Un cuerpo cristiano y panamericano: el Instituto Técnico Continental de la Federación Sudamericana de Asociaciones Cristianas de Jóvenes en Montevideo, 1920-1950

Objective: To analyze the first decades of a Christian-inspired pedagogical project focused on the training of physical education instructors and administrative staff for Young Men’s Christian Associations (YMCAs) in South America. The article also seeks to understand the technical and institutional networks that supported the Continental Technical Institute (ITC) and the participation of its graduates in local debates on sports and recreation policies. Methodology: Using primary sources from the ITC, documentary collections from some South American YMCAs, and the archive of the American YMCA, the article examines the institute’s objectives, the trajectories of its graduates, and the circulation of pedagogical ideas in the Pan-American circuit that shaped the YMCA during the first half of the 20th century. Originality: This research stands out for its historiographical approach and transnational perspective, combining primary sources from various institutions across the continent. This allows for a more complete and complex view of the establishment, implementation, and consolidation of a regional educational project. Conclusions: This paper discusses the expansion of a Pan-American liberal project for the promotion of physical culture and the use of free time. It identifies the achievements in consolidating this model, as well as the obstacles it faced in taking full root among postwar South American youth.