Story
The Christian Youth Association (ACM) is an organization founded on June 6, 1844, in London by a young man named George Williams. At the time the goal was to offer young people arriving in London to work, an option to live on the streets, encouraging the practice of Christian principles as taught by Jesus Christ through Bible studies and prayers.
The proposal of the YMCA was unusual at the time, since it proposed a rupture in the rigid separations between Christian denominations and social classes that delineated the English society of that time. This opening would become a distinction to characterize the association, willing to include any man, woman, or child, regardless of race, religion or nationality. The emphasis on social contact was also characteristic of the association from the outset.
ACM currently adopts a multidisciplinary approach, aiming at spiritual, intellectual and physical development. This approach is represented in the ACM / YMCA brand by the red triangle, symbolizing the mission of building a healthy mind, body and mind.
Since 1884, the YMCA has spread throughout the world, with about 45 million members in 124 national federations affiliated with the World Alliance of YMCAs. The degree of emphasis and commitment to the Christian faith today varies from association to association. In general, MCAs around the world remain open to all regardless of faith, social class, age, or gender.
Foundation and Development
From the foundation, on June 6, 1844, the movement quickly expanded throughout Europe. In 1845, ACM already had its own London headquarters with an attractive location and a professional secretary, TH Tarlton, to organize headquarters and promote a series of programs ranging from Bible studies and foreign language classes to bathing and beginning of physical education activities.
In 1849, it was necessary to get a larger place, where a library, reading room and classrooms were organized, where courses were given to the associated employees.
When the World's Large Industry Exhibition was held in London in 1850 with the participation of people from all over the world, ACM organized a plan of spiritual and cultural activities for visitors. 550 public youth gatherings and a large number of conferences on religious topics were held at Exeter Hall; 362,000 brochures were also distributed to participants on the work of the institution.
As a result, in 1851, the Montreal and Boston MAs were founded. In that same year of 1850, George Williams moved temporarily to Paris, where the interest came to found an ACM.
Later, as of 1851, there were ACMs in countries as distinct as Holland, India, Australia, the United States, and Germany.
In August 1855, it was decided to hold the First World Conference, with the participation of the ACMs from England, Holland, United States, France, Canada, Belgium and Germany. During the meeting, precisely on 22 August, the "Paris Basis", the philosophical line of the MCAs around the world, was approved.
In 1856, the ACM played an important role in assisting soldiers during the Civil War of the United States of America.
After conferring with President Abraham Lincoln, ACM organized its volunteers to distribute medicines and food to the belligerents. Among other actions, the ACM of Chicago organized a book of hymns for soldiers.
At the IX World Conference in 1881 in London, the ACM emblem was approved. The circle recalls ACM's action on five continents. At the center is the monogram of Christ, with the letters XI and RO of the Greek alphabet (XP), symbolizing the basis of the ACM: the life, personality, teaching and work of Christ. In the center, the bible open in the gospel according to John, chapter 17, verse 21: "That they may all be one."
In 1885, J. Gardner Smith, of the Browery Branch, YMCA of New York, initiates the Youth Leaders Corps of the Department of Physical Education.
Also in that year, the first camp with definitive facilities for educational purposes in the United States is created. ACM pioneered camps for educational purposes and was organized for the first time by ACM leader Peter Haerem of Norway in 1866. In Latin America, the first camp was organized by the Buenos Aires ACM in 1903.
In 1891, Professor James Naismith, instructor of the YMCA Springfield College, invented the Basketball to be practiced like sport of winter. In the year 1892, Naismith published for the first time the official rules of the sport that passed, in year of 1936, to be Olympic modality.
In 1893, Myron Clark, on July 4, founded the first ACM of Latin America, in Brazil, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. In 1894, the first 50th anniversary of the ACM was celebrated, the number of existing associations was 5,109 and the number of associates was 456,142. In 1895, William Morgan, director of the Department of Physical Education at YMCA Holyoke, Massachusetts, created Volleyball, which had the initial purpose of serving as a recreational exercise for athletes. Volleyball became an Olympic sport in the year 1964.
In 1901, Henri Dunant, one of the founders of the ACM, received the first Nobel Peace Prize for fundamental importance in the creation of the International Red Cross at the Geneva Convention in 1864. Dunant was a preparation of the Paris Base. On December 23, 1902, the ACM of São Paulo was founded. In 1905, the Golden Jubilee of the World Alliance and the Paris Base was celebrated in Paris.
In 1906, the number of existing associations increased to 7,773 and the number of associates to 722,000.
The ACM also had important participation in World War I (1914-1918). Soon after the outbreak of fighting, ACM mobilized its volunteers around the world. Actions included fundraising, distribution of food to stricken populations, and recreation and recreation with prisoners. Only in the ACM of the United States, more than five million dollars in fund of war were collected. It is estimated that ACM's work has reached more than six million people in Europe, Asia and Africa. During the period of the two great world wars, about 1,000 "Tea Car" vehicles circulated throughout Europe helping populations affected by war.
In 1930, the
