All Ceylon YMMA Conference 61st Annual Convention on Sunday

By Ruzaik Farook

The All Ceylon YMMA Conference primarily is a youth and youth serving community based organisation founded on the 30 April 1950 with 17 YMMA branches coming under one umbrella under the distinguished leadership of late Al-Haj Dr. A. M. A. Azeez (Ceylon civil service) as founder national president with late Al-Haj Lafir Cassim as the founder national general secretary.

The All Ceylon YMMA Conference is incorporated by an Act of Parliament No. 31 of 1968 and is declared as an approved charitable institution by the Ministry of Finance. During the course of the last 55 years it has served the Muslim community and the country in numerous ways by promoting activities in every field of endeavour while contributing to the building of a healthy, vigorous and intelligent youth movement. It has imbibed into our young men a sense of dedication and service to the community and country. It has provided opportunities and awareness to develop their skills and talents within the framework of Islamic teaching and the culture of our country.

It has spotlighted the poverty and illiteracy among the large sections of our community and endeavoured to minimise these by practical and realistic measures in various other ways. It has raised the status of the people of this country in equal terms to build a united, happy peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka.

The All Ceylon YMMA Conference is national in outlook with 102 branches spread over the length and breadth of Sri Lanka, having its national headquarters at No. 63. Sri Vajiragnana Mawatha, Colombo 9. The central administration with the infra structure facilities handled by permanent staff is also housed at the national head quarters.

The board of trustees, a permanent body under a Chairman comprising of all past presidents are the custodians of all funds and assets of the organisation. They are also in charge of the recruitment of the staff, basically play the role of advisors.

 The key officials of the organisation the (national president, national general secretary and the national general treasurer) are ex- officio members of the board of trustees linking the executive committee and the board of trustees.

The executive committee comprises of the national president who is the head of the organisation, the national general secretary (the chief executive officer), the national general treasurer, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, eleven member YMMAs (branches), and eleven special members, all of who are elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. The past national presidentsIpast national general secretaries/past national treasurers are members of the executive committee by virtue of office.

The executive committee is responsible for the operation and implementation of all activities/ projects and programmes of the conference.

The main focus of the executive committee’s activities are:

1. Education/scholarship

2. Socio-economic development — poverty alleviation/job bank

3. Social justice/human rights/national integration advocacy role

4. Leadership training/vocational trainingIcareer guidance

The All Ceylon YMMA Conference has its own constitution. Accordingly the Annual General Meeting democratically elects the office bearers, adopts the annual report and accepts the annual audited statement of accounts.

In YMMA Conference’s 56 years of service, it has produced 42 national presidents, adopted 56 annual reports and has submitted 54 audited statements of accounts.

The Central Council comprises of the entire membership and is the policy making body.

The members of the central council also attend the AGM to elect the office bearers. The All Ceylon YMMA Conference in its plan to decentralise the administration, has established many regional administrative centers under a regional director and regional chairman to be in charge of the regional operations.

The All Ceylon YMMA Conference eschews party politics and has the support and acceptance of all governments and of all political parties.

 It also has very good connections with many embassies and high commissions resulting in the YMMA Conference being consulted by the diplomatic corps on various community and national issues.

 The conference has good connections with many international funding agencies which has brought in funds and co-operation to our people.

The membership is a mix of the young and elders, blending together in its day to day operations, comprising of — academics /professionals/doctors/lawyers /accountants/ marketers/teachers/businessmen and traders.

The conference has its own residential training centre in the Wayamba District.

The Government in recognition of the services of the conference issued a stamp for the Golden Jubilee Celebration in the year 2000.