About the World Leadership Congress
HOBY’s annual global youth leadership seminar, the World Leadership Congress (WLC), brings together approximately 400 high school students from around the world for a week-long, intensive educational program. This year's program will be July 23 - 30, 2010.
The WLC provides youth with training in leadership skills and capacity building. Students are exposed to a distinguished group of leaders from various sectors in business, government, international affairs, science and technology, medicine, media, and education. The week is divided into educational sessions involving panel discussions with question-and-answer periods, interactive workshops, training exercises, focus groups, and individualized trainings. HOBY's student "ambassadors" leave the WLC more mature individuals, more aware of the world around them, and more empowered to make meaningful contributions to their communities. Perhaps most poignant to HOBY ambassadors are the newfound friendships they make with other students who are just like them from all parts of the world.
Here’s what Morgan Owen of Knoxville, Iowa, had to say after attending the WLC:
I knew going into the week that it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but I had no idea it would be as amazing as it turned out to be. I love how we got the chance to meet with people from around the world. Not too many people are able to say they have real friends in Iraq, and they have given one person from every state a hug, and that their best friend is from Germany. Just being surrounded by people who have dreams and are motivated to be the best they can be really motivates me to inspire and touch people’s lives the way I have been affected.
All 400 ambassadors who will attend the WLC are either:
- U.S. high school sophomore students who first attended one of HOBY’s regional three- or four-day state leadership development seminars that take place each spring, or
- International students between 15 and 17 years of age who have first attended a local program in their respective home country, if one exists. To find out if a program exists near you, please email lafianzaj@hoby.org.
Read more about eligibility requirements.
The WLC will be held July 23 - 30, 2010 on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and costs $1,500 per student.
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) has placed the WLC on its National Advisory List of Student Contests and Activities for 2009-2010.
For information about becoming a sponsor of HOBY's WLC, please call HOBY’s International Department at 818-851-3980.