Editing YMCA (section)

=== Middle East ===
==== Israel ====
[[File:UNSCOP SESSIONS AT THE YMCA IN JERUSALEM Wwwm8562.jpg|thumb|Many of the [[UNSCOP]] sessions to decide the fate of [[Mandatory Palestine|The British Mandate to Palestine]] were held at the [[Jerusalem]] YMCA.]]
In 1924, Archibald Clinton Harte, General Secretary of the International YMCA, raised the sum of one million dollars towards the construction of the building.<ref>{{Cite web|title = YMCA INTERNATIONAL WORK IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL: An Inventory of Its Records|url = http://special.lib.umn.edu/findaid/html/ymca/yusa0009x2x2.phtml|website = Kautz Family YMCA Archives|access-date = 2016-02-10|publication-place = University of Minnesota}}</ref> The Jerusalem YMCA was dedicated in 1933 with the words “Here is a place whose atmosphere is peace, where political and religious jealousies can be forgotten and international unity be fostered and developed.” Harte's home on the shores of [[Galilee]] was bequeathed to the [[Jerusalem International YMCA]] as an international conference facility.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Archibald Harte|url = http://www3.springfieldcollege.edu/homepage/dept.nsf/4E93DD891996606345256D1E002E387E/7BAB55A7C1BBFC64852573C4006FA854|access-date = 16 September 2022|archive-date = 17 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170117111434/http://www3.springfieldcollege.edu/homepage/dept.nsf/4E93DD891996606345256D1E002E387E/7BAB55A7C1BBFC64852573C4006FA854|url-status = dead}}</ref> The cornerstone was laid in 1928 by [[Herbert Plumer, 1st Viscount Plumer|Lord Plumer]], the British High Commissioner for [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]], on a plot of land in the West Nikephoria section of [[Jerusalem]], purchased from the [[Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem|Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem]].<ref name="ymcahis">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040604143215/http://www.jerusalemymca.org/ENG/History/History.html YMCA history]}}</ref> The building was designed by the American architect [[Arthur Loomis Harmon]] of [[Shreve, Lamb and Harmon]], who designed the [[Empire State Building]]. The Jerusalem YMCA housed the city's first heated swimming pool and first gymnasium with a wooden floor. The first concert broadcasts of the [[Voice of Israel]] radio station were transmitted from the YMCA auditorium.

In 1947, the YMCA was the venue of the [[UNSCOP]] talks leading up to the [[UN Partition Plan]].<ref>[https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1947v05/d778 The Consul General at Jerusalem (Macatee) to the Secretary of State]</ref> At the end of April 1948, the building was taken over by the [[International Red Cross]], which used it to shelter around 80 refugees. Two months later, it was used by the United Nations Mediation Committee headed by [[Folke Bernadotte|Count Bernadotte]] and then was taken over by the U.S. Consulate. In April 1949, the building was returned to YMCA.<ref name="ymcahis" />

==== Gaza ====
[[File:Jean Henri Dunant.jpg|thumb|[[Henry Dunant]]]]

In 1952, the YMCA in [[Gaza City]] was started with the support of the [[Egypt]] YMCA, and was a branch of the Egypt YMCA until 1967, when the [[Gaza Strip]] fell under [[Israel]]’s control following the [[Six-Day War]]. Since then, Gaza YMCA has not been associated with any national organization. YMCA Gaza has five major departments: sports, arts, welfare, preschool, and youth. The youth department consists of approximately 80 youth leaders between the ages of 15 and 25 years old.

Despite having a strong Christian identity, the YMCA in Gaza is well respected in the Muslim community. The majority of YMCA attendees are Muslim. The staff are both Muslim and Christian, and the elected board is 100% Christian to balance inclusiveness without losing the YMCA’s Christian identity. The YMCA teaches youth about [[religious tolerance]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-11-16 |title=Occupied Palestinian territory: Report from the International YMCA-YWCA Observer: No. 17 - Gaza - why do you want to go there? - occupied Palestinian territory {{!}} ReliefWeb |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/occupied-palestinian-territory-report-international-ymca-ywc-0 |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=reliefweb.int |language=en}}</ref> In 2021, Gaza's YMCA served 1,800 youth.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-12 |title=YMCA Gaza: thriving beyond despair |url=https://www.ymca.int/ymca-gaza-thriving-beyond-despair/ |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=World YMCA |language=en-US}}</ref>

In October, November, and December of 2023, the YMCA in Gaza was used as a shelter for hundreds of people from the attacks on Gaza by Israel. On the 17th of December, the building was bombarded and destroyed by Israel, with reports of wounded and killed civilians. The next day, the World YMCA posted a response saying, 
“The World YMCA strongly condemns this horrific attack on civilians and calls on the Israeli government to stop its acts of indiscriminate violence which can only deepen division and which are causing such trauma. Violence begets violence. End it now.”<ref name="YMCA">{{cite web |title=YMCA building in Gaza City hit |url=https://www.ymca.int/ymca-gaza-is-hit/ |website=World YMCA |access-date=18 Dec 2023}}</ref>