On Saturday, March 6th, we held our monthly Youth Diplomats Zoom meeting. We started our meeting with a game of Kahoot on current events and voting for the next members of the Leadership Committee. The Kahoot was a fun ice breaker that allowed us to gain critical knowledge on current global news and events.
This month we engaged in a facilitated discussion around the fight over the Arctic. Facilitated discussions allow us the opportunity to learn about new points of view and issues around the world. During our conversation, we discussed the importance that the Arctic plays in the world and what our ideas would be to solve the present issues. In the facilitated discussion we are able to reflect and expand our knowledge from other outlooks. Every participant was able to share their thoughts on the issue, allowing us to have an informative conversation.
Afterwards, we engaged in a diplomatic simulation. In a diplomatic simulation, we are divided into different stakeholder groups where we are challenged to negotiate solutions to an international crisis. This month we were challenged to try and negotiate a solution for an Ebola outbreak in the fictional nations of Farfelu and Anyep. Even though the places are made up by the National Museum of American Diplomacy, the issues are very real. These diplomatic simulations allow us to experience the conflicts between nations and the coming to an agreement to try and find a common goal, allowing us to become better world citizens.
Finally, we ended our meeting with a feedback and reflection activity called “two roses and a thorn.” Here, everyone could share their favorite and not-so-favorite favorite parts of the meeting.
Youth Diplomats is a wonderful program that helps explore different cultures, world issues, and future opportunities in the field of international diplomacy.
-Grant Thomas, Youth Diplomat
