Participants came from more than 10 countries and regions, including Cambodia; China, including Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan region; India; Indonesia; Singapore; Thailand; the United States; and Vietnam (listed in alphabetical order). Following WYF-FELS in Hong Kong, WYF-FLALS concluded the 2026 summit series, bringing together more than 1,000 young people through economics, liberal arts and cross-cultural exchange.

Jointly initiated by WYF and the Organizing Committee of International Academic Decathlon (IAD), WYF-FLALS explored Our Changing Climate through social science, literature, fine arts, science, mathematics, economics and music. Through interdisciplinary challenges, projects, speeches and exchanges, students examined the scientific, economic, social and cultural dimensions of climate change.

Guests included Wong Yee Lam, Member of the Administrative Committee, Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute, Cheng Wai Tong, Deputy Director, Macao Government Tourism Office, Cheong Man Fai, Head of the Department of Youth Affairs, Education and Youth Development Bureau, Li Feilong, Director of the Taiwan Affairs Department, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Jia Qiong, Second Secretary, Department of Information and Public Diplomacy, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Lao Ngai Leong, Deputy to the National People's Congress, Si Ka Lon, Deputy to the National People's Congress, Wong Kit Cheng, Vice-Chairperson of the All-China Youth Federation, Lam Ieng Pui, Founding President, Chinese Youth Advancement Association, Zhang Senhua, President, Chinese Youth Advancement Association, Zhao Gang, Director-General, Global Innovation Center, Amy Dosch, Executive Director, United States Academic Decathlon (USAD), Henry Peng, Global Council Member, World Youth Forum (WYF). Through academic sessions and exchanges with students, they connected classroom knowledge with global challenges and encouraged participants to approach complex issues from multiple perspectives.

Highlights included the Super Quiz, Academic Exploration Fair, Team Spark & Global Fusion Fest, U20–Master Call, U20–Idea Incubation, Themed Speech, U20–Youth Voice and Bridging Worlds: Real-World Learning Journey. Awards recognized excellence in academics, teamwork, communication and creativity.

WYF will continue working with IAD, schools, educators and international partners to expand access to interdisciplinary, challenge-based learning.

Participants came from China, Croatia, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe, (in alphabetical order) among others. Held from August 9 to 13, the summit explored the connections between economics, business, technology and society.

Working in teams, students examined real-world issues and developed evidence-based solutions through academic challenges, collaborative projects and presentations. WYF-FELS encouraged them to think as economists, entrepreneurs and future leaders while strengthening critical thinking, communication and cross-cultural collaboration.

The summit welcomed leaders and experts from academia, industry and international education, including Patrick Schultz, Executive Director and CEO of Business Professionals of America (BPA); Tierney Kraft, Chief Operating Officer at the Council for Economic Education (CEE); Alaina Ritchie, Director of Partnerships at the Council for Economic Education (CEE); and Alison Marie Tanker, Managing Director, International Programs, Minerva Baccalaureate. Professors and subject-matter experts from institutions such as ITU, CUHK, HKUST also contributed to the programme, connecting classroom learning with economic trends, business innovation and global development.

A leadership gathering invited outstanding students and alumni to discuss how WYF had influenced their academic choices, personal growth and engagement with global issues. Participants also explored how youth-led storytelling, student ambassadors and digital communities could extend the summit's impact beyond the event.

Highlights included U20 – Youth Voice, Immersion Lab and World Youth Fusion, among other activities, demonstrating students' ability to understand complex issues, collaborate across borders, propose forward-looking solutions and promote intercultural exchange.

WYF will continue working with schools, educators, universities and industry partners to expand access to real-world learning and connect students with future academic, internship and career opportunities.

About World Youth Forum

World Youth Forum (WYF) is an international nonprofit youth development platform engaging more than 500,000 young people annually across over 30 countries through educational programmes, challenges, international conferences and youth-led initiatives.

The summit, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with more than 50 UN agencies and co-convened with the Government of Switzerland, is the United Nations' leading platform on artificial intelligence.

The Compact establishes an open global action network built on five commitments: expanding access to AI literacy; defining the human capabilities that matter most in the AI era; scaling real-world, challenge- and project-based learning; safeguarding youth well-being; and recognizing ability through evidence of real work, not credentials alone.

"AI is changing not only how young people learn and create, but how talent is identified and recognized," said Houston Hou, Global Executive Convener of WYF. "Young people need pathways through which real ability can be seen, trusted and connected. The Compact is an open invitation to build those pathways together."

The launch convened leaders from across the UN system, academia and youth innovation, including Fabrizio Hochschild, former UN Under-Secretary-General; Frédéric Werner, Head of Strategic Engagement, AI for Good, ITU; and Ben Nelson, Chairman and CEO of Minerva Project. Alongside speakers from AI Singapore (AISG), the ASEAN Foundation, the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), the United Nations University (UNU), and student AI communities including the Imperial AI Group, the Oxford Guild, the University of Toronto Machine Intelligence Student Team (UTMIST) and the Global AI Alliance at Penn. The Global SDGs and Leadership Development Center served as supporting partner of the session.

Following the launch, WYF will convene founding supporters worldwide — universities, student AI societies, education and innovation organizations, and industry partners — to advance year-round, challenge-based AI learning, new forms of talent recognition, and pathways connecting young talent with real-world opportunities.

About World Youth Forum

WYF is an international nonprofit youth development platform. Through educational programmes, competitions, international conferences and youth-led initiatives, WYF engages more than 500,000 young people annually across more than 30 countries.

Attendees included notable figures such as: Mr. Zhao Gang, Director General of the Global Innovation Center; Dr. Un Shil Choi, Chairperson of the UNESCO Expert Advisory Committee for Learning Cities; Mr. Christopher Caltabiano, Interim CEO and Chief Program Officer of the Council for Economic Education (CEE); Mr. Keith Wenner, President of the Board of the United States Academic Decathlon Association (USAD); and Dr. James Song, President of Midwest University. Experts from institutions including JPMorgan Chase & Co., Amazon.com, Inc., Newcastle University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and other institutions participated as mentors and judges, providing professional guidance and in-depth evaluations to youth representatives.

Engaging in Global Issue Challenges: World Youth Launch Interdisciplinary and Cross-Cultural Dialogues

Centered on the AI era, the two WYF summits have built a bridge for global youth to learn, grow, and engage in cross-cultural exchanges. Among them, WYF-FELS, held in Hong Kong, introduced top global academic challenges programs-the National Economics Challenge (NEC) and Business Professionals of America (BPA). Its multi-dimensional challenge system, encompassing knowledge assessments, case studies, and business simulations, enables youth from different countries to compete and collaborate on economics and business knowledge on a shared platform, demonstrating their professional accumulation and understanding of global economic issues.

Subsequently, WYF-FLALS, hosted in Macau, leveraged core challenge activities such as the International Academic Decathlon (IAD) and the Global Youth Creative Expo (Hi World) as platforms to guide participants in exploring issues including "Technology & Social Equity", "Green Technology & Sustainable Cities", and "AI & Human Culture" from interdisciplinary perspectives, including mathematics, science, social sciences, and the arts. This approach encouraged youth to uncover new connotations of contemporary humanistic spirit through rigorous academic inquiry.

As a centerpiece of both WYF summits, "U20 Youth Voices" broke down geographical barriers and facilitated cross-national team formation, resulting in cross-cultural teams like U.S.-South Korea, Singapore-Thailand, and China-India. These teams conducted in-depth discussions on global issues such as sustainable development and technology and social equity. Insights from multiple teams were highly praised by experts as "groundbreaking youth perspectives," underscoring the unique value of cross-national collaboration in researching global issues.

Vishva Rao, a youth representative from the United States, shared, "The convergence of different cultures here has shown me how diverse perspectives blend and shape economic thinking. It's delightful to strengthen friendships with each other while discussing issues like economics."

Multilateral Co-Creation: Creating a Global Playground for Youth Learning and Growth

In the "Educators' Symposium" segment, educators from China, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, the United States, Vietnam and other countries engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as financial literacy development for middle school students and AI-driven educational transformation, facilitating exchanges and collaboration across the global education sector. During the event, outstanding former participants of WYF and NEC, currently studying at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, shared insights into how their research and study experiences have informed their university studies and future career development, illustrating the long-term value and enduring impact of these initiatives.

"As one of the Co-Creators of WYF, CEE is a U.S.-based nonprofit educational organization with a 76-year history. We are delighted to see WYF leveraging its global youth network to empower youth to play, shine, lead, and shape the future. This aligns closely with our philosophy. When considering how to expand the National Economics Challenge (NEC), initiated by CEE, to more countries, WYF has always been an excellent partner," noted Mr. Christopher Caltabiano, Interim CEO and Chief Program Officer of the CEE.

Mr. Keith Wenner, President of the Board of the USAD, commented, "The youth have demonstrated excellent cross-cultural communication and collaboration skills, and their ideas are extremely inspiring. USAD and WYF share a strong spirit of alignment – both remain committed to young people's learning, growth, and progress, empowering them to become whoever they want to be without limitations. This shared commitment to youth development makes our collaboration with WYF profoundly meaningful."

Houston Hou, Executive Convener of the WYF, stated: "Since its founding, WYF has always firmly believed that young people are the shapers of the future. The significance of WYF lies precisely in providing a truly global stage that belongs to young people around the world. Going forward, WYF will gradually expand into multiple literacy fields such as Science and Engineering, and Life and Health. By 2030, we aim to reach 100 countries and become the world's most aspirational platform for youth challenge and growth."

For more information about WYF, please visit the official website: http://www.wyforum.org

Attendees included notable figures such as: Mr. Zhao Gang, Director General of the Global Innovation Center; Dr. Un Shil Choi, Chairperson of the UNESCO Expert Advisory Committee for Learning Cities; Mr. Christopher Caltabiano, Interim CEO and Chief Program Officer of the Council for Economic Education (CEE); Mr. Keith Wenner, President of the Board of the United States Academic Decathlon Association (USAD); and Dr. James Song, President of Midwest University. Experts from institutions including JPMorgan Chase & Co., Amazon.com, Inc., Newcastle University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and other institutions participated as mentors and judges, providing professional guidance and in-depth evaluations to youth representatives.

Engaging in Global Issue Challenges: World Youth Launch Interdisciplinary and Cross-Cultural Dialogues

Centered on the AI era, the two WYF summits have built a bridge for global youth to learn, grow, and engage in cross-cultural exchanges. Among them, WYF-FELS, held in Hong Kong, introduced top global academic challenges programs-the National Economics Challenge (NEC) and Business Professionals of America (BPA) .Its multi-dimensional challenge system, encompassing knowledge assessments, case studies, and business simulations, enables youth from different countries to compete and collaborate on economics and business knowledge on a shared platform, demonstrating their professional accumulation and understanding of global economic issues.

Subsequently, WYF-FLALS, hosted in Macau, leveraged core challenge activities such as the International Academic Decathlon (IAD) and the Global Youth Creative Expo (Hi World) as platforms to guide participants in exploring issues including "Technology & Social Equity" , "Green Technology & Sustainable Cities", and "AI & Human Culture" from interdisciplinary perspectives, including mathematics, science, social sciences, and the arts. This approach encouraged youth to uncover new connotations of contemporary humanistic spirit through rigorous academic inquiry.

As a centerpiece of both WYF summits, "U20 Youth Voices" broke down geographical barriers and facilitated cross-national team formation, resulting in cross-cultural teams like U.S.-South Korea, Singapore-Thailand, and China-India. These teams conducted in-depth discussions on global issues such as sustainable development and technology and social equity. Insights from multiple teams were highly praised by experts as "groundbreaking youth perspectives," underscoring the unique value of cross-national collaboration in researching global issues.

Zhao Ruoshui, a youth representative from Singapore, commented, "Participating in WYF has allowed us to learn from each other through cross-cultural collaboration and broaden our international perspectives. I believe world youth should focus on global issues such as social and economic development, and speak up to drive global progress and diversity."

Multilateral Co-Creation: Creating a Global Playground for Youth Learning and Growth

In the "Educators' Symposium" segment, educators from China, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, the United States, Vietnam and other countries engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as financial literacy development for middle school students and AI-driven educational transformation, facilitating exchanges and collaboration across the global education sector. During the event, outstanding former participants of WYF and NEC, currently studying at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, shared insights into how their research and study experiences have informed their university studies and future career development, illustrating the long-term value and enduring impact of these initiatives.

"As one of the Co-Creators of WYF, CEE is a U.S.-based nonprofit educational organization with a 76-year history. We are delighted to see WYF leveraging its global youth network to empower youth to play, shine, lead, and shape the future. This aligns closely with our philosophy. When considering how to expand the National Economics Challenge (NEC), initiated by CEE, to more countries, WYF has always been an excellent partner," noted Mr. Christopher Caltabiano, Interim CEO and Chief Program Officer of the CEE.

Mr. Keith Wenner, President of the Board of the USAD, commented, "The youth have demonstrated excellent cross-cultural communication and collaboration skills, and their ideas are extremely inspiring. USAD and WYF share a strong spirit of alignment –both remain committed to young people's learning, growth, and progress, empowering them to become whoever they want to be without limitations. This shared commitment to youth development makes our collaboration with WYF profoundly meaningful."

Houston Hou, Executive Convener of the WYF, stated: "Since its founding, WYF has always firmly believed that young people are the shapers of the future. The significance of WYF lies precisely in providing a truly global stage that belongs to young people around the world. Going forward, WYF will gradually expand into multiple literacy fields such as Science and Engineering, and Life and Health. By 2030, we aim to reach 100 countries and become the world's most aspirational platform for youth challenge and growth."

For more information about WYF, please visit the official website: http://www.wyforum.org

The two summits of WYF focused respectively on "Robotization" and "Technology & Humanities," and integrated top academic challenges like the National Economics Challenge (NEC), the Business Professionals of America (BPA) , the International Academic Decathlon (IAD), and the Global Youth Creative Expo (Hi World), forging a comprehensive learning and growth system from academic exploration to practical implementation.

Among them, the "U20-Youth Voice" session facilitated the formation of multiple transnational teams such as China-India and the United States-South Korea. The innovative solutions put forward by these teams for issues like "sustainable development" and "technology & social equity" were evaluated by experts as "breakthrough youth perspectives."

The concurrent Educators' Seminar brought together educational experts from the United States, South Korea, India, etc., to jointly explore approaches to fostering youth's core competencies in the AI era, further strengthening the collaborative network in the global education sector.

Houston Hou, Executive Convener of the WYF, stated: "The core goal of the WYF is to create a truly global stage that belongs to young people. By 2030, we aim to expand its partner network to over 100 countries, collaborate with various resources from more countries – especially emerging economies and innovative nations – and through cross-sector cooperation, become the world's most aspirational platform for youth challenge and growth."