Shaping Future Global Citizens: Arizona’s Young Diplomats Build Confidence in Leadership and Diplomacy

Global Ties Arizona (GTAZ), a local nonprofit dedicated to connecting Arizona and the world through international exchange and community-based initiatives, had its start in 1950, hosting foreign leaders through what is known today as the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. Through this program, GTAZ has brought thousands of leaders from nations around the world to Arizona to interact with their counterparts, exchange best practices across government and industry, and build diplomatic relations for the United States. In recent years, GTAZ’s mission has grown to “transform visiting leaders into partners, youth into global citizens, and those curious about the world into ambassadors for Arizona.” Through its programs, GTAZ empowers individuals and communities to engage meaningfully with global issues.

Global Ties Arizona launched its first all-youth initiative, the Young Diplomats Summer Institute, three years ago. Through support from the Burton Family Foundation and other funders GTAZ has been able to support more than 60 high school students in learning about diplomatic competency, cross-cultural understanding, media literacy, and civic engagement through its summer program. 

“The Young Diplomats Summer Institute introduces students early to career paths in international affairs, diplomacy, and global leadership — fields that are becoming increasingly important as Arizona continues to grow its global presence, " said Victoria Dowers, Coordinator of Community Engagement for Global Ties Arizona. 

Over the course of five days, students interact with their peers in simulations, participate in conversations with global experts, and meet and hear from foreign leaders. Dowers expressed that it is a program she wished that she had when she was in high school, saying, “These students are the future leaders who will represent Arizona on the international stage, and it’s essential that they begin developing the skills, knowledge, and global perspective needed to navigate complex international issues. Seeing these students gain access to high-level knowledge, mentorship, and global networks at such an early stage is incredibly inspiring,” she said. “It’s rewarding to know that we’re helping them get a significant head start in life.”

This year, hosted at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at ASU, the program featured the following local experts and community leaders as special speakers, including: 

• The Honorable Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix

• Orlando Cazarez, the Director of Global Conservation & Sustainability Learning Initiatives at Arizona State University Enterprise 

• Charla Griffy-Brown, Director General, Dean, and Professor of Global Digital Transformation

• Suzanne Lawrence, Former U.S. Diplomat, U.S. Department of State

• Michael L. Zirulnik, Ph.D.  Assistant Vice President for Phoenix Development | Associate Professor of Medical Humanities, Creighton University Health Sciences Campus

• Dr. Lily McElwee, President & CEO, Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations

This year, the group even had a special visit from a delegation from Ukraine, which was traveling to Arizona through GTAZ’s flagship program, the International Visitor Leadership Program, as part of a project: U.S. Approaches to State and Local Government. The delegation consisted of five mayors and vice mayors from Ukrainian cities and towns: Ivan Halych of Obroshyne, Serhii Parpulanskyi of Artsyz, Alina Saraniuk of Bucha, Ruslan Serpeninon of Sarny and Bohdan Tymoshuk of Shatsk. 

Rachel Yanof, the program director of this year’s summer institute, said that students wanted to know how they could advocate for the Ukrainian cause. “The mayors made the students really think about how special peace and democracy are, and that if you want to keep them, you have to engage by voting, speaking the truth, and fighting for what is right in the world,” said Yanof. “It was sobering and really important, and I could tell students took it to heart.”

As for what inspires Yanof the most about the program? It’s the students. She said that it’s a perfect mix of innocence, optimism, and creative thinking. 

One of the students in the program this year was Ashita Yadav, a Young Diplomat who attends BASIS Mesa. She said, “Throughout my life, diplomacy has always felt as though it was behind glass; it was captivating, yet unreachable. But Global Ties Arizona’s Young Diplomats program truly shattered this illusion. With everything from excellent speakers to practical simulations, my peers and I were empowered to reject binary thinking. We were able to bring diplomacy to life. And above all else, we were able to recognize that diplomacy isn’t all about policies; it’s about people. It is every interaction, every transaction, every facet of our reality. And by mastering the art of diplomacy, we create new realities for our future. It is now up to us to wield this power wisely.”

Not only does GTAZ provide resources, confidence, and education to its attendees, but once they attend, they become a part of a larger Global Ties Arizona network, which offers a variety of year-round programs and events that students can participate in.  

“Now in its third year, the Young Diplomats Summer Institute continues to attract exceptional high school students from across Greater Phoenix, and is driven by the vision of engaging more youth of our local communities in global affairs. The program equips participants to become confident ambassadors of Arizona on the world stage. With the generous support of the Burton Family Foundation, we’ve been able to empower more than 30 young leaders each year—strengthening a growing pipeline of globally minded youth prepared to bridge cultures and foster international understanding for years to come,” says Kristin Allen, President and CEO of Global Ties Arizona.

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To learn more about the Young Diplomats Summer Institute, please visit www.globaltiesarizona.org/young-diplomats.

Photos courtesy of Global Ties Arizona.