2024 GLOBAL YOUTH AMBASSADORS VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
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July 13 - July 20, 2024

A joint program of Chicago Sister Cities International (CSCI) and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), the Global Youth Ambassadors Virtual Leadership Summit is an intensive leadership program in Chicago designed to build the next generation of global leaders. It is open to teenage girls, ages 14–16, from Chicago and its 28 international sister cities.

The Summit provides a globally-immersive experience for leadership development, cross-cultural awareness and civic exchange while building relationships to last a lifetime. Participants engage with business and civic leaders and participate in workshops, discussions and presentations on advocacy, activism and leadership.

Since its inception in 2016, over 200 girls from Chicago and around the world have participated in the Global Youth Ambassadors Leadership Summit, which aims to:

  • Empower emerging leaders 
  • Teach strategies for leadership, advocacy and activism
  • Inspire girls to become agents of change
  • Build a network of globally minded women leaders

Participants are selected via a competitive application process. The application is available to girls, ages 14-16, who live in and/or attend school in the city of Chicago or one of its 28 sister cities and have an interest in international relations, leadership, advocacy, activism or gender studies.

This will be a virtual Summit. There is no cost to attend the Summit. 

For more information, please visit: www.chicagosistercities.com/initiative/global-youth-ambassadors

Applications are due by March 10, 2024 at 11:59 PM CST (GMT-5), for the Global Youth Ambassadors Virtual Leadership Summit.

Before you begin the application, please ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements. Once you confirm your eligibility with the questions below, you will proceed to the application.

Eligibility:

  • The Summit is open to female-identified teenagers, ages 14-16 (at the time of the Summit).
  • Applicants from Chicago and its 28 international sister cities are invited to apply; however, applicants must either reside, or attend school, in Chicago or one of its 28 sister cities (see sister city list below).
  • Applicants must have a good command of the English language (no interpretation services will be provided).
  • Applicants should have an interest in international relations, leadership, advocacy, activism or gender studies.
  • Applicants must be able to participate in daily sessions on Zoom each day of the Summit (July 13-20, 2024) that last two hours from 8am – 10am CST (GMT-5) and complete daily assignments on their own time, outside of the Summit hours. Applicants must also be able to participate in a separate orientation day the week before the Summit (date to be confirmed).
  • Applicants must be willing to participate in online alumnae events with fellow awardees after the Summit.
  • There is no cost to attend the Summit.

Chicago's Sister Cities:

  • Accra, Ghana
  • Amman, Jordan                            
  • Athens, Greece                             
  • Belgrade, Serbia                                          
  • Birmingham, United Kingdom    
  • Bogota, Colombia                        
  • Busan, Republic of Korea            
  • Casablanca, Morocco                  
  • Delhi, India                                    
  • Durban, South Africa                   
  • Galway, Ireland                            
  • Gothenburg, Sweden                  
  • Hamburg, Germany                     
  • Kyiv, Ukraine                                 
  • Lahore, Pakistan
  • Lucerne, Switzerland
  • Mexico City, Mexico
  • Milan, Italy
  • Osaka, Japan
  • Paris, France
  • Petach Tikva, Israel
  • Prague, Czech Republic
  • Shanghai, China
  • Shenyang, China
  • Sydney, Australia
  • Toronto, Canada
  • Vilnius, Lithuania
  • Warsaw, Poland

PLEASE NOTE:

A letter of recommendation is required to complete your application. Letters of recommendation are due by March 10, 2024 at 11:59 PM CST (GMT-5).

Your letter of recommendation may be from a teacher, a guidance counselor, school principal or head, academic advisor, program leader, or mentor. Letters of recommendation from parents, siblings, family friends, or paid private tutors/counselors are not accepted.

To request a letter, you are responsible for entering the following information for each of your recommenders: name, email address, title and organization (where they work).

It is extremely important to enter your recommender's email address correctly so that they receive an automated email instructing them how to upload their recommendation letter.

After your recommender submits the online recommendation, it will become part of your application.

It is your responsibility to ensure that a letter of recommendation is sumitted by the deadline.

IMPORTANT:

You must click "submit" on your application for an automated email to be sent from Reviewr to your recommender with instructions on how to submit their letter of recommendation. Therefore, we advise you:

1. Inform your recommender as soon as possible about your application to this leadership summit and that you are seeking a letter of recommendation from them that will be due on March 3, 2024.

2. Also inform them that they will receive instructions on how to submit the letter of recommendation at a later date via email directly from Reviewr with the subject line "{Applicant Name} has requested a Recommendation Letter for the Global Youth Ambassadors Leadership Summit." This way, they can begin working on your letter of recommendation and have it ready once you submit your application, as they will only receive the email from Reviewr with instructions on how to submit their letter of recommendation once you submit your completed application. Ask them to check their "junk mail" if the email from Reviewr does not appear in their inbox. For any further inquiries, please ask them to email us directly at chicagoambassadors@gmail.com.

You may also wish to submit your application before you are finished with it so your recommender receives the email from Reviewr with instructions on how to submit their letter of recommendation right away. You can return to work on your application until the deadline (March 10, 2024).

You will be able to see in your account if they have submitted their letter and you can send reminders if necessary.