Young peace activists gather at CCA headquarters in Chiang Mai to prepare as Ambassadors of Peace in Asia

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

No preference updated.

08 September 2025

Participants of YAPA - 2025

Chiang Mai, Thailand: The annual Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA) training, organised by the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), commenced today, 8 September 2025, at the CCA headquarters in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Centred on the theme “Sustaining Peace in Asia through Religious Cooperation (SPARC)”, the week-long training began with an interfaith service.

YAPA-2025 has brought together 30 young peace activists from across Asia, representing diverse faith traditions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Indigenous religions, and agnostics.

Dr Mathews George Chunakara, CCA General Secretary opened the programme and outlined the objectives of the training. He stated at the outset that to build and establish communities of peace in Asia, it is essential, critical, and imperative to train new generations of peace activists committed to the cause of peace with justice.

Reflecting on the rationale behind initiating YAPA nine years ago, Dr Chunakara noted that the programme provides a common platform for young Asians, regardless of religion or ethnicity, to be trained as prospective peace activists and to work together across diverse traditions, emphasising that peace cannot emerge from one religious perspective alone.

“Asia is home to a mosaic of cultures, contexts, and ethnicities. Religion here plays a vital role in fuelling hatred and division, while religious leaders claim peace. What we see in Asia today is the politicisation of religion and the religionisation of politics. It is in this context that YAPA seeks to highlight the importance of building youth leadership, enabling young leaders to become ambassadors of peace,” added the CCA General Secretary.

The thematic session on “Meaning of Peace and Conceptual Framework of Peacebuilding,” was led by internationally acclaimed Gandhian peace educator and activist Prof. Dr M. P. Mathai.

“YAPA has a very clear objective—to prepare you as ambassadors of peace,” Dr Mathai told the prospective young peace promoters. “Mere diplomacy cannot resolve geopolitical tensions. YAPA, therefore, aims to nurture ambassadors of peace. In this sense, it carries not only an academic dimension but also an activist one.”

Setting the tone for the discussions in the days ahead, Dr Mathai added, “Peace is not as simple as the term appears to be. It is a complex concept with many dimensions and layers. Therefore, to be a true ambassador of peace, you have to understand what peace really means.”

Participants will attend thematic sessions, workshops, and participate in exposure visits to a Sikh Gurudwara and the Buddhist Institute in Chiang Mai for dialogue with religious leaders.

For photos of the Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia 2025, please click here.