Of the Field

AFS Youth Assembly 2026

T

he 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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29Voices
1Underwriters
0Exhibitors
24On the bill · sessions
27Companies · in total
§I

The Voices

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

— and 7 more, by name unsung —

§II

Underwritten By

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

The Programme

Selected from 24 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

    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

    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
  • TBA

    Closing Ceremony & Culture Fest

    End the week with a celebration of global diversity, music, and collective power to move the world.

  • TBA

    Food Security: Strengthen Global Food Systems

    Panels tackling topics like: Advancing Food Systems. Hands-on workshops with leaders in the field.

    Food Security
  • TBA

    From Promise to Reality: The Fight for the Right to Development

    Panel discussion under the track 'Reclaiming Development as a Human Right for All', exploring the journey from promises made to meaningful realization of development rights.

    Reclaiming Development as a Human Right for All
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.

01Fig. 01 — Composition of the House
1All threespeak · spons · exh
0Sponsoringsponsor only
0Exhibitingexhibitor only
26Companies Speakingspeaker only

The Triple-Threat

AFS Intercultural Programs

02Fig. 02 — The Voices, 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

03Fig. 03 — The Heaviest in the Room
  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
04Fig. 04 — By Tier
unspecified1
100% of 1