Young Civic Leadership Summit 2023

Since 2013, CIEE has hosted the Ambassador Johnny and Mrs. Angie Young Civic Leadership Summit (Y-CLS). CIEE’s annual summit for international changemakers is named for Ambassador Johnny and Mrs. Angie Young in recognition of the couple’s lifelong dedication to public service, public diplomacy, and building bridges between peoples and nations. This year’s summit was hosted at American University in Washington, D.C. from August 7 to 10. Following a competitive application process, 42 fellows from 28 countries were selected to attend, including six Ambassador Fund for Summer Work Travel and two CIEE funded participants. The fellows are on the BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel Program with CIEE and working at 28 host employers throughout the U.S. 

Throughout the summit, fellows enhanced their intercultural and leadership skills and developed their changemaking capabilities, designing projects to implement in their home communities. We were joined by members of the U.S. Department of State, including Deputy Assistant Secretary Rebecca Pasini who gave a briefing. CIEE Board Chair Laura Brege, Vice Chair Frank Taylor, CEO & President Jim Pellow, and Sr. Vice President Carye Duffin were also in attendance. The fellows also learned from with Ketevan Chincharadze, Y-CLS alum from the Republic of Georgia, who is a co-founder of FLOW (Future Leaders for Open World) and our partners at Street Law who conducted a workshop on education, empowerment, and justice.