Matilda Johnsen

Tell us about the Global Leadership Summit…
I attended the Global Leadership Summit in Peru, which lasted from early Friday morning to late Monday night [March 17-19, 2017]. The summit revolved around cultural differences and how we, as global citizens, are able to impact and change the world of the future. We were divided into groups of six complete strangers who we were going to work very closely with over the course of the summit. We also listened to public speakers such as Dr. Derrick Gay and Olympic gold-medalist DeeDee Trotter. However, we were far from just listeners at the summit. As groups of 15-18-year-old people who had never met each other before, we were asked to save the world. Literally. But, it was not about curing cancer or ending world poverty as most people would think of when on the topic of saving the world. It was about learning and understanding the way of thinking and the process of creating something that could be as little as just a step in the right direction. Every group was asked to figure out something that someone else at the summit had experienced which was related to globalization. Our group’s project made it to the final, but sadly we didn't win, which would’ve been cool since the winning project will be installed at the Nobel Prize Museum in Sweden. There were hundreds of creative, hard-working and determined teenagers at the summit, so it’s cool to say that me and five others created one of the most efficient products. I’m very grateful to have been able to attend this summit, as well as getting to see a part of the world I’ve never seen before. As I said earlier, it has truly been a memorable experience for me.

Why were you interested in taking part in the GLS?
I was interested in taking part of the GLS to get to know even more people with different backgrounds and cultures as well as exploring a part of the world I have never seen before.

What experiences did you gain at the GLS in Peru?
I experienced a lot at the GLS in Peru, but one of the most memorable of them all was to be able to experience all of the people coming together from different cultures and being able to communicate well and come together as a big group.

What was the most inspiring part of the summit?
The most inspiring part of the summit was hearing about other people’s backgrounds, their experiences and how they viewed the world as global citizens.

Who was your favorite speaker? Why?
My favorite speaker was Deedee Trotter because she held a very inspiring and real talk, as well as being an inspiration to many people in the room.

What did it mean to you to be part of the conference?
For me, being at the conference, meant expanding my knowledge about being a global citizenship and increasing my potential to learn the way of thinking when it comes to devices that can help humanity in even just a small way.

What problem did you and your group solve, and how did you come up with the solution?
After speaking to Megan, who lives in Bermuda, we realized that there was a lack of devices that can help someone when the island they live on is flooded and there is no way for food or water to get in or out of the island. We created a sphere-like device that would serve as a shelter when these natural catastrophes come to play. It had many useful functions, such as an anchor so it would not float away, an emergency exit and an area big enough to hold food for a family for a month. Our device helped Megan, and people like her, by making it simple for her to have a place to go when a flood happens.

Why do you think this summit is important for students your age?
I think the summit is important for students my age because it teaches you a new way of viewing global issues, as well as a new way of problem solving.

Read about the GLS in Peru on our blog.