The National Youth Leadership Summit 2026 commenced with great enthusiasm and spiritual fervour on 22nd May 2026 at Nava Spoorthi Kendra, Bangalore, bringing together young leaders, animators, and delegates from different regions under the inspiring theme: “YES 2026 – Youth. Empowered. Sent.” The RYM Summit ends on 24th of May evening.
The first day began with the solemn celebration of the Holy Eucharist presided over by Fr. Edward Joseph, Provincial Superior, invoking God’s blessings upon all the participants and the entire summit. In his homily, he encouraged the youth to become courageous witnesses of Christ and active missionaries in today’s rapidly changing world.
Following the Holy Mass, a vibrant symbolic procession of youth delegates added colour and meaning to the gathering, representing unity, diversity, and the shared mission of young people in the Church. The inauguration ceremony continued with the meaningful act of watering the seeds of hope, symbolizing the nurturing of young leaders who are called to grow in faith, service, and leadership.
The official inaugural address was delivered by Fr. Edward, CSsR, who highlighted the urgent need to empower youth with spiritual depth, social responsibility, and missionary zeal. He challenged the participants to become agents of hope and transformation in society.
A lively photo session followed, capturing memorable moments of fellowship and joy among the delegates.
The day’s intellectual and formative sessions were rich and engaging. Fr. Robin delivered a thought-provoking session on “Youth in the Age of AI: Digital Holiness, Evangelization & Leadership,” encouraging participants to use technology responsibly and become authentic digital witnesses of the Gospel.
Mr. Sandeep Menezes led an inspiring session on “Redemptorist Spirituality for Youth Leaders,” helping participants understand the importance of compassion, mission, and accompaniment in youth ministry.
The leadership training session by Dr. Deepa, titled “Youth Voice Matters!”, motivated the youth to recognize their potential, express their ideas confidently, and actively participate in leadership and decision-making processes.
Adding a practical digital dimension to the summit, Mr. Sreejith Sivan introduced the new RYVM App (Nas.io) through his session “Young Digital Missionaries.” The session opened new possibilities for youth networking, evangelization, and digital collaboration.
The energy levels remained high during the interactive and engaging session by Mr. Valerian Menezes on “Level Up Leadership: Games, Challenges & Growth.” Through fun activities and leadership games, participants learned the values of teamwork, communication, creativity, and problem-solving.
The day concluded on a deeply spiritual and joyful note with Eucharistic Adoration, allowing participants to spend quiet moments with the Lord in prayer and reflection. Later, the delegates gathered around a lively campfire, sharing songs, laughter, and fellowship before ending the day with dinner.
Though the schedule was hectic and packed with activities, the first day proved to be immensely fruitful, inspiring, and enriching for all the participants. The summit successfully created an atmosphere of prayer, learning, leadership formation, and youthful enthusiasm, setting a strong foundation for the days ahead.
Fr. Peter Balaswamy C.Ss.R.
