Young Active Global Citizens Day – Daring to Create Change

More on the conference agenda

The most important stakeholder group in discussions about Active Global Citizenship and how to educate for it is youth. Not only are they those most directly affected by our education systems, policies, and practices, but youth are also the ones who will tackle the greatest challenges our world is facing.

The Young Active Global Citizens Day will empower the next generation of Active Global Citizens through skill-building workshops, discussions with experts, networking opportunities and field visits to organizations addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with innovative approaches.

Together with our partners at Concordia University, World Youth Council, and New Cities, AFS will bring together up to 35 inspiring youth leaders (ages 18 to 35) on 9 October as part of the pre-conference events in Montreal. It is a unique event organized and facilitated by young leaders and changemakers.

After spending a day with like-minded peers, engaging in in-depth discussions and developing their global competencies, the young leaders will then take the stage and join the discussions at the AFS Global Conference. As a part of the Young Active Global Citizens Day program, participants will have a chance to visit LIVE Center at Concordia to learn about University initiatives in engaging students in volunteering and the office of New Cities (NewCities.org) to discover innovative approach in building sustainable cities

Guest speakers

Bushra Ebadi a social innovator focused on designing sustainable, innovative solutions to complex global challenges using her multidisciplinary background and skills in design and systems thinking, policy analysis and mixed methods research. She has co-created refugee housing and integration strategies for arrival cities around the world, including Toronto and Paris. Bushra has conducted research and developed strategies on: women in leadership in the United Nations; advancing women’s interests in Afghanistan’s peace negotiations; assessing the effectiveness of UN Women’s Safe Cities for Women and Girls program; gender representation in media; and gender mainstreaming within refugee policymaking and governance, multilateral decision making and governance bodies, and in peace, security, and development policies. Bushra currently serves as an Executive Member and Youth Adviser for the Canadian Commission for the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. She recently launched the Global Catalyst [youth] Exchange pilot program, with the aim of connecting leaders from around the world to co-create and implement projects advancing the SDGs, peace, and sustainability.