The Importance of Global Cooperation, Citizenship, & Leadership

Since 2012, the Global Ambassadors Club  of Loudoun County have been fostering the intellectual and social engagement of young global leaders through annual international summits. 

The first club was organized at Dominion High School.  Student there were first inspired to host their own international summit in 2012 after attending a summit at Hwa Chong Institution in Singapore. The experience sparked much excitement as students witnessed the vibrant summit atmosphere for themselves. With the collaboration of other Loudoun County high schools, what began as Dominion International Youth Leadership Summit eventually evolved into the Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit. 

The Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit brought together young adults from around the globe to Loudoun County each spring, for an opportunity to share perspectives on the most important issues facing the world and develop action plans to address these issues. Year after year, LIYLS empowered students in Loudoun County and around the world to become informed and active global citizens. 

During COVID we adjusted our program to an online format. We drew inspiration from our Singaporean partner school and the Global Digital Youth Leaders Convention hosted by Hwa Chong Institution in July 2020.  In March 2021 we launched our first virtual conference, Global Online Aspiring Leaders for Sustainability (GOALS).  And in 2022 and 2023 we expanded the online program, once again using the name Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit.  

This video, created by Dominion High School in the spring 2022 to mark the 10 year anniversary of LIYLS, gives a history of the program.

In 2024 we are thrilled to resume our in-person program once again and welcome many of our international partners back to Virginia, now using the name Loudoun International Summit.