The Festival of Hope (FOH), an initiative launched by the IB in 2022, aims to ‘strengthen and connect its global community of international students through social media and youth engagement projects’ (IBO, 2023). The Festival of Hope connects ‘young people who come to speak their truth and feel heard’ together to support each other (IBO Festival of Hope, 2023), and partnered with IBlieve last year to advance this mission of elevating young people’s ideas. IBlieve’s unique position, as a bridge connecting student experiences worldwide, now supported by the IB, aligns with the FOH’s vision of creating a new dynamic of change, empowering youth voices, and fostering connections to forge a brighter future (IBO, 2023).
In the vision outlined by IBlieve’s co-founders and co-exec directors, the partnership’s primary goal is to cultivate discussions about youth-led change and actively contribute to shaping the future of the IB student experience. These meaningful conversations unfold within the framework of the Festival of Hope, with the Global Youth Action Fund (GYAF) serving as vital on-the-ground support. The GYAF plays a pivotal role in elevating student projects from both IB and non-IB schools, enabling them not only to influence the future of the IB experience but also to impact broader societies.
The Global Youth Action Fund (GYAF) was announced by the International Baccalaureate in 2023, to support and amplify the efforts of young people committed to creating positive change globally (IBO, 2023). Open to student/s aged 12 through 19 from any school globally, the GYAF serves as a pathway to action for the IB’s Festival of Hope, reflecting the belief that young people can be powerful agents of change (IBO, 2023).
The IB Global Conference is a semiannual event hosted by the IB to ‘enlighten, engage and inspire’ educators from around the globe about the ‘most pressing topics in education’ (IBO, 2023). The IB Global Conference occurred in Dublin, Ireland in October 2023, with Imogen and Maitha, IBlieve’s co-founder and Exec Director, attending the conference to speak about IBlieve’s story, our partnership with the FOH and also to host one of the in-person events with the FOH. This event was attended by recipients of the Global Youth Action Fund grants who showcased a diverse array of incredible initiatives that exemplify the potential of youth-led change. Imogen highlighted that the event allowed “award winners to share meaningful insights from both their IB experiences and their social impact journeys. It was an incredible opportunity to bring together like-minded young people from across the world, including Hong Kong, the UK, and Armenia.”
Another initiative of IBlieve and the FOH is the use of social media to connect young people, through the series #CASforImpact where impactful CAS Projects from IB students are shared around the world, to inspire and shed light on their important subjects. Justin, a Canadian IB1 student who is also a GYAF awardee, started Acimona, which is a student-led platform that shares the stories and perspectives of Indigenous voices through photojournalism, art and educational articles. Justin founded this international non-profit after learning about ‘issues affecting Indigenous people like water crisis’, over criminalisation and substance abuse’, in hopes to break down the complexity of these issues and educate people’ (IBlieve & FOH, 2023).
The support of the Global Youth Action Fund through the partnership between IBlieve and The Festival of Hope represents a powerful synergy that not only supports youth-led projects but also contributes to the broader mission of inspiring hope, building connections, and driving positive change on a global scale.
Global Youth Action Fund 2024 applications are now open to all students!
‘Open to students, or student groups, aged 12 to 19 from both IB and non-IB schools and the deadline to apply for the grant will be open from 23 January to 27 February 2024. Students do not need to be enrolled at an IB World School but must be enrolled in a secondary school.’ More information, including selection criteria and key dates are available on the IBO website at this link: IBO GYAF 2024 Applications