How amazing would it be to get to know about how others live in different part of this world, especially getting to know about it from one who is experiencing it in this exact moment?  This month marks another successful year of the Loudoun County International Youth Summit. The International Youth Summit is organized by the Global Ambassadors clubs in high schools all across Loudoun County. These schools include Potomac Falls, Rock Ridge, Freedom, Dominion, and Park View. The first ever International Youth Summit was hosted by Dominion High School five years ago.

This year Global Ambassadors invited 13 schools from South Africa, China, Singapore, Italy, Germany, Estonia, France, Mexico, South Korea, Lebanon, and Australia. These schools are invited to live with the host schools for a 10-day period and get experience in American culture and they too share their cultures with the host school. There are many activities these foreign exchange students get to participate in. During their trip, not only do they get to experience the school system but also get to attend many field trips to D.C. These students experienced typical American recreational activities such as shopping and going to the movie theater.

Not only do the ambassadors share the American culture, but the summit students are invited to give share segments of their culture.  The students even had a cultural presentation. “All the countries gave a performance that was unique to their culture.” said junior Devin MacGoy. Many performed traditional dances and sang. The Chinese delegation performed a song, martial arts, and did Chinese calligraphy.

In addition to experiences of American culture, they did many other activities. “We do different activities with them and have discussions based on globalization and human rights.” said senior Sumaiyah Ali. Each year there is a theme for the summit and this year it was “Standing for Unity, Changing perspectives”. “Most activities that the delegation engaged in were centered around finding common ground and widening perspectives on international issues,” said MacGoy. Some topics also discussed during the summit were education and environment and the students were to make an action plan to use their new knowledge and experiences once they return home.

To welcome the exchange students, Dominion High School organized a glow dance for all the delegations that came. “Dominion High School sponsors a glow dance each year for the visiting delegates, and this year it was made available to the whole county as well.” said MacGoy.

With so many youth representatives coming from 13 different countries, it has been a wonderful experience. To be able share culture and tradition with others is the most is an astonishing experience. This kind of contribution to one another’s cultures and tradition allows people to be open-minded to the many conditions of the different people living in different areas of the world. And together with this open-mindedness everyone can help each other to bring reforms and peace to the world.