Young leaders and international policy
Wilton Park was founded in 1946 by Sir Heinz Koeppler, with a simple but powerful idea: that honest, open conversation between people with different perspectives is one of the most effective tools for building a more stable and peaceful world. That idea has shaped everything we do, and today Wilton Park is the UK’s foremost multilateral facilitator.
The YAN applies the same principles to a new generation. By equipping young people with the skills, the knowledge, and the confidence to engage in high-level policy dialogue, we are not simply teaching them about international affairs, we are inviting them to actively participate.
The challenges facing the world – from climate change to democratic backsliding, from conflict to technological disruption – will not be solved by the current generation alone. Today’s students will inherit these challenges and, in time, lead the response to them.
The YAN exists because Wilton Park believes that those future leaders need to be mentored and guided. The perspectives, values, and ideas of young people are not just relevant to the future of international affairs, they deserve to be heard now.
What is the Youth Ambassador Network?
The Youth Ambassador Network was developed by Wilton Park as part of our commitment to making international dialogue more diverse, more inclusive, and more representative of the world we are working to improve.
Wilton Park Policy Officer and YAN alumni Tom Bushby explains more about YAN and the benefits of his experience below:
The YAN offers university students, an unparalleled chance to develop skills in diplomacy, policy, and international engagement. Working directly with Wilton Park’s team, Youth Ambassadors will learn about, and in turn craft, policy dialogue as a tool for addressing global challenges. This year’s, YAN brings together 20 students from the University of Sussex and the University of Nottingham to reflect and engage on some of the most important questions facing the international community today.
Each university team will design and run their own Wilton Park-style dialogues, bringing together peers, academics, and practitioners to debate, deliberate, and produce insights into a topic of their choosing.
In partnership with the University of Nottingham and the University of Sussex, with funding from the Sir Heinz Koeppler Trust