Des Moines, Iowa, October 24, 2018-
High school students from 27 U.S. states and territories and ten countries were selected to attend the 25th Annual Global Youth Institute October 17-20th in Des Moines, Iowa. Kristen Riddleberger and Angela Cordoba-Flores from Snow Hill High School in Snow Hill were among the 210 students selected to attend the prestigious three-day conference. Riddleberger and Cordoba-Flores engaged with global leaders in science, policy, and industry to discuss the world’s most pressing challenges in hunger and poverty.
In order to participate in the program, students research and write a paper on a topic affecting food security within a specified country and provide recommendations on how to better the lives of a typical family in the country. Once accepted, students are invited to attend the three-day event and engage in hands-on sessions and service-learning projects that allow them to reflect on their unique role in addressing challenges related to agriculture, policy, science, industry, and hunger relief efforts both in the U.S. and abroad.
The Global Youth Institute is held in conjunction with the World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium, which annually gathers the world's foremost leaders in global food security. Students present and discuss their innovative ideas to combat hunger with World Food Prize Laureates, international experts and peers from over 60 countries. Students also attend symposium sessions centered on current research, trends, and innovations in combating hunger and poverty. Featured speakers included:
2018 World Food Prize Laureates, Dr. Lawrence Haddad and Dr. David Nabarro
The Honorable Mercedez Araoz, Vice President of Peru
His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria
Dr. Louise Fresco, President of the Executive Board, Wageningen University & Research Center
At the Global Youth Institute, Riddleberger interacted with young leaders from ten other countries including Brazil, Canada, China, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Honduras, Kosovo, Mexico, the Netherlands and the Philippines.
