" My name is Robel. I'm 19 and I was born in Portland, Oregon - in the United States. One of my favourite things is travelling because it's simply an exciting experience, constantly discovering different parts of the world. I'm also quite fond of computers. I believe that computers and technology contribute to human progress more than ever before. I cannot wait to participate in the Youth Summit this September and be a part of such an important event. "
Donatienne Bourceret
" My name is Donatienne Bourceret and I am 18 years old. My parents are both French and I have had the chance to spend many years abroad. This childhood has made me very keen on travelling and exploring new cultures.Thus, communication has become a huge interest for me in different ways. Juggling between different languages is one thing I enjoy, and using ICTs to connect with people on the other side of the planet and setting up activities or simply sharing information with one another also attracts my attention. Nevertheless, the type of communication which has inspired me the most would be the interactions between a patient and his/her doctor. Therefore, I will be starting medical school in Geneva just after the Summit to become a doctor. I am and always will be very eager to work on an international level, this meaning travelling and using ICTs to modernise and make medicine more accessible around the world. "
Aurélie Buytaert
" Hi, my name is Aurélie, I'm Belgian and just turned 18. Although I have always lived in the same place (Geneva), I am keen on exploring other cultures and languages (feel free to speak to me in English, Spanish, Dutch or French). Next year I'll be studying International Relations at King's College London. I'm very excited to be part of the Youth Summit in Costa Rica because this event will hopefully allow the opinion of young people to be heard. It will provide us with the opportunity to meet and socialise with people who have completely different backgrounds and points of view. "
Alec Desbordes
" My name is Alec Desbordes, I am turning 18 and I just graduated from the International School of Ferney Voltaire. I will attend Cornell University in New York State next year, and will be majoring in industrial and labour relations. I have participated in four MUN conferences and therefore have a good experience in debating. I am really excited for the Youth Summit in Costa Rica. I think it will be a great and unique cultural experience as we will be exposed to a very special country as well as an extraordinary diversity during the summit itself. Moreover, it will improve our debating capacities and help us to find concrete solutions to world problems. "
" I can say I have a solid experience when it comes to the diplomatic world, thanks to the different MUN conferences I've had the chance to attend. Next year I will officially become a student at the Université de Montpellier, Paul Valéry. I'll be studying audiovisual arts and major in cinematography.
This Summit is a way for us, young people, to open up our minds and take a look at decisions being made around world. It is in fact thanks to Summits like the one in San Jose, that we can participate in the economy, politics and society of tomorrow. We are the future and the future sometimes takes place in these kinds of events. It is with our ideas that we can change the world and this will start at the Global Youth Summit in Costa Rica. "
María Gómez de Olea
" I am María Gómez de Olea. I was born in Madrid (Spain) in 1995 but I grew up in several different countries such as Belgium, Paraguay, Spain, Colombia and Switzerland, where I have spent the last five years of my life. One of my passions is learning new languages; I speak English, Spanish and French fluently and I also have a decent level of Italian. I am greatly interested in international relations, therefore I have been extremely involved in Model United Nations conferences these last two years. Next year, I will be studying Economics and Politics at the University of Exeter in the UK. What I am hoping to get out of the Global Youth Summit is a better understanding of the different cultures constituting the world in order to comprehend what the key factors are to achieve global consensus in the future. In my opinion, this summit represents the best opportunity to make youth matter and to involve youth in global affairs and development. "
Eric Hammel
" I am Eric Hammel, I am 18 years old. Next year I will be studying economic sciences, where innovation and ITCs play a huge role. I have bit of a "geek" side to my personality, which means that I'm often connected to social media and game platforms on a daily basis. Thanks to this Summit, I have started to learn programming in C language, because to have basic knowledge in programming is a great way to use ITCs every day - I plan on participating in the Hackathon."
Stephanie Horsford
" Hi, I’m Stephanie. I’m 18 years old and I am going to study Psychology this September at Bath University. I speak English, French and German, English being my mother tongue, as I am from New Zealand and from the Netherlands. On the trip to Costa Rica, I am hoping to learn more about new cultures and meet different people as well as learning how to concretely find solutions for issues today. The theme being ICTs, I think the summit is an amazing opportunity for our generation to express ourselves as we have grown up with technology. "
Alistair (Alec) Letcher
" I’m Alistair (Alec), 18 year old Frenchie/Scot/English. I’ll be studying Maths (Major) and Philosophy (Minor) at Durham University next year, and my main (academic) interests lie in both subjects as well as politics, economics, history, physics, arts, pretty much everything ! I’m looking forward to the Youth Summit in Costa Rica, on the grounds that it gives a marvellous opportunity for youth from across the world to voice and share opinions with regards to development issues – shaping (hopefully improving…) tomorrow’s frame of collaboration (or competition, interpret as you please). "
Johannes Leuschke
"My name is Johannes Leuschke and I am senior high school student from Düsseldorf, Germany. I speak English, German and Italian fluently. I am interested in Politics, History and cultural exchange. After participating in last year's Berlin Model United Nations Conference, I had the great pleasure to attend FerMUN in January 2013. This wonderful and enriching experience showed me the importance of global politics and to what extend it reaches all of us. However, I expect global affairs to become even more important for our generation.Furthermore, it will be inevitable to face ICT's as both, a global player but also an excellent way to build up world peace and a vital exchange. Therefore I am happy to attend the summit,looking forward to meeting young and involved people from across the globe and eager to be involved in debates discussing tomorrow's world"