Leadership

AFS Youth Assembly 2026

The 31st AFS Youth Assembly is a global platform that brings together young leaders aged 18-35 from over 100 countries to network, build leadership skills, and pursue action-driven solutions for a better world. Under the theme 'Rise. Reimagine. Rebuild: A World for All', participants will engage in sessions and challenges across four key tracks, with guidanc…

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29Speakers
1Sponsors
29On the bill · sessions
27Companies · in total
§I

Speakers

Programmed at AFS, in alphabetical order.
Allan Goodman
IIE
Amalie Ferdinand
Chair of Board of Trustees · AFS Intercultural Programs
Amanuel Mehari
IOM
Anand Verma
ExpectAI
Ana Rold
Diplomatic Courier
Annette Nielsen
NYC Food Policy Center
António Guterres
Secretary General of the United Nations · United Nations
Arielle Tannenbaum
Program Manager, Attribution Science · Climate Central
Brighton Kaoma
Global Director, United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Youth (SDSN-Youth) · United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Youth (SDSN-Youth)
Chris Williams
Director of New York Office, UN-Habitat · UN-Habitat
Daniel Obst
President & CEO · AFS Intercultural Programs
Dilip Chauhan
Deputy Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Innovation, New York City Office of International Affairs · New York City Office of International Affairs
Faith Abiodun
UWC International
Foluyinka Fakoya
Global Partnership for Education
Frederico Menino
Open Society Foundation
George Behrakis
Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer · Climate Solutions Fund
Ibrahim Ozdemir
Uskudar University and Clark University
James Carli
USA for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
Lisa Petro
Generation Global
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 · Robert Bosch Academy
Mariama Kabia
HP Foundation
Michael Sheldrick
Global Citizen
§II

Sponsors

The houses behind the program. Tiers as disclosed.
AFS Intercultural Programs
§III

Agenda

Selected from 29 sessions on the bill.
  • August 12, 2026

    Celebration of International Youth Day

    The AFS Youth Assembly Delegates are invited to a celebration of International Youth Day on August 12, 2026.

  • TBA

    AFS Award for Young Global Citizens

    Celebrate a global visionary making the world more just and peaceful—and watch them take home $10,000 to advance their work.

  • TBA

    AFS Youth Assembly Declaration of Impact

    Co-create a Declaration for Impact—a shared commitment to driving positive change around the world.

  • TBA

    AFS Youth Assembly Impact Network for Alumni: What will you do next?

    Connect with fellow Youth Assembly delegates to exchange knowledge, collaborate, and drive collective impact after the event.

  • TBA

    AI, Ethics, and Education: Preparing Youth for Responsible Innovation

    Panel discussion under the track 'Rethinking Education: Youth Innovation for Future-Ready Skills', addressing the intersection of artificial intelligence, ethics, and education for…

    Rethinking Education: Youth Innovation for Future-Ready Skills
  • TBA

    Alumni Spotlights

    See where the journey leads by meeting former delegates who have turned their AFS Youth Assembly experience into a global career.

  • TBA

    Awards Ceremony for Youth Leaders – Ambassadors, Impact Coordinators, Youth Council

    Honor the pioneers representing the mission of the AFS Youth Assembly and leading the charge for youth voices on the global stage.

  • TBA

    Can We Still Talk to Each Other? Rebuilding Dialogue in a Digital, Divided World

    Panel discussion under the track 'Bridging Divides: The Power of Connection in a Polarized World', exploring media, tech, and AI solutions for rebuilding trust and dialogue.

    Bridging Divides: The Power of Connection in a Polarized World
  • TBA

    Cities on the Frontline: Designing Climate-Resilient Urban Futures

    Panel discussion under the track 'Policy, Justice and Adaptation: Real-World Solutions for Climate Resilience', addressing how cities can lead the way in climate resilience through…

    Policy, Justice and Adaptation: Real-World Solutions for Climate Resilience
Intermission
Part the Second · For the Buyer

What does it mean when 27 companies show up — and 1 bet on three roles at once?

27 companies. one are betting more than once.

The numbers below are derived from the speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors on this page — cross-referenced into one ledger. They are the only thing here that 10times.com cannot tell you.

Who's in the room
1All threespeak · spons · exh
0Sponsoringsponsor only
26Companies Speakingspeaker only

The Triple-Threat

AFS Intercultural Programs

Speakers by seniority

17% of the speakers carry senior titles — C-suite, Founder, VP, or Director-level.

  • C-suite310%
  • Director / Head of27%
  • Manager / Lead13%
  • Other roles2379%

Of 29 on the bill · classified by free-text title

Most-represented companies
  1. 01AFS Intercultural ProgramsSp2V
  2. 02Brazil1V
  3. 03Climate Central1V
  4. 04Climate Solutions Fund1V
  5. 05Diplomatic Courier1V
  6. 06ExpectAI1V
  7. 07Generation Global1V
  8. 08Global Citizen1V
  9. 09Global Environment Facility1V
  10. 10Global Partnership for Education1V
  11. 11HP Foundation1V
  12. 12IIE1V
  13. 13IOM1V
  14. 14IREX1V
Sponsors by tier
unspecified1
100% of 1