NIYLS BACKGROUND

 

It is with the own initiative of young students, thrilled by the same desire to get on with their time that the Normandy International Youth Leadership Summit was created, nearly five years ago.

As today information and technological progresses constantly surround our generation, this little group of students decided to take in account tomorrow’s challenges so that they could contribute to prepare our future and make it better.

The NIYLS doesn’t only aim to limit its influence in dialogues, but want to sort out key ideas so that concrete projects can be achieved in response to the 21st century challenges. Among these projects are the environmental issues, education, politics, trade, culture, sciences and many other themes with which these students confronted themselves so that they could adapt them to our generation.

 

This way, the NIYLS has grown larger thanks to the dynamism and the motivation of its team, as these projects are now being shared all around the world. In fact, the aim of the NIYLS is to welcome students from all countries to go beyond differences and unite everyone in the same burst of enthusiasm. It was a truly successful experience: Brazil, South Africa, Netherlands, Great Britain, Sicily, Italy, United States and Germany took part in the adventure. It is with the same interest to give new perspectives for our generation that these students decided to meet.

 

Therefore, a first edition of the summit was organised in September 2014 in order to encounter as many students as possible and share as many ideas and projects from dialogues and conferences given by the LH Forum. The delegates‘ schedule was organised in three different perspectives: discussions in groups, conferences and activities. It was a good alternative between work and rest in order to preserve a convivial and positive atmosphere.

During the first edition of the summit, students from Brazil, South Africa, Netherlands, Great Britain, Sicily, Italy, United States and Germany met and discussed together about major themes such as environment, politics and education, but also to share everyone’s culture in several activities which allowed them to be conscious again of all the treasures they had to preserve.

This first edition of the NIYLS was a complete success and it is with great enthusiasm that many other students met again in September 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 for the following editions of the summit.

All year round, the founders of the NIYLS were able to share their project with new students and pass on their passion for the summit, but also their ideas and aims for the years to come. Future really is a major challenge for these young leaders.

 

The 2024 NIYLS will welcome many students again: at this time 23 delegations have already confirmed their participation for a week in order to debate together and pursue the work of the first students with new projects. They will have a busy schedule: with the dialogues, the conferences and the activities, they won’t have time to get bored! Several themes will be discussed such as urbanism, education, politic, sciences & technology, culture, trade and diplomacy, in the aim of being the most adequate with the world we evaluate in.

This eleventh edition will be a real chance for the young leaders as they will actively contribute to tomorrow’s challenges, but also have the opportunity to represent their culture and learn about others. Even though the students will be together most of the time, the summit is also a unique experience for each of us thanks to the transmission of positive values. More than a chance, it is a real opportunity for these young leaders to be united and act together!