My Experience on Asian Youth Day 2017 at Indonesia
Wow, what an experience! Visiting Indonesia was a wonderful feeling with my two friends Wilson D’Souza, Allipade and Sushma Carnelio, Madanthyar where we three represented Mangalore Diocese. Here are a few experiences of mine which will remain with me as memories.
Asian Youth Day 2017 started off with the preliminary events during the Days in the Diocese (DID) in the Archdiocese of Palembang, Indonesia for some of us and for the rest of the Indian Delegates it was In the Archdiocese of Pontianak. Youngsters dancing to the theme song of Asian Youth Day 2017 outside the airport at Palembang provided us (Indian delegates) a warm welcome.
The dynamism with which we were received at the St Peter’s parish, Palembang led us to believe that the experience was going to be a class in itself; it engrossed dancers in their ethnic attires heartily performing indigenous dances leading us the way into the parish.
A delicious lunch was served accompanied by cultural programs of beautiful youth dancing and singing thereafter. The Indonesian cuisine involved rice as their staple food and a wide range of non-veg delicacies. The people of Indonesia are very musically inclined, they play indigenous instruments like the gong, the Angklung to name a few and they very much attached to the guitar, drums and the keyboard.
Though tired from a long journey of continuous flights, we managed to feel the solemnity of the presence of Almighty during the opening mass at St. Peter’s parish, Palembang. For the remaining Days in the Diocese, delegates were allocated with a foster family each.
Each day of DID was started with a holy mass in the Foster parish. During DID we were blessed with the opportunity to visit Charitas Hospital which is the oldest hospital in the city of Palembang and established by the nuns of the Franciscan order and currently run by the Franciscan sisters of Charitas of the Roman Catholic Church. The history of the hospital was beautifully demonstrated through a dance act that was vibrant and educational. Taking a tour around the hospital made us astounded by the hygiene practices incorporated and learnt about the management that run each department of the place.
A seminar on the educational system in Indonesia was also delivered highlighting the educational reform that has happened in the country. Thereafter a visit to St. Paul Seminary, Palembang was arranged to learn about the vocations in the country.
The final day of DID was a memorable one as a tour around the city of Palembang was arranged to famous locations like the Gelora Sriwijaya sports stadium (where the next Asian Games are to be hosted), Ampera Palembang Bridge, Sriwijaya Museum which showcased the archaeological monument. Though not prepared in no time DID had come to an end and it was time to leave Palembang for Yogjakarta, the venue for the main event – AYD 2017.
We reached Yogjakarta (pronounced as Jogjakarta) on the 2nd of August, 2017. Post DID events, many events were waiting us was much more than what was anticipated. All the youths of over 20 other countries gathered at Jogja Expo Centre located at Semarang, Yogjakarta. Interacting with them intrigued within us a sense of variety in culture and a society in the whole of Asia.
The opening mass on the 2nd of August, 2017 was celebrated by Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario, Archbishop of Bangladesh and Chairman of Asian Youth and Laity Commission.
In his message, he encouraged young people to become ‘Online Missionaries of God’ (OMG) and to trust in the ‘cloud’ of change.
Workshops were conducted by resource persons on various youth-related issues. These workshops helped the youth in contemplating on the causes, effects and solutions related to these topics.
The closing mass was held at the Air Force Academy of Indonesia, presided over by Cardinal Oswald Dias, Archbishop of Mumbai and President of Federation of Asian Bishop’s Conference (FABC). Thereafter Cardinal Dias read Pope Francis’ message for Asian Youth Day 2017 and later announced the next AYD 2020 will be held in India.
In a nutshell, AYD 2017 was a blend of cultures, a heap of experience and learning and an inspiration to young people to become pioneers of change and the most important thing I learned is that true unity Is strength. The Indonesian youths are talented; no doubt their organizational skill for AYD was beyond compare. But it was a grand success only and only because all their ideas were merged together.
Nonetheless, it was an awesome experience.!!!!
Joel Immanuel Concessao, Milagres
General Secretary
ICYM, Mangalore Diocese
Email: secretary@icymmangalore.com
joelconcessao@gmail.com
Website: www.icymmangalore.com
Phone: +91 9880210544
