Twenty-three Members of the International Youth Fellowship of Wesleyan participated in the Philippine leg of the 2010 IYF World Camp held last May 3-8 at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Led by chapter president Edwin B. Santos, the WU-P youth volunteers joined 500 other university students and spectators coming from around the world.

At the same event, Santos was appointed president of the IYF General Alumni in the Philippines.

Aside from workshops, the six-day affair also showcased diverse cultural presentations by talented world-class Korean performers such as the Gracias Choir , the Righteous Stars, the L’echo, and Rio Montaña.

The Gracias Choir chanted the national song Ang Bayan Ko, and Rio Montaña gave singing lessons to some youth volunteers.

The audience and youth volunteers also indulged themselves on a Christmas Cantata performed on the fourth day.

A pool of speakers, which included IYF Founder and Chief Advisor Ock-Soo-Park, GMA 7 president Atty. Felipe Gozon, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig President and former Ambassador Rosalinda Tirona, and WU-P President Manuel G. Palomo graced the event as lecturers and guest speakers.

President Palomo delivered a well-applauded speech on “True Leadership” on May 6. The initial friendship between WUP and IYF resulted in the forging of partnership between the two organizations. Likewise, the president , together with Atty. Gozon and Ambassador Tirona, was appointed Philippine adviser of IYF. On the same occasion, President Palomo was invited by IYF founder and adviser Pastor park to attend the Korean World Camp in July.

The event was organized by IYF-Philippines in partnership with the National Youth Commission (NYC).

IYF is a non-profit worldwide youth organization with members in 70 countries. It annually organizes world camps which were formerly held in South Korea, before it decided to conduct them in different countries around the world.

The Philippines was one of the 30 countries chosen to host the series of world camp events this year. The RP leg was themed “Challenge.Change.Cohesion.”

A previous world camp was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil last February 21-24, while another leg following Manila was held in St. Petersburg, Russia from May 10 to 13.

IYF world camps will also be held in Cambodia, Thailand, Mongolia, Jamaica, Mexico, USA, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, before hosting goes to African countries Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda and Zambia.

The last three legs will be held in Burundi, India and Myanmar, despite political instability in the Southeast Asian military republic.

“This year’s World Camp became not only an opportunity for cultural interchange but also a chance to forge bonds of friendship between us youths from different countries. We knew that we differed in language but soon we discovered that we shared the same spirit of friendship and camaraderie that defy walls and boundaries,” Santos said.

The IYF of WU-P has been an active chapter of the organization, organizing programs ranging from group mentoring to providing workshops to members and non-members alike. ###