The inaugural edition of Youth ROARCH Camp took place from 21 to 23 July near London, bringing together 35 Romanian children and teenagers from several parishes of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Participants spent three days in the countryside, camped in tents, took part in sports activities, and attended workshops focused on teamwork, communication and personal development.
The programme also included times of prayer, spiritual reflection and discussions about friendship, faith and the involvement of young people in parish life. Participants also had the opportunity to meet and speak with Protosyncellus Dionisie Stan, the Archdiocese’s Secretary.
The project was organised by the Archdiocesan Youth Department and was open to children and young people aged 12 to 18.
Camp reflections: “See you next year!”
At the end of the camp, participants expressed their enthusiasm and desire to return.
“What I enjoyed most was the Divine Liturgy celebrated outdoors. It was a unique experience, and I found it very inspiring,” said Sophie, one of the participants.
“Youth ROARCH taught us that God unites us beyond our different customs, beyond the language we speak and beyond our culture. We can learn from one another and enjoy being together,” said Andreea, another participant.
“The most beautiful part was seeing young people with the same values and the same faith meet for the first time and become friends in such a beautiful place,” said Hanna, a volunteer from St. Stylianos and St. Catherine Parish in Reading.
The first edition concluded with participants expressing their hope of meeting again at the next camp, sharing the message: “See you next year!”
Forming young people in the diaspora
Youth ROARCH Camp was conceived as a project to help young Romanians in the diaspora get to know one another, strengthen their ties with the Church and experience the Orthodox faith together.
According to the Archdiocese, its youth ministry seeks to form a generation that lives the Orthodox faith consciously and responsibly while becoming actively involved in parish life.
The camp forms part of the 2026 programme of the Archdiocesan Youth Department, alongside youth camps, pilgrimages, educational projects and cultural activities for children and young people.
Photo: roarch.org.uk
