Four national movements were newly affiliated to the World Student Christian Federation at the 34th General Assembly today. Notice of applications for affiliation came from the Student Christian Movements of Timor Leste, ICYC Iraq, MEC Equidad Mexico and Brazil were welcomed by applause and cheering from the floor of the Assembly this morning,

as the plenary heard the report of the Nominations Committee on the suitability of the candidate movements.

Two well-established associate Latin American movements – the MEC Equidad Mexico and MEET Brazil, made applications to upgrade their status to affiliate members at this GA, while the two movements from Iraq and Timor Leste were applying for the first time, having been in formation since the previous General Assembly in 2004.

Chair of the Nominations committee, Prof. Wong Wai Ching, explained how the four movements had each been examined to assess their suitability for affiliation to the Federation and had been found to qualify. Each national movement had shown that its aims, work and nature were in full harmony with the aim of the Federation, which calls students to witness to God and God’s coming reign of justice and peace within the academic community and beyond.

Prof. Wong explained how the four movements had also proven they complied with the regulations on numbers of branches per country and all had branches in institutions of higher education. In addition, each of the movements had met the final important qualification of demonstrating sufficent levels of stability, strength and growth.

WSCF Vice-chairperson Ms. Adèle Djomo Ngomedje announced the vote on affiliation, reflecting that from an African cultural perspective it is a great joy to receive new members into the family.

The Assembly confirmed its acceptance of the four new affiliations, by standing to applaud and cheer the movements’ delegates, Mr Francisco Soares (MEC Timor Leste), Ms. Helivete Bezerra (MEET Brazil), Mr Fady Amin (ICYC Iraq) and Mr. Juan Luis Loza Leon (MEC por la Equidad) as they rose to the floor of the Assembly and moved to the podium to be presented with blue Assembly name tags identifing them as voting delegates on behalf of their newly affiliated movements.

Photo : Delegates of the newly affiliated movements are from left: Juan Luis Loza Leon (Movimiento Estudiantil Cristiano por la Equidad México), Ms Helivete Bezerra (Movimento Ecumenico de Estudantes de Teologia Brasil), Mr Francisco Soares (Movimento Estudante Cristao Timor Leste) and Mr Fady Amin (Iraq Christian Youth Committee).