Some 1,000 college student leaders from the Philippines, Germany, Poland, Japan, Korea and Russia explored solutions to health and education needs at the Global Youth Summit (GYS) 2012 in Quezon City, Philippines.
This year’s theme, “Design, Develop and Deliver (3D),” aimed to guide the delegates on campaign creation and project management, upscaling ideas in real-world environments, and obtaining support and partnerships.
The summit is a joint project of AIESEC* in the Philippines (the world’s largest student-run organization), SM Cares’ Youth and Children’s Welfare Program, Commission on Higher Education, National Youth Commission, Global Peace Foundation (GPF) and Global Peace Youth Corps.
Motivational speakers encouraged delegates to become leaders with a global perspective. “Faced with formidable challenges today, we need radical change,” Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Nona Ricafort reminded the young delegates. “We are rapidly becoming global citizens required to develop a global mindset, so let us meet the challenges at hand as we prepare our people and ourselves for this opportunity.”
Two practical “case challenges”—providing health care for the 15 percent of the population that do not have substantial access to national health insurance programs, and meeting the Department of Education goal to guarantee ‘Basic Education for All’—were presented to youth leaders at the Summit.
Delegates broke into groups and then presented project ideas on both health and education tracks, with the winning teams to be announced later this year. AIESEC, SM Cares and GPF have pledged support to implement the winning proposals in the related communities.
Leadership and values
In his message, GPF Philippines President Dr. Michael Zablan reminded students that moral and effective leadership is not defined by one’s religion, nationality, ideology or political affiliation, but by the principles and values by which one lives. “While I believe that most, if not all of you, had started to experience the challenges of leadership and responsibility at such a young age, may today’s summit shed another light to your perspectives as young leaders as you learn new culture and set of values,” Dr. Zablan said.
The Global Youth Summit 2012 was convened in partnership with PLDT myDSL, Good Day Coffee, and One Meralco Foundation, in cooperation with Unilever, Jollibee, Torque, Reyes Barbecue, Sykes, Bratpack, Faber-Castell, and the Philippine Star.
* Note: Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (AIESEC) is the original French name and no longer used by the organization. AIESEC has more than 60,000 members in 110 countries and territories.