Young people ages 15-19 and staff from more than 15 countries gather in Bedford Virginia to form a living working model of the global community. In a traditional summer camp setting, lifelong friendships are formed based on respect as a standard of human interaction. At GYV, we see young people as integral players and we provide hands-on leadership training so they can build a future full of hope, creativity, and sustainability.
Make friends with teens from 15+ countries; enjoy sports, swimming, arts & crafts; and become a global leader. It's summer that lasts a lifetime! Global Youth Village is a project of Legacy International and has been operating for over 38 years. We have over 4,000 alums from over 100 countries.
The Global Youth Village has welcomed over 5,000 teens from more than 102 countries since 1979. The 15 to 21 day international youth leadership summit for ages 15-19 in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia gathers youth leaders from across the globe to create a community of hope and action.
The Global Youth Village offers dynamic activities fostering cross-cultural understanding and helps young people tap into their potential as agents of change.
Join friends in a beautiful rural setting to:
-Tackle the world’s most pressing issues.
-Learn from experts and champions in peace & conflict, human rights, and climate action.
-Take action and mobilize others - create working groups to develop solutions.
-Become a communicator, innovator, decision maker.
-Develop your own youth advocacy toolkits to precipitate local community change.
Typical Day - Become a peace-builder and visionary
Wellness - Explore ways to manage stress and build good mental health habits. Enjoy 45 minute activities each day such as meditation techniques, yoga, exercising, healthy eating, and journaling.
Community Projects - Discover our delightful nature and work as a team to build nature trails, paint camp structures, plant organic gardens, and many more activities for 10-12 hours during your stay
Living SidebySide® - 20 hours of training in our peace building and tolerance curriculum which teaches communication, cultural competency, leadership and problem solving skills. This is the backbone of the Global Youth Village experience.
Vision 2030 - Addressing Environmental sustainability - Discover ways you can practice environmental sustainability. Plant and harvest organic vegetables, build nature trails and maintain forest ecosystems, learn from environmental experts and youth activists, design advocacy programs and peer education campaigns. Look at environmental issues from a variety of lenses including environmental justice, eco-art, agricultural practices, climate change impacts, and life choices.
Evening Fun - down time with friends, art nights, cultural sharing events, open-mike nights and more.
