Inaugural event presented with state Dept. of Education on Saturday Sept. 9 focused on “Inspiring Global Citizenship” 

Ninety students from 21 local public, private, and charter high schools from across the state gathered at the East-West Center (EWC) in Mānoa on Saturday for the inaugural Hawai‘i Youth Summit presented by the Center and the state Department of Education (DOE), in association with Hawai‘i Green Growth (HGG) and the Pacific and Asian Affairs Council (PAAC).  

The students spent the day listening to a variety of speakers, including East-West Center President Suzanne Vares-Lum and DOE Deputy Superintendent Heidi Armstrong, and exchanging ideas with each another around the Summit theme of “Inspiring Global Citizenship.” Local students also had the opportunity to engage with young leaders from around the globe who are in Hawai'i as EWC graduate degree students or as part of the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative Academic Fellowship sponsored by the U. S. Department of State.

The goal of the inaugural summit was to offer students an opportunity to ground themselves in an appreciation of their cultural identities and  sense of place here in Hawaiʻi, to connect that to the world  by opening their minds to new cultures and ways of thinking, and to use this broadened understanding to guide their vision and action for a better future.  

“The Hawai‘i Youth Summit is a chance for each of you to embark on a journey of self-discovery, cultural appreciation, and visionary thinking,” EWC President Vares-Lum told the students. “It is a chance to explore new perspectives, ignite your curiosity, and foster a sense of unity among the diverse backgrounds represented here. It is a platform to open your hearts and minds to the possibilities that lie ahead.”

Inaugural event presented with state Dept. of Education on Saturday Sept. 9 focused on “Inspiring Global Citizenship” 

Ninety students from 21 local public, private, and charter high schools from across the state gathered at the East-West Center (EWC) in Mānoa on Saturday for the inaugural Hawai‘i Youth Summit presented by the Center and the state Department of Education (DOE), in association with Hawai‘i Green Growth (HGG) and the Pacific and Asian Affairs Council (PAAC).  

The students spent the day listening to a variety of speakers, including East-West Center President Suzanne Vares-Lum and DOE Deputy Superintendent Heidi Armstrong, and exchanging ideas with each another around the Summit theme of “Inspiring Global Citizenship.” Local students also had the opportunity to engage with young leaders from around the globe who are in Hawai'i as EWC graduate degree students or as part of the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative Academic Fellowship sponsored by the U. S. Department of State.

The goal of the inaugural summit was to offer students an opportunity to ground themselves in an appreciation of their cultural identities and  sense of place here in Hawaiʻi, to connect that to the world  by opening their minds to new cultures and ways of thinking, and to use this broadened understanding to guide their vision and action for a better future.  

“The Hawai‘i Youth Summit is a chance for each of you to embark on a journey of self-discovery, cultural appreciation, and visionary thinking,” EWC President Vares-Lum told the students. “It is a chance to explore new perspectives, ignite your curiosity, and foster a sense of unity among the diverse backgrounds represented here. It is a platform to open your hearts and minds to the possibilities that lie ahead.”