Learning to Lead: Reflections from the 2026 Global Citizenship Youth Conference
- Charis Gration
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
After weeks of planning and spreadsheets, July 10-13th was finally time for the ACIC Global Citizenship Youth Conference! As a first time attendee and leader at that, I was quite nervous going in. I did not know exactly what to expect, and I felt the opportunity was a great responsibility. I was thinking about how we could create an experience where almost 40 youth participants could feel comfortable, connected, and excited enough to participate. I went into the weekend thinking that being a good leader meant being prepared and having answers. I left with a much deeper understanding that sometimes leadership is about creating the space for young people to find their own answers.
One of the things I enjoyed most was watching the workshops unfold. Through the diverse range of workshops we were able to explore the SDGs, social justice advocacy, creative writing, AI and society, menstrual equity, and populism.This variety gave me the opportunity to witness the curiosity and creativity that youth bring to issues they are passionate about. A particularly memorable moment was the life that participants brought to the social justice advocacy workshop. In this creative workshop, participants had the opportunity to lead the conversation on social justice issues by combining their creativity with the causes they were passionate about by creating posters to represent them. It was a perfect opener to the conference because it immediately created space for participants’ individuality to shine through. From aspiring diplomats, pilots, engineers, nurses and more, the evening was filled with conversations on racial, gender, environmental justice and more!
As someone involved in planning the conference, I had spent a lot of time thinking about how to make the sessions engaging and meaningful. But once the workshops actually began, they belonged to the youth. That was probably one of my biggest lessons from the weekend: youth engagement is about creating the conditions for young people to participate, ask questions, disagree, be curious, and bring their own experiences into the conversation. By facilitating this environment, both leaders and participants were able to build meaningful connections and friendships.
The talent show was the clearest example of this. After spending so much of the conference in workshops and structured activities, it was fun to watch everyone find enjoyment in each other's talents. The participants put on a show with a drag show, singing, karaoke, and comedy! The talent show gave the youth an opportunity to share a completely different side of themselves. By the end of the night, the room felt less like a conference and much more like a community.That sense of community was one of the most rewarding parts of being a leader.
Being a first-time leader also taught me that leadership doesn't mean everything will go perfectly. There are always going to be moments when plans change, when an activity takes longer than expected, or when you have to figure something out as you go. I learned to be more comfortable with that uncertainty and to trust the people around me. Fortunately, we had an amazing team of leaders who were adaptable, empowering and karaoke masters.
Looking back, what I will remember most from the conference is the passion that the participants showed for social causes, their careers, and craft. It was inspiring to see the faces of youth who will continue contributing to global development in so many different ways.These are the moments that made the conference memorable, and the lessons I will carry with me into the next youth space I help create.
