catholics are leading grassroots missions in faith and advocacy.
What is the Manila Declaration?
The Manila Declaration is a youth-led roadmap grounded in Catholic Social Teaching and global justice. It calls for:
- A synodal Church that listens and walks with youth
- Advocacy on climate justice, debt cancellation, disarmament, and digital inclusion
- Launch of the Pax Jubilee Campaign
- Youth action toward Jubilee 2025 and WYD 2027
“This forum reminds us that youth voices are not just to be heard, but to be trusted, empowered, and followed.”
— Giancarlo Francisco, Vatican Youth Advisory Body
“Our voices matter, and together we can transform systems and build bridges.”
— Laknali Ruvinika, Youth Panelist, Sri Lanka
We intive all youth movements, Church Leaders, and Civil Society partners to join this mission of faith in action.
Day 1 Highlights
Day 2 Dialog and Declaration
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IMCS Asia Pacific
The International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) Asia Pacific is a dynamic regional organization dedicated to empowering young Catholics to actively engage in social justice, human rights, and sustainable development. Through education, advocacy, and collaboration, IMCS aims to nurture leadership, build solidarity, and inspire students to be agents of change within their communities and beyond.
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