To the Youth Assembly community,

We strive to uphold human dignity, equality, and diversity in our workplace, in our programs, and with the global youth community that we serve. Our team, alumni, and Youth Assembly delegates represent diverse backgrounds and are coming from different regions across the globe – all seeking to promote mutual understanding and cooperation beyond our differences.

Our mission is to empower youth to become the leaders and changemakers who will strive together to create a sustainable world free of war, oppression, exclusion, and poverty. Through a worldwide network, programs, and services, we are harnessing the power of friendship as a catalyst for greater understanding, shared learning, and sustainable action.

As such, we are deeply devastated and share the world’s grief and outrage over the tragic death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black Americans in the backdrop of a long history of racial injustice in the United States.

We are navigating through the most challenging global health crisis of our time, which has exposed deep-rooted social disparities across the globe. The #BlackLivesMatter movement brings an opportunity to promote a more meaningful dialogue, to support and amplify the voices of minorities, and to stand against racism as well as injustice, violence, and harassment in any shape or form.

We stand in solidarity with the Black community and remain committed to developing young changemakers who lead with compassion and respect towards all mankind, who lead through change, and most importantly who lead in the spirit of friendship.