INTRODUCTION
The International Young Catholic Student (IYCS) is a global movement of Young Catholic Students committed to building a peaceful, just and sustainable world.
The International Young Catholic Students, also known as the Young Christian Students (YCS) is an International Catholic Organization recognized by the Holy See as a private international association of the faithful, with juridical personality, in force and according to canons 298-311 and 321-329 of the Code of Canon Law. The International Coordination of the YCS Movement was established in 1946 in the wake of the Second World War to engage students to build peace based on justice and freedom.
The International Young Catholic Students Movement (IYCS) has since its inception in 1946 evolved and grown to meet the challenges of the world and the local context in which it has been active. At a time when the world is facing multiple challenges that require both quick and effective responses, the purpose, aims and objectives for which the IYCS Movement was founded remain relevant and important now more than ever. These include:
- To evangelize the student milieu and promote the student apostolate among students, at both secondary and tertiary levels, by responding to their needs and by stressing their responsibility in all aspects of their lives (school, university, family etc) in the Church’s mission and in the world;
- To bring together students seeking community, formation and action, in the framework of the Catholic Church, at the local, national, continental and global levels;
- To promote global solidarity, freedom, justice and peace and to work with all concerned women and men for joint reflection and action leading to a more just and social order;
- To give students resources, pedagogies and methodologies to help them integrate their Christian faith in their lives at all levels and in their efforts to build a more just society; and
- To be a voice for its student members by representing them in regional and international forums.
Inspired by Catholic Faith as a Faith based Youth Movement, IYCS since its inception in 1946, has guided students to become architects and agents of positive social change dedicating its programmes and campaigns to promoting global solidarity to end extreme poverty, achieve quality education and health for all, build resilient humanitarian action, fight inequality and injustice, promote peace and protect our planet our common home.
The pedagogy used by the IYCS Movement, based on “revision of life: See-Judge-Act”, enables Young Catholic Students around the world to become aware of situations, to analyse them critically in the light of the Gospel and the Faith, to undertake a commitment to the pursuit of justice and peace, for the comprehensive growth of individuals and for sustainable development. IYCS performs its tasks by cooperating with other organizations in the same field, supporting the establishment of student movements pursuing the same goals, and fostering dialogue, exchange of experiences and mutual assistance between the Member Movements.
MISSION
The mission of IYCS is to evangelize and transform the student milieu (both at secondary and tertiary), through forming students and encouraging them to look at the world from the perspective of the poor, with a commitment to global solidarity, freedom, justice and peace.
AFFILIATIONS
IYCS is a Catholic Action Movement of the Apostolate of Laity. It has a status of Private Juridical Personality according to Canons 298-311 and 321-329 of the Code of Canon Law. IYCS is recognized by the Holy See as an International Catholic Organization under the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. IYCS maintains close links with the Vatican Secretariat of State, in particular the section in charge of relations with the States.
The International Young Catholic Students (IYCS) has since 1962 maintained official relations with UNESCO having been admitted in 1962 in category B (Information and Consultative Relations).IYCS is accredited to the United Nations Department of Information (DPI).
IYCS is a Member of the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth, a Member of YOUNGO, the Children and Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a Member of the Conference of International Catholic Organizations, a Member of the Global Catholic Climate Change Movement and a Co-Founder of the Laudato Si Generation.
MEMBERSHIP
87 affiliated Movements including 65 Member Movement, 8 Collaborator Movements and 14 Contact Movements in 86 countries belong to IYCS, as follows: Africa (35), Asia (17), Europe (17), Middle East (6), North America (5), Oceania (2) and Latin America (5).
LANGUAGES
English, French and Spanish
HEADQUARTERS
IYCS International Secretariat
7, Impasse Reille – 75014 Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 45 48 14 72
Email: mail@iycs-jeci.org
Website: www.iycs-jeci.org