Geneva, June 2025 — At the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), the International Young Christian Workers (IYCW) brought the lived realities of young informal workers to the global stage. The movement participated in both the plenary sessions and the Workers’ Group Commission of the Committee on “Innovative approaches to addressing informality and promoting the transition to formality for decent work.”

In the context of the Chilean military dictatorship (1973-1990), in 1982, at the age of 20, Jorge was unemployed and selling Berliner doughnuts outside a polyclinic in the city of Talca, in Chile's seventh region.

This is where his journey with the YCW began.

It was through Belgian deacon Guido Gossens and his partner Luz María Troncoso that he was invited to join the Young Christian Workers movement. A few life stories and being valued as a young worker were enough to spark his commitment. He started bringing together young people from the neighborhood, some who were working and others who were unemployed, forming a core group of initiates who, after carrying out various actions, were able to participate as activists in different meetings and enlarged gatherings, which in turn formed new bases that strengthened the national movement.

As part of the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the YCW in Laeken, Belgium, we had the great pleasure of listening to inspiring testimonies from young leaders who are keeping the movement's legacy alive today. Their speeches highlighted how their involvement in the YCW is transforming their personal lives while enabling them to take concrete action to change society.

These voices represent thousands of young people around the world who, through their local actions, are fueling an international movement for transformation, dignity, and justice.