PANAJI
A youth hailing from Arambol who is actively involved in church and youth activities in Goa was among two youth representing India at the FIMCAP Fabulous Five (FFF) Weekend 2025, from October 10 to 12 in Westmalle-Antwerp, Belgium.
FIMCAP (International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements) is a global network of Catholic youth organisations that empowers young people in faith, leadership, and social engagement.
Joel Mendonsa from Goa and Vance D’Souza from Udupi were among the youth leaders from across the world attending the FFF Weekend to discuss and plan FIMCAP’s initiatives for the next three years, under the theme of youth well-being.
This theme focuses on four pillars: mental, physical, spiritual, and relational well-being.
[From L to R] Vance D’Souza from Udupi and Joel Mendonsa from Goa represented India at the youth meet in Antwerp-Belgium.
Joel participated as part of the Spirituality & Faith group, contributing to discussions on supporting young people’s holistic growth, while Vance was part of the Communication group, helping plan outreach and engagement strategies.
Other FIMCAP groups, including the Intercontinental Bureau, Finance, Pool of Trainers, and Policy Pool, also collaborated to shape programmes and strategies aligned with these pillars.
The participation of Mendonsa and D’Souza highlights India’s growing presence in international Catholic youth networks and underscores the global commitment to promoting the well-being of young people in faith, leadership, and community engagement.
“The weekend was inspiring — being part of these discussions with youth leaders from different countries showed us the impact we can have together,” said Joel, a freelance musician by profession.
