Callan, an AFS NZ returnee and volunteer was awarded a scholarship to be a part of the AFS Youth Assembly 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland:
Participating in the 31st session of the AFS Youth Assembly as a volunteer was an
absolute highlight of my time with AFS.
I was honoured to be selected as a scholarship recipient to volunteer with the Program and Youth Development Team. This was a role that had fellow team members and me at the heart of the event. We worked ensuring that speakers and VIPs were in the right places and that each session on the timetable ran smoothly.
The volunteer experience of this event was truly special. As my role involved moving
around a lot, I got to see a lot of the different aspects of the conference that were
taking place around the WHO Headquarters. It was also incredible working alongside
other AFS volunteers from around the world. Many of us stayed in the same hostel
together, meaning I got to make friends with AFS volunteers from around the world
and crucially hear about their cultures and how their organisations each approached
AFS’ mission in different ways.
I was particularly proud to be the first person from Aotearoa New Zealand that many
of my fellow volunteers had met. It was a great opportunity to make a good first
impression of our home, and share our culture, worldview and country with them.
As a law student myself, I connected particularly with those who were using the law
or fighting for its reform to help their communities of which we had a number of
speakers and participants. On an international level, it’s incredibly heartening to see
a commitment to multilateralism and collaboration by the leaders of tomorrow in a
time where the old power structures seem increasingly ready to resort to Cold War-
Era great power politics.
For me personally, the AFS Youth Assembly served to open my eyes to the
incredible grassroots work being done around the world to build tomorrow. It really
reminded me how easy it is to get caught up in a lot of the negative news that we are
bombarded with every minute in the modern media ecosystem. This event served as
a celebration of those putting in the mahi and equipped its participants from around
the world to make the changes they want to see.
From the first moments welcoming people at the door to the final culture festival two
days later, it was an honour to be part of the team supporting such an incredible
event. I am deeply thankful to AFS International for enabling me to participate and
AFS New Zealand who nominated me for the selection process. I will carry this
experience, the friendships made and the lessons learnt with me as I continue my
volunteer journey in Aotearoa.
Are you interested in attending the AFS Youth Assembly?
Keep an eye out for 2027 dates and scholarship opportunities: youthassembly.org