Empowering Young Catholic Leaders: The Catholic Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA) 2025

3 February 2025, Chiang Mai, Thailand – CAYLA 2025 has successfully concluded, bringing together young Catholic leaders from across Asia for leadership formation and faith-based advocacy. Hosted by the International Youth Training Center (IYTC) – Laudato Si’ Centre in Chiang Mai and the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) Pax Romana, CAYLA is a program designed to equip young Catholic students and youth with leadership skills based on Catholic Social Teaching (CST). The goal is to help them actively contribute to their communities, the Church, society and beyond.

CAYLA was created in response to Pope Francis’ call for young people to be “agents for social change.” During the centenary celebration on July 22, 2022, he encouraged IMCS Pax Romana to embrace this mission. In a private audience in Rome on September 20, 2024, he further urged young people to be “protagonists of a revolution of charity and service” and to take on their role as engaged global citizens. His words became the foundation for this initiative, inspiring youth to lead with faith and social responsibility.

The first CAYLA program, held from January 21 to 31, 2025, brought together 16 young Catholic leaders from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. These participants from IMCS movements, contact groups, and Catholic organisations participated in an intensive 11-day leadership training program focused on faith-based advocacy, social change, and peacebuilding.

A key part of the program was teaching participants how to create and run advocacy campaigns in accordance with the Rome Commitment for Peace, Justice, and Care for Creation, a statement adopted at the Rome Pax Catholica Forum on September 19, 2024. This gave young leaders practical steps to implement projects in their home countries, particularly those related to human rights, environmental sustainability, and social justice.

CAYLA 2025 also helped launch the Pax Jubilee Campaign (2025-2027), an initiative connected to major global events such as the Jubilee Year (2025) and World Youth Day in Seoul (2027). The program included hands-on learning, advocacy training, and field visits to help participants better understand global issues, civil society involvement, and Catholic teachings on social justice.

IYTC, recognised as the Pax Romana Centennial Centre, is one of the key centres of IMCS Pax Romana. It serves as a hub for leadership training, advocacy, and faith-based social initiatives, focusing on equipping young Catholics with the tools to make a difference in their communities. IMCS Pax Romana, a global Catholic student movement, has been crucial in empowering young Catholics through education, social action, and advocacy for over a century.

Throughout the program, participants explored critical global topics, including the UN Summit of the Future (SOTF), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and youth advocacy platforms like the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security. They also studied key Church teachings, such as Evangelii Gaudium (2013), Laudato Si’ (2015), Christus Vivit (2019), and Fratelli Tutti (2020), in the context of Church movements and global youth engagement.

As CAYLA 2025 ends, its impact continues through the commitments made by its participants. These pledges act as action plans for ongoing advocacy and leadership efforts in their respective countries and communities. The friendships formed and the knowledge gained during these 11 days will continue to influence the future of Catholic youth leadership in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

CAYLA has set a new standard for leadership training, ensuring that young Catholics are not just learners but active leaders in change. With faith, dedication, and a heart for service, these young leaders are ready to tackle today’s challenges and bring about real social impact.

Through this powerful experience, CAYLA has become more than just a training program—a movement committed to shaping the future of faith-driven leadership and social transformation.

Chiangmai Global Governance Forum (CGGF), Outcomes and Recommendations for Future Action

Introduction

The Chiangmai Global Governance Forum (CGGF), held on January 13-15, 2025, in Chiangmai, Thailand, was organised by the Asia Civil Society Partnership for Sustainable Development (APSD), Asia Development Alliance (ADA), International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS/MIEC) Pax Romana, and the International Youth Training Center (IYTC). The forum brought together civil society organisations (CSOs), experts, and stakeholders to address global challenges, evaluate global meeting outcomes, and strategise collaborative solutions. Key themes included Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate justice, human rights, and economic equity. This report synthesises insights from forum discussions, presentations, and supporting documents to provide actionable recommendations.

1. Core Themes and Objectives

1.1 Economic Justice and Debt Crisis

The forum highlighted the urgent need for equitable economic systems to address the debt crisis plaguing many Global South countries:

• Key Issues:
  • Almost one-third of nations prioritise debt servicing over essential services like health and education.
  • Debt-driven climate finance perpetuates inequalities, with developing countries bearing undue burdens.
• Proposed Solutions:
  • Advocate for a UN Framework Convention on Sovereign Debt to institutionalise transparent debt-resolution mechanisms.
  • Mobilise grant-based climate finance to prevent additional debt while addressing adaptation, mitigation, and loss-and-damage needs.
  • Reform international financial systems to combat inequality and prioritise sustainability.

1.2 Climate Justice

COP29 outcomes underscored systemic challenges in achieving equitable climate finance:

• Key Challenges:
  • Insufficient commitments from developed nations, with reliance on loans exacerbating debt.
  • Market-driven solutions, including carbon trading, prioritise profitability over justice and equity.
• Recommendations:
  • Strengthen accountability mechanisms for commitments under the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF).
  • Push for enhanced transparency in financial disbursements at COP30, with clear benchmarks for adaptation and mitigation funding.
  • Advocate for marginalised communities’ inclusion in policy formation and grassroots-driven solutions.

1.3 Human Rights and Civic Space

The forum highlighted the critical importance of preserving civic space and safeguarding human rights:

• Key Challenges:
  • Restrictive legislation limiting CSO advocacy in many Asian countries.
  • Systemic discrimination against vulnerable populations, including women, indigenous groups, and LGBTQ+ communities.
• Proposed Actions:
  • Strengthen Universal Periodic Review (UPR) processes to hold governments accountable.
  • Advocate for the establishment of independent National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) that align with international standards.
  • Enhance regional human rights cooperation through ASEAN and other multilateral platforms.

1.4 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Progress on SDGs remains uneven, with significant gaps in localisation efforts and data collection:

• Focus Areas:
  • SDG 16+ (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) as a foundation for equitable governance.
  • Improved data mechanisms to track progress and identify implementation gaps.
• Recommendations:
  • Integrate SDG localisation into Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to enhance grassroots participation.
  • Promote regional partnerships, leveraging platforms like ASEAN to foster cross-border collaboration.

1.5 Youth Empowerment and Regional Cooperation

ASEAN’s youth-focused initiatives were recognised as pivotal to addressing regional and global challenges:

• Key Opportunities:
  • Programs like the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025 bridge digital divides, empowering youth in marginalised areas.
  • Youth engagement in areas like climate resilience and peacebuilding strengthens regional cohesion.
• Next Steps:
  • Ensure youth representation in policymaking bodies such as ASEAN+3 and the East Asia Summit.
  • Expand funding for youth-led innovation and advocacy programs.

2. Key Outputs and Outcomes

2.1 Global Advocacy Calendar for 2025

A unified advocacy calendar was developed to align CSO efforts across major global events, including:

• Financing for Development Conference (Sevilla, Spain, June 30 – July 3).
• World Social Summit (Qatar, November 4-6).
• COP30 (Brazil, November 10-21).
• G20 Summit (Johannesburg, November 20-23).

2.2 Pax Jubilee Campaign 2025-2027

This campaign focuses on:

• Advocating for systemic debt cancellation and promoting global economic reforms.
• Mobilising grassroots movements to demand climate and economic justice.

2.3 Advocacy and Mobilization Tools

• Creation of a People’s Scorecard to monitor SDG implementation independently.
• Enhanced regional dialogues to amplify marginalised voices and foster knowledge-sharing.

3. Challenges Identified

1. Systemic Inequities in Global Governance: Multilateral institutions remain skewed towards the interests of developed nations.
2. Climate Finance Gaps: The lack of predictable, grant-based climate finance leaves vulnerable nations struggling to adapt.
3. Shrinking Civic Spaces: Rising authoritarianism and restrictive laws limit advocacy efforts.
4. Youth Marginalization: Limited representation in global governance structures undermines their potential contributions.

4. Recommendations for Future Action

4.1 Institutional Reforms

• Advocate for the establishment of a new international financial architecture that prioritises equity and sustainability.
• Push for binding global agreements on tax reform and the elimination of illicit financial flows.

4.2 Climate Justice

• Ensure COP30 delivers robust, enforceable commitments to finance adaptation, mitigation, and loss-and-damage efforts.
• Develop inclusive processes that prioritise the voices of Global South nations and marginalised communities.

4.3 Strengthening Human Rights

• Use UPR processes to address human rights violations and promote civic space.
• Strengthen support for regional human rights mechanisms and advocacy networks.

4.4 Youth and Community Empowerment

• Expand investment in youth-led initiatives and grassroots innovation.
• Foster collaborations between regional organisations and global platforms to enhance local impacts.

5. Conclusion

The Chiangmai Global Governance Forum reaffirmed the importance of collaboration, inclusivity, and systemic reform in addressing global challenges. By fostering partnerships, amplifying marginalised voices, and championing transformative policies, the forum set a strong foundation for impactful actions in 2025 and beyond. Continued solidarity, proactive engagement, and accountability will be critical in realising the shared goals of peace, justice, and sustainability.

Chiangmai Catholic Civic (CCCF) Forum 2025: Uniting for Justice, Peace, and Youth Empowerment

January 16-18, 2025 | International Youth Training Centre (IYTC), Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai, Thailand—The Chiangmai Catholic Civic (CCC) Forum 2025, held from January 16 to 18 at the International Youth Training Center (IYTC) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, brought together youth leaders, faith-based organisations, academics, and civil society representatives from across the region. This gathering created a vibrant space for dialogue, collaboration, and action on some of today’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.

A Platform for Advocacy and Collaboration

The forum was organised by the International Youth Training Center (IYTC)-Laudato Si’ Center, the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) Pax Romana, and Pax Christi Korea (PCK) in partnership with like-minded organisations. It provided a crucial opportunity to reflect on key international events, such as the UN Summit of the Future (SOTF) and the Synod on Synodality, while strengthening the voice of Catholic civil society in global discussions.

The forum, which included in-person and virtual participation, gathered over 30 attendees and promoted conversations on social justice, environmental sustainability, and peacebuilding. A key highlight was developing a Collective Action Plan to enhance collaboration among Catholic organisations worldwide.

Major Initiatives from CCC 2025

1. Pax Jubilee Campaign: A Century of Spirituality in Action

The Pax Jubilee Campaign (PJC) aims to gather one million signatures and real-world commitments to justice, peace, and care for creation. This campaign commemorates the Jubilee Year 2025 and prepares for World Youth Day (WYD) 2027 in Seoul, Korea. It also connects to the Post-Synod on Synodality (2021-2024) and the Post-UN Summit of the Future (SOTF) 2024, answering the call of Pope Francis’ messages to Pax Romana IMCS in 2022 and 2024.

The signatures and commitments will be presented to Pope Francis at WYD 2027 and to the UN Secretary-General at the 3rd SDG Summit in New York (September 2027).

This campaign, organised by Pax Romana IMCS in collaboration with youth organisations worldwide, is a key part of the Pax Romana IMCS Centennial 7-Year Journey (2021-2027).

The campaign advocates for economic, social, and gender equality, climate justice, human rights, peace, and better global governance, reinforcing peace appeals made in Nagasaki, Rome, and Geneva (2024).

The key priorities focus on urgent, bold, and actionable changes, including three proposals from Pope Francis’ World Day of Peace message (January 1, 2025).

2. Catholic Peace Forum: Faith-Based Solutions for a Better World

The Catholic Peace Forum continues to serve as a hub for faith-based advocacy. Discussions at CCC 2025 emphasised three key themes:

Interfaith Dialogue: Strengthening relationships among religious communities to build peace and understanding.

Environmental Action: Mobilizing Catholic organisations to take concrete steps in line with Laudato Si’ to protect the planet.

Youth Leadership in Peacebuilding: Equipping young people with skills in conflict resolution, policy advocacy, and community activism.

A Commitment to Change

The CCC Forum 2025 reaffirmed its commitment to creating strong networks, fostering new partnerships, and amplifying Catholic voices in global decision-making. The launch of the Collective Action Plan marks the beginning of a transformative year dedicated to justice, peace, and sustainability through faith-driven action.

As these initiatives move forward, CCC 2025 stands as a testament to the power of unity and faith in creating a better world. The voices of young leaders and faith communities will continue to drive meaningful change, ensuring a future built on hope, justice, and solidarity.