ONE VOICE, SIX REGIONS: THE GLOBAL WUJA SURVEY THAT IS REVOLUTIONIZING THE PATH TO YOGYAKARTA 2026
Have you ever wondered what a Jesuit alumnus in Kinshasa or Sevilla is thinking, what worries a graduate in Guayaquilor in Los Angeles, or what a young professional in Jakarta or Kolkata dreams of? Now we have clues . And they are revealing. The WUJA Pre-Congress Global Survey, an unprecedented and pioneer exercise in listening, completed its first phase this last quarter of 2025 , and the results paint a vibrant, complex, and wide portrait of our global family.
Over 800 voices—from the valleys of Peru to the metropolises of East Asia, from schools in India to European capitals, from institutions in North America to communities in Africa —have spoken. This was not a simple form; it was a structured dialogue with meaningful questions:
- Which Apostolic Preference burns in your region today?
- What social wound can you not ignore?
- Where is your association succeeding?
The responses analyzed now form the collective roadmap for the World 2026 Congress in Yogyakarta.
A MOSAIC OF PRIORITIES: FAITH, THE EXCLUDED, AND YOUTH IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The first surprise comes from analyzing the Universal Apostolic Preferences. There is no monolithic consensus but a fascinating geographical map of commitment.
In North America, hit by polarization and a housing crisis, the cry is clear: “Walking with the Excluded” is the top priority. In Central and South America and also in Africa, the scale tips the opposite way. Amidst the corruption, violence, and economic instability cited as open wounds, the priority is “Showing the Way to God.” It is a search for hope and spiritual meaning in the face of social fracture.
In India the main focus is in “ Ethical leadership & Civic responsibility “ and in Indonesia the “Corruption and Economic instability”
Europe, concerned about the fragmentation of values and the future of its youth, places “Journeying with Youth” at the top. The young people of the global network send a powerful message: for them, the most urgent UAP is “Caring for Our Common Home.”
THE SOCIAL DIAGNOSIS: CORRUPTION, INSTABILITY, POLARIZATION, AND THE ETHICAL CRISIS
When asked about the main social problem, the diagnosis is harsh but clear. Corruption and democratic backsliding are shared concerning from Latin America to Southeast Asia. Political polarization tears the social fabric in North America and Europe. Economic instability and inequality are recurring ghosts. These are the “signs of the times” that, as a network, we are called to address.
THE TRIPLE ORGANIZATIONAL CRY: “CONNECT US, STRUCTURE US, RENEW US!”
Beyond regional differences, a unanimous voice emerges about how WUJA must be strengthened. It is a three-part message for the Congress organizers:
Digital Connectivity, Now : The demand for a single, functional global platform is overwhelming. The network feels fragmented, dependent on sporadic events. “Without a digital tool that unites us beyond WhatsApp and email, we are islands,” summarizes the sentiment of many.
Solid Governance : No more ‘Lone Heroes’ .The era of associations that live and die by the charisma of one leader is over. There is a global demand for updating statutes, participative elections, and financial sustainability.
New Blood is Vital: The urgency to integrate young people -under 35- cuts across all reports. Not as secondary guests, but as leaders with their own space. “If we don’t give them a real seat at the table, this network has an expiration date,” We all do agree.
YOGYAKARTA 2026: THE MEETING POINT
These are not just data for a chart. They are stories, anxieties, and aspirations that will reach Indonesia. They will fuel the workshops, inform the speeches, and form the basis of the mandates coming from the Congress. The survey has done its job: it has shown that, although we speak dozens of languages and face different challenges, we share a common Ignatian DNA and a fierce will to be, together, Companions in Mission. The journey to Yogyakarta has just become much more significant.