VIA Times – June 2019 Issue Vital News, Vibrant VIews for Asian Americans in Chicago & Midwest
Summit Empowers Teenage Girls Through Workshops and Discussions on Advocacy, Activism, and Leadership
CHICAGO – Chicago Sister Cities International (CSCI) – an initiative of World Business Chicago (WBC) – in partnership with the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), will host 25 teenage girls from Chicago and around the world at the fourth annual Global Youth Ambassadors Leadership Summit from July 20–27, 2019.
The Summit encourages girls to become active leaders in their communities and develop solutions to the challenges girls face around the world. The Summit is the centerpiece of CSCI’s Global Youth Ambassadors Leadership Program, an intensive leadership program particidesigned to build the next generation of global leaders. It provides a globally-immersive experience for leadership development, cross-cultural awareness, and civic exchange while creating relationships to last a lifetime.
“Through its 29 sister city relationships, the City of Chicago demonstrates its commitment to building a strong network of global partners, while refl ecting our biggest strength – the diversity of our city,” said Andrea Zopp, president and CEO of WBC. “The Global Youth Ambassadors Leadership Summit bolsters our relationships around the world by creating an international network of young leaders.”
The 25 girls – 10 from Chicago and 15 from its sister cities – will work hand-in-hand, experiencing workshops, discussions, and presentations on advocacy, activism, and leadership, giving them the tools to be leaders who create positive change in the world.
During the week-long Summit, participants will meet with women leaders in Chicago representing a diverse cross-section of industries. Highlights throughout the week include panel discussions with women leaders in tech, international affairs, the environment, and media. On the fi nal day of the Summit, the girls will present group projects as a capstone to the week at Chicago City Council Chambers. In addition, they will be matched with professional female mentors who they will engage with for the year following the Summit.
