Italy (officially the Italian Republic) is located in Southern Europe and encompasses two of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. It is bordered by France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and the independent states of San Marino and Vatican City.
Italy has the fourth-largest population in the European Union and has been the home of many European cultures, particularly the Etruscans and the Romans. Rome, its capital, was for centuries the center of Western civilization. Today, Italy is a founding member of the European Union and a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The YMCA of Italy
The Italian Federation of Young Men's Christian Associations is a non- profit, volunteer-driven organization based in Rome. Founded in 1851 in the northern region of Piemonte, the YMCA has expanded across Italy to serve more than 56,000 members in 35 associations through programs such as sports, camping, child care, afterschool activities and community work. During World War II, the YMCA of Italy, like many European YMCAs, received significant support from the U.S. YMCA movement to continue
its work amidst difficult circumstances.
The Y-Camps program was the first camping program in Italy. Y-Camps integrate camping and education as a holistic approach to leadership development. The camping program enhances the Italian YMCA's values of freedom, tolerance, friendship and understanding among the participants.
The YMCA of Italy also plays an active role in YMCA global work, with emphasis in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Africa, by supporting international trainings, seminars and exchanges for youth and young adults.
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To learn more about YMCA work around the world, visit www.ymca.net/worldservice.
