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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com International
The past two years have been an incredible journey for me, from visiting members of the human rights foundation in their offices in the Empire State Building to camping in the rainforests of Brazil in an attempt to understand what true Sustainable Development as a member of the official delegation for the 6th annual World Youth Congress in Brazil, I can undoubtedly say that I have been blessed and this past October I was able to revisit the organization that started it all, the people that opened my eyes and got me onto the international track that I am so happily on today, One Young World. This year’s One young World Summit took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the summit this year I was able to see old friends and make new ones, but more importantly I was able to make a difference as small as it may have been.
On October 18th 2012 merely hours before the opening ceremony and barely 2 hours of sleep, my colleagues and I were able to visit a very special place called Sto-Rox High School. There, we were able to host two Global Dignity Sessions where we could talk to the kids about stories of dignity and have them share their own. This day, in short, was a magical one for me, because for the first time I was able to share my story without fear of being judged or ridiculed. The open honesty in the eyes of these kids was just so overwhelming that I found myself in tears during random parts of the day. I knew from this session that this year’s One Young World Summit would be unforgettable.
During the Opening Ceremony we had a special visit from Former President Bill Clinton who might I add just might be one of the smartest people on the planet, answering questions ranging from Economics to human rights this icon was surely an open book that I really wish I had the opportunity to just read. It was also during this ceremony that I was able to bear my country’s flag with honour and with pride. The people of Pittsburgh lovingly opened up their homes and their hearts to allow the ambassadors and delegates have meals and even stay for extra nights in Pittsburgh.
One thing I can always take from a One Young World Summit is that you cannot just merely go to one, because you are apart of a family, a growing family, an international family. Next year’s One Young World will be taking place in Johannesburg South Africa with applications opening on November 5th 2012. I invite any young Bahamian between the ages of 18- 30 dedicated to not only making a difference in the community but a difference in the world to join me and apply at: www.oneyoungworld.com
Ashleigh Rolle can be reached at: ashseanrolle@gmail.com Here is an article from the Post Gazette on a Global Dignity Day that she helped organize in Pittsburgh. Read other articles related to Ashleigh HERE
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