We are here to build the future of YCS
Keynote Address by IYCS Secretary General on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of IYCS coordination
We are not here simply to celebrate the past; we are here to build the future of YCS.”
Dear Friends of the YCS Family,
Greetings from the International Secretariat of the International Young Catholic Students (IYCS).
First and foremost, I convey to you the greetings and prayerful blessings of our International Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Justo de la Fuente Fernandez, who sends his warm greetings from Quito, Latin America, where he is currently on mission.
Today, we gather to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the International Coordination of IYCS. As we commemorate this remarkable milestone, we also look forward to another historic celebration, the Centenary of the Young Catholic Students Movement in 2028, marking 100 years since its foundation.
The dream and vision of the early student leaders gave birth to this movement. The establishment of the International YCS Centre for Documentation and Information in Paris, the International Secretariat, and later, in the early 1970s, the Regional Coordinations strengthened the movement across the world. These developments have formed generations of leaders rooted in faith, values, commitment, and service.
I believe each one of us gathered here is a living testimony to this journey. Whether you have served as a student member, coordinator, animator, chaplain, donor, parent, or partner, the movement has shaped your life in one way or another.
We have come together today to sow a seed, a seed of hope, commitment, and vision. We trust that this seed will grow into a strong plant in the coming years and eventually into a mighty tree bearing abundant fruit. When we gather again during the Centenary of the International Coordination in 2046, we will proudly say that here in Maryland we sowed this seed with faith.
Dear members of the YCS family,
We may come from different countries, cultures, languages, and backgrounds, but one thing unites us all: our movement, YCS.
Each one of us joined this movement with a dream, a desire, an expectation, a spirit of friendship, a shared vision, and above all, one common methodology, See, Judge, Act.
The movement has transformed our lives. It has helped us reflect on our realities, confront our challenges, strengthen our faith, and make informed decisions for ourselves and for society.
Our world has changed dramatically. Today, knowledge and information are available at the touch of a mobile phone. This is truly one of the greatest achievements of modern technology. Technology has transformed almost every aspect of our lives and has accelerated human progress.
However, technology and innovation can never replace what truly makes us human, Magnifica Humanitas, the greatness and dignity of the human person.
Faith without action has no meaning. Young people should embrace technology as a tool for learning, service, innovation, and social transformation, while ensuring that it is guided by ethics, responsibility, compassion, and respect for every human person.
Our greatest investment should not merely be in buildings or structures. Rather, it should be an investment in people, in values, leadership formation, and the education of young people.
We must form young leaders with strong values so that they are empowered to give back to society with integrity, compassion, and commitment.
Today, we are here because of the dedication and commitment of the YCS Alumni who have made this historic gathering in the United States possible, the first major international celebration of the 80th Anniversary. What has brought us together today is not simply an event, but the movement itself.
The alumni understand that the future of YCS depends on the next generation. Every alumnus and alumna carries a testimony of how the movement transformed their lives. It is now our responsibility to ensure that future generations experience the same transformation.
When we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the International Coordination, we will remember that the dream for the future of the movement was renewed here in Maryland.
We dream of establishing a global centre dedicated to leadership formation, values education, research, and accompaniment, a centre that will strengthen future generations of leaders. We envision an International Academy of Formation and Excellence and, perhaps, within the next decade, an IYCS University of Formation and Excellence dedicated to forming leaders rooted in faith, service, justice, and human dignity.
This is our dream.
A dream of forming leaders who will serve the Church and society with faith, competence, compassion, and integrity.
I believe that today, here in Maryland, we are sowing the seeds of that dream. May these seeds grow and bear abundant fruit for our movement and for the world.
At this important moment, I would also like to acknowledge with deep gratitude all the former international and regional leaders, chaplains, partners, donors, and friends who laid the foundations of the International Coordination and faithfully supported the growth of our movement.
We remember them with gratitude and prayer.
Finally, I invite each one of you to continue supporting the mission of IYCS by investing your time, expertise, experience, and resources in the formation of young people.
Let us accompany young people by listening to them, walking with them, and empowering them, not by imposing our ideas, but by understanding their realities, their hopes, and their dreams.
Together, let us continue building a movement that forms leaders committed to faith, justice, peace, and the dignity of every human person.
Thank you once again for your presence, your commitment, and your continued support.
May God bless you all, and may God continue to bless the International Young Catholic Students Movement.
Thank you.
Roshan Melwyn Lobo
Secretary General of IYCS-JECI
Presented this speech on 28th June 2026 during the 80th Anniversary Celebration of the International Coordination of IYCS at Silver Spring Maryland USA.