We were 24 participants coming from Japan. We left Japan on April 29, 2025 and we arrived at Brussels, Belgium on April 30,2025.

Aoi Kikuchi, our delegate who would join the leadership seminar in Germany (May 5-8), and I separated from the group once we left the airport. I am the one translating things from English to Japanese. We were housed at Destelheide, Dworp which was kilometers away from Brussels. We were in Belgium for the celebration of the 100th year anniversary of the international foundation of Young Christian Workers’ movement. It was started by Joseph Cardinal Cardijn as a local group at Notre Dame of Laeken Parish in 1912 but only was recognized by Vatican in 1925.

On May 1, we met at Place Benoit Willems and had a brief program before proceeding to Notre Dame of Laeken church for the opening ceremony of the centennial celebration. The founder of Young Christian Workers’ movement, Joseph Cardinal Cardijn, is a buried in the church. In the opening ceremony, the young workers shared their experience of long hours of work yet receiving a salary which is not enough for their daily needs, having to endure stress from long hours of travel time just to get to their workplace, spending day off alone because most of your friends do not have the same day off as you have and also the uncertainty of having a job. The reality of the young worker’s might not have good changes from the time of Joseph Cardijn.

On May 2, we had the public forum in two places. Our delegation joined the theme on “Resisting the Rise of Right Wing Ideologies: Defending the rights of migrants, workers and gender justice”. We had several speakers and we were allowed to share our realities to several countries. We had the Australian delegate as our partner to share our reality. We met again in the big hall for reports on the small group discussion. We were concern about the treatment of the government and society on foreign workers. They receive less salary than ordinary workers yet do the same work as the others in the work place. They also experience discrimination. We shared in the big group our dreams for a world free from ideologies and ended the forum with concrete actions to stop right wing ideologies to spread.

On May 3, we had the international youth festival at Bautershof, Sint-Truiden. The young people had booths to show their campaigns for a dignified life and humane work place and achievements for their national movements. 

On May 4, we had our day off. Aoi and I decided to visit Grand Place, famous big plaza in Brussels. 

On May 5-7, Aoi and I had to travel to Konzgenhaus, Haltern am see, Germany. The young leaders and the adults and former members had the inter generational dialogue and leadership seminar. We walk about finances, network building, methodology of SEE-JUDGE-ACT, roles of adult collaboration and former members. 

Aoi had to travel back to Japan on May 8. In that meeting, the “more experienced adults” learned a lot from the young workers about the present reality in the workplace and their lives as the young people were animated by the enthusiasm and the “never-let-die” attitude of the “more experienced adults”. 

From May 8-10 the adult collaborators, chaplains and former members talked about how we can support the movement. 

May 11- we met in Aeropolis, Schaerbeek, Belgium to report about the exchange of young workers while we reported on our sharing from May 8-10 

May 12- we shared our commitment to YCW and had a closing Eucharist at the Beguinage church before proceeding to the parish hall of St Catherine Church.

Returning to Japan, I was struck by the sparkle of hope in the eyes of the young workers I met and how enthusiastic they are of the action that they are doing to change their reality. I am amazed that the grim situation that they experience in the workplace, in their family or in the society does not affect them. I am proud to be part of the experience of how these young workers strive to achieve their dreams little by little.