The "Student Ambassadors to the Pittsburgh G-20 Summit" program would enable a group of local students, representing a diverse swath of high schools from the Pittsburgh region, to attend portions of the Summit and report on its proceedings in order to educate students from the region—as well from around the world—about issues discussed at the Summit.  The students’ writings and video projects would appear on the World Affairs Council’s website, wiki site, and its blogs.  In addition to connecting with various media networks, the students’ products would be disseminated through partner organizations, such as iEARN (International Education and Resource Network), which is the world’s largest non-profit global network that enables teachers and youth from around the globe to engage in online collaborative projects.

The Student Ambassadors would be briefed on the issues before and during the Summit through various educational programs and seminars organized by the World Affairs Council.  In addition, they would be paired with mentors from the World Affairs Council’s Global Young Professionals group who would help guide them through this unique and powerful experience. 

In order to sustain the impact of this program, we would create mechanisms that would facilitate the replication of the Student Ambassadors program at future G-20 Summit sites.  Past and current Student Ambassadors would be connected virtually so that they are able to further discuss global issues and develop their own creative strategies in fostering economic growth and development around the globe.

The World Affairs Council would handle the selection, preparation, and mentoring of the Student Ambassadors, and escort them to and from the Summit.  We would work within the specifications provided by the White House regarding the size of the group, the plenary sessions to which the students would be invited, etc.

The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh sincerely hopes that the White House will embrace this proposal.  We feel that the “Student Ambassadors to the Pittsburgh G-20 Summit” program will allow for this country’s future leaders to offer their voices and perspectives on critical global issues discussed at the G-20 Summit, and will help prepare the next generation to be better citizens of a global power and more effective participants in a global marketplace.  This is an exciting and exceptional opportunity to engage our youth.  Thank you very much for your consideration.

About the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh

Recognized as the most dynamic mid-sized World Affairs Council in the nation, the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh is a non-profit, non-partisan organization designed to promote greater understanding of important international issues throughout the community and particularly within the region’s secondary schools.  Founded in 1931, the Council encourages informed discussion of world affairs, demonstrating the growing connections between Western Pennsylvania and the rest of the world. The Council maintains www.globalpittsburgh.org, the portal to this region’s international character.  For more information about the Council, please visit www.worldaffairspittsburgh.org.