Campacity 2025 took place from March 27 – 30 in Brandenburg am Havel, Germany. The third annual camp capacity building conference was held in PerspektivFabrik Camp, involving 65 participants from 16 countries. Made possible through the joint efforts of YMCA Europe and YMCA of the USA, Campacity 2025 brought together passionate camp leaders to share experiences and practices with a special focus on trauma healing and resilience building for refugees affected by conflict.
Prior to the conference, the planning team and US delegates had a chance to spend three days in Berlin for the pre-event gathering, from March 24-27, hosted by YMCA Germany with a warm welcome from Juan Simoes Iglesias, Secretary General of YMCA Europe, Gerhard Wiebe, International Executive Officer, and Hansjörg Kopp, General Secretary of CVJM Germany. The pre-event days in Berlin involved meetings with major funding-partner of YMCA Europe – Bread for the World, to showcase the impact of the long-lasting partnership and discuss future goals for cooperation. YMCA of the USA partook in a City Quest and had the opportunity to visit Berlin YMCA where they learned about the youth and community work the association led and their impressive tree-house camps. YMCA Europe Executive Secretary Vardan Hambardzumyan introduced the “Do No Harm” methodology focused on conflict sensitivity to aid organizations. One of the highlights of the pre-event was the gathering in the Chapel of Reconciliation and joint contemplation upon the recent shared history and the significance of the work we do during the times of division, mistrust and widespread hate.
Campacity 2025 commenced with positive energy and readiness to share expertise, learn from one another, and reinforce the common mission and vision for YMCA camps worldwide. Participants had the opportunity to engage in interactive workshops ranging from creating inclusive environments, trauma awareness, staff and volunteer recruitment to Bringing Philanthropic Culture, Strategic Planning, camp building and sending and receiving international counselors and campers. There was also a variety of sharing from across the European continent from Northern Ireland to North Macedonia and beyond to Georgia!
Other highlights included the Camp marketplace where each camp showcased their programs, merch and activities and a joint cultural night hosted by CVJM. This saw over 110 participants from Campacity but also the team from the host camp and members from the local YMCA in Brandenburg partake in classic German games, cultural dances And a silent auction with funds raised for YMCA Ukraine.
To close out the cultural evening Alex from Iowa presented a 1936 friendship touch that had travelled from a peace event in Helsinki, Finland to his camp in Iowa- where it had remained. He presented this to Executive Secretary Vardan Hambardzumyan, who then passed the torch on to YMCA Kosovo in a symbolic moment of heritage, togetherness and friendship. The torch will visit the camp in Pjetershan, Kosovo before moving on to another camp in the world- Traditions started and passed on at this year’s Campacity!
We also had excellent plenary sessions led by YMCA Europe and YMCA Ukraine- with a stark reminder of the realities our YMCAs continue to face. There was an International partnership panel which highlighted camp partnerships all around the globe from San Diego to Peru, Kosovo to Canada and Spain to the USA. The final morning saw a high level theory of change panel where we together looked forward and over our shoulders on what the future of a camping platform/network could and should be.
In addition to plenary and workshops, peacebuilding was again a crucial element of the event. Participants got to use the Campacity Blog tree tool and be part of homegroups, there was also archery and forest cooking alongside messages of the day and an evening programme. This years programme was packed full of choice and options.
“Campacity is the ability to build bridges internationally to build a better camping world for everyone”
Campacity continues to unite people from all over the world who not only want to make a difference in camping culture but the world as a whole. Through shared values, beliefs, and hopes for the future, we can join forces for a better tomorrow. As the dust settles on this year’s Campacity, planning and conversations have already started for the 2026 addition.
