Award of the George Williams Medal of the National Federation of the YMCA in Germany to Dr

Award of the George Williams Medal of the National Federation of the YMCA in Germany to Dr. Bartholomew Shaha, Secretary General of the World Alliance of YMCAs, on 23 October 2010 during the Annual General Assembly of the National Federation of the YMCA in Germany

Dear sisters and brothers, dear friends and guests,

The George Williams Medal has been created by the Board of the National Federation of the YMCA in Germany as an award to professional and volunteer leaders in the YMCA for special merits. It is meant to remind us of the founder of the global YMCA movement. The situation of many young men who came to London in search of work and were in danger of “drowning” in that city did not get out of his head. He assembled them and also began to read the Bible with them. In 1844 he founded the first YMCA in London. And the idea of the YMCA’s work went around the world fast, and as early as in 1855 the global YMCA movement was founded. Since that time the work of the YMCA is carried out on the basis of the Paris Basis. These explanations are just for those among us who are less familiar with George Williams.

In the past years we – the National Federation of the YMCA in Germany – have been very cautious in awarding the George Williams Medal and have only done it in few individual cases.

Today we have a premiere in a dual sense. Firstly we are awarding the George Williams Medal to a duo of leaders in a double yoke.

Secondly, Dr. Bart Shaha is the first foreign YMCA leader to be awarded the George Williams Medal of the National Federation of the YMCA in Germany.

Dear Bart, it is a special pleasure and honour for me today to present to you the George Williams Medal on behalf of the Board of the National Federation of the YMCA in Germany. We in the German YMCA are very grateful that you have made an outstanding contribution to giving shape and profile to the work of the global YMCA in the key position of Secretary General over many years. At the World Council in 2002 in Mexico you were appointed for four years; this appointment was extended by another term of four years in 2006 and reaches its end at the end of this year. I myself have only participated in the last two World Council meetings. These meetings were characterised by an open and constructive atmosphere and a good spirit of togetherness. I have heard a lot, though, about the World Council in Mexico – and not only that the German delegation was then severely affected by a virus and was partially not available.

In Mexico there were also fierce arguments. The resolution on Palestine at that World Council almost led to a split of the World Alliance. You have invested a lot of time and efforts to build new confidence among the national movements. You have succeeded in this as the last two World Council meetings have clearly proved.

In your term of office the work of the World Alliance was reshaped with the purpose of Movement Strengthening through the GOP process.

You are the architect and the engineer of this new structure and culture of the World Alliance. It has led to a completely new identity and to a renewal of the relationships of the national movements among each other and to the World Alliance. The fact that the meetings of the Executive Committee during the last four years and the World Council meeting in 2010 were held in such harmony and unity is a fruit of your peacemaking work.

You have published your book “Journey in Mission” on the occasion of the World Council meeting. I quote a passage from the first chapter of this book: “One of the most crucial messages and proclamations of Jesus Christ has been that of the ‘Kingdom (Reign) of God’. This proclamation relates directly to what the YMCA is all about. This is clear in the Paris Basis. The proclamation of the coming of the Kingdom of God is a promise of hope – hope for humanity to overcome the forces of darkness and evil, hope to overcome poverty, deprivation, disease and oppression.”

With this statement your motivation and your passion for the cause of Jesus are appropriately summarised. You have proclaimed the good news whenever the opportunity arose, but at the same time you have always combined the gospel with concrete action which asks the question of how we can change the living conditions of young people.

Dear Bart, you have always got the heart of the mission of the global YMCA in all your activities. To extend the Kingdom of God among young people – this is what the YMCA is all about.

This is how I personally and how we in the German YMCA have experienced you. You celebrated the “KOMMT Festival” together with us, you took part in the inauguration of Wolfgang Neuser as General Secretary and gave a message of greeting. You have supported and encouraged us in our work in the German YMCA. With the General Secretaries of our regional YMCAs we visited the World Alliance headquarter in Geneva. We got an impression with what a small staff, yet with what an enormous love and commitment you and the team members are coordinating and steering the global YMCA movement.

Dear brother Bart Shaha, I need not tell you anything about George Williams, his visions and his passion for young people. I am sure that George Williams would have been highly pleased with your service.

The George Williams Medal is meant to express our thanks today to your valuable and blessed service as Secretary General of the World Alliance of YMCAs. Together with your dear wife Emily you have extended the Kingdom of our master among young people in great faithfulness and love over many decades. You have become a blessing to the work of the YMCA and to many people.

(Reading the text of certificate and handing over of medal and certificate as well as flowers)

Many people respond with spoken words to an award. Bart will give his response by singing a song. He has written a lot of songs and is an excellent singer-songwriter – just wonderful.