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Thirty-eight senior school students from Bahrain will take part in an overseas leadership development programme this summer.
The Bahrain students will be joined by their counterparts from 99 other countries to convene for talks in Washington DC and New York, US, and Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai in China.
They will come together at the Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC), which offers students an opportunity to exchange ideas with top business leaders, policy officials, lobbyists, journalists, diplomats and academics.
Ravinder Garg, regional director, South Asia-Middle East, said that GYLC hopes to provide a life-changing experience to young men and women in a truly international environment.
"Admission to the GYLC is based only on educator/school nominations. Students are selected on the basis of high academic achievement, clear leadership qualities, an inclination for social service and fluency in English.
"There are eight sessions in the US (lasting 12 days) and one session in China (lasting 10 days). There are 360 students per US session and the Chinese sessions have 144. Almost every nationality is represented in each session, providing for a deep cross-cultural immersion during the conference.
"Each GYLC session is designed to educate, inspire, and motivate students by giving them the opportunity to explore cultural differences firsthand, challenge their diplomatic skills, build their confidence and enhance their decision-making skills in an exciting atmosphere that is both challenging and fun."
Indian Nabila Zohra Sharieff, Grade 12 student of The Indian School Bahrain in Isa Town, will be one of the delegates representing Bahrain at GYLC. She is an all-rounder who nurtures a desire to be either a career diplomat or pursue scientific studies.
Excited about her first trip to the US on her own in August, Nabeela, 17, from Hoora said that her ultimate dream is to meet her role model, US First Lady Michelle Obama.
"I hope to meet Michelle Obama. She is my role model and even though she was brought up in an average household, she has made an impact in society and people look up to her.
"It is going to be a completely different experience for me. It will help me learn how to travel alone, be independent and I hope to come back more independent and stronger.
"As I am representing Bahrain I am doing research on the kingdom, its culture and I am learning a little bit of Arabic as well.
"It throws a whole beacon of hope because until now I just saw myself as a student. But now I see myself as a global student who can represent a country. It gives you a great feeling."
Nabeela is an avid poet who writes about global issues such as violence, smoking, child abuse and global warming and has posted her work on websites.
She said: "Violence and crime disturbs me. I want to create a difference in the world and want to get to diplomatic levels to be able to make a change. I have two dreams - one is to be a diplomat and the other is to pursue a carrer in Robotics, aerospace or nanotechnology.
Nabeela's parents are funding the entire cost of the programme, $3,200 as well as travel costs.
She will be joined by students from Al Hekma International School, Bahrain Bayan School, Bahrain School, IBN Khuldoon National School, Modern Knowledge School and Shaikha Hessa Girl's School.
The conference includes tours of well known monuments and museums. For more information visit www.cylc.org/gylc.
