Dare to Reshape the World

August 12-14, 2022 at the Convene Center in New York City, USA

The 27th Session of The AFS Youth Assembly (August 12-14, 2022 in New York City) cultivated a global network of young leaders and changemakers through exchange, education, action and impact. Hundreds of dynamic young global citizens from 76 countries gathered in New York City aspiring to reshape the world and take important actions towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.We focused on four core areas where there are urgent challenges and exciting potential for young people to take action: Youth, Global Health, Global Citizenship, Technology and Inclusion.

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Explore the 27th AFS Youth Assembly in Pictures

  1. Day 1

  2. Day 2

  3. Day 3

  4. International Affairs Program Package

  5. Changemakers Program Package

  6. Educators Workshop

Delegate Opportunities

2 afs award

AFS Award for Young Global Citizens

Noel Ifeanyi Alumona from Nigeria won the AFS Award for Young Global Citizens for his project Boys Champions, giving young boys the opportunities they need to become agents of peace. Second place winners of the AFS Award were Mariana Gabrielle Cangco Reyes for her project Daluyong: a Coral Restoration and Clean-up Project, and Larissa del Pilar Cevallos Perez for her Project Hub United Peruvian Youth. Special recognition was given to Rugsal Trading, a project from Sierra Leone, led by Alhaji Siraj Bah.

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File 9

Outstanding Youth Delegate Award

The 2022 Outstanding Youth Delegate Award was presented to Nadine Khaouli from Lebanon for excellent skills, experiences and achievements related to youth engagement. Her project, Kafe be Kafak, is an independent youth-led initiative that was established by a group of young leaders in Lebanon back in April 2020 to help people in need in response to the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, the COVID-19 pandemic and the huge economic crisis that Lebanon is facing.

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4 ambassadors

Youth Assembly Ambassadors

31 young leaders from around the world were selected as Ambassadors to the 27th Session of The Youth Assembly, which took place in 2022 in New York City under the theme “Dare to Reshape the World.” These young people will champion the mission of The Youth Assembly in their communities and further develop their leadership and social impact skills at the event.

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Program

The theme of the 27th Session of The Youth Assembly is “Dare to Reshape the World.” Through discussions, skill-building workshops, networking, and ideation challenges, and with the support of experts and practitioners in the field, young attendees will gain the relevant resources and opportunities they need to reshape the world.

The program agenda focused on four core areas where there are urgent challenges and exciting potential for young people to take action, aligning with the United Nations Secretary General’s Report on Our Common Agenda:

  • Track 1: Youth: Peace and Politics; Education and Climate action;
  • Track 2: Global Health: Mental health and Covid-19; effects on Marginalized populations;
  • Track 3: Global Citizenship: Leadership and Resilience in today’s world;
  • Track 4: Technology and Inclusion: Technology and Artificial intelligence.

August 13 Sessions   |   August 14 Sessions

Read the Concept Note

Venue: United Nations
International Youth Day Celebration

6:30 PM Call to Order

6:35 PM Opening performance

  • Ms. Drew Olivia Tillman, Singer, Actress, and Song Writer

6:40 PM Introduction

  • Ms. Yumna Khan, Manager of the Youth Assembly, AFS Intercultural Programs 

6:45 PM Opening Address

  • Mr. Daniel Obst, CEO and President, AFS Intercultural Programs 

6:50 PM Welcome Remarks

  • Video message from Mr. António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations for the International Day of Youth
  • Video message from Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth for the International Day of Youth
  • Mr. Robert Skinner, Deputy Director and Chief of Partnerships and Global Engagement, UN Department of of Global Communications 
  • Mr. Chris Williams, Director of New York Office, UN-Habitat (video)

7:20 PM International Youth Day (Panel)

  • Moderator: Mr. Ali Mustafa, AFS Consultant, UN Affairs
  • Ms. Klevisa Kovaci, Humanitarian Response, Save the Children and Montage Initiative
  • Wantoe T. Wantoe, NGO Youth Representative to the UN, Sisters of Charity Federation, Youth Assembly Alumni and Awardee
  • Ms. Veronica Boix Mansilla, Principal Investigator, Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education; and Trustee at AFS Intercultural Programs

8:05 PM Keynote Speech

  • Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, Fellow of the Robert Bosch Academy, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador and Former President of the UN General Assembly (video)

8:15 PM Closing Remarks

  • Ms. Amalie Ferdinand, Chair of Board of Trustees, AFS Intercultural Programs
  • Sir Tony Blair, Executive Chairman, Former Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (video)

8:25 PM New York City Mayoral Proclamation Award

  • Mr. Dilip Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Innovation

8:30 PM AFS Award for Young Global Citizens Finalists Announcement

8:35 PM Program Overview & Important Announcements

Featured speakers

Since 2004, our most notable speakers have included UN leaders and senior staff, celebrities, and other luminaries from civil society and the private sector. Meet the speakers who will join us at the 27th Session of the Youth Assembly in New York City.

Meet the speakers

Past events & delegates

  1. Our Webinars

  2. Past Youth Assemblies

  3. Our Alumni