On February 23th, 2021, the archives of the International Young Christian Workers (IYCW) were moved from the International Secretariat in Brussels to KADOC Documentation and Research Centre on Religion, Culture and Society connected to the Catholic University of Leuven.

The IYCW has a rich history and pre-history. From its origins in the Young Christian Workers (YCW) (1925) movement, to its official recognition as an international movement in 1957 and beyond, it envisaged the emancipation and education of young workers all over the world. Through the years, the IYCW has produced vast archives containing written correspondence with the national branches and local (Church) authorities, documents on daily governance and activities, information on personnel and finances,… It really reflects the history of more than seventy years of IYCW.

Global reality is complex and threatening. Ordinary citizens are at a loss as to what to think when they turn on the radio, watch the news, read a newspaper or browse the headlines on social media. We witness armed conflicts, open wars in different parts of the globe, people displaced from their places of origin and their homes. All kinds of weapons, fruit of the industry of death, continue to circulate with impunity.

If we turn our eyes to the dominant nation, we see with dismay that the elections in the United States have confirmed candidate Trump, a leading figure of the far right who advocates policies of regression of rights around the world. His arrival at the White House is not only an insult to our intelligence because of his fake news and anti-human statements, it is the harbinger of transformations on the global economic stage, creating greater uncertainty in every country. The emergence and gradual consolidation of artificial intelligence is set to have a major impact in many areas, such as science, consumer patterns, health, social benefits and, of course, the organization of work. This is a major challenge to which we need to pay close attention.

The political and economic choices being made are having serious consequences in terms of climate change. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seem increasingly anecdotal, so fragile are the commitments of nations. The failure to respect agreements reached within the framework of international cooperation is clear. Furthermore, impunity for crimes against humanity is blatant, as in the case of the major geopolitical conflicts we are witnessing (in Gaza, Ukraine or Lebanon, for example).

We wanted to raise these international issues, which are not exhaustive but essential, and we invite you to analyze them. It is in this context that we are publishing this new issue of the newsletter, which focuses on 100 years of YCW experience around the world. Enjoy your reading!

The International YCW is concerned about young workers from all countries, on all continents. In the different moments and stages of the history of our movement, the organization of youth groups, from the initial awareness of their problems to the collective action to solve them, to finally the shaping of a specific identity of the Panafrican YCW, has always been a challenge.

Today in this issue of the newsletter, we thought it would be interesting to provide you with some information and analysis on Africa. It is also a call to solidarity from other continents, starting with the time you spend reading the articles in the following pages. We encourage you to get to know and understand a little more about the reality of that continent, the vision of the young people who contributed their testimonies and examples of the actions that are being carried out to reinforce the work of the YCW, the efforts to extend the movement to new countries, the role of former activists and leaders, in solidarity with the historical mission of the International YCW. In this respect, this special issue on Africa aims to strengthen the Panafrican YCW.

In addition, starting with this issue, the newsletter begins its journey towards the celebration of the YCW's centenary. We will keep you informed about the work of the organizing committee and the initiatives in the countries and regions to achieve the goals that we have set for the centenary activities. Enjoy reading the newsletter!