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Y20 (Youth Summit)
Winter 2026 | USA

Meet the 2025 Y20 Fellows

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Adjoa Assan

Adjoa is a lawyer and an award-winning graduate with qualifications in Applied Leadership and Critical Thinking, International Studies, and Law. She has led transformative programs, including mentoring initiatives impacting 600+ young people. Rooted in her Ghanaian heritage as the granddaughter of an Omankrado (chief’s councillor), Adjoa advocates for strengths-based representation of African perspectives in education and global conversations. 

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Ava Kalinauskas

Ava is a Research Associate at the United States Studies Centre, where she focuses on US domestic politics. Her analysis has been featured across media outlets including The Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Conversation, The Diplomat, SBS, and the ABC. Ava previously sat on the Youth Advisory Council to US Consul General Christine Elder from 2022-24 and was a Program Assistant at Women In International Security Global (WIIS).

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Cooper Cross

Cooper is a third-year Bachelor of Arts student at the University of Sydney, majoring in international relations and political economy. With a strong background in political campaigns and federal politics, Cooper now works as a union organiser, where he is dedicated to empowering workers and advocating for their rights.Passionate about fostering a more sustainable economy and society, Cooper combines his academic studies with hands-on experience to drive social and economic equality. 

Kira Todd

Kira is a final year Master of International Relations student at the University of Melbourne with a strong interest in humanitarian and human rights issues. She is particularly focused on protecting and promoting the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants – a commitment partly inspired by her upbringing in a diverse community composed of many first and second generation migrants, and her own family’s experience with migration. She has previously worked for state and federal governments, interned with the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness, and has volunteered extensively with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

Zyarna Leefe

Zyarna Leefe (Rongomaiwahine, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and Ngāpuhi, Aotearoa) has recently graduated with a Bachelor of International Relations and is currently pursuing a Master of International Law and Diplomacy at the Australian National University. She is a Policy Advisor and Executive Officer at Aestra, where she supports the delivery and management of complex environmental and reform projects. Zyarna is passionate about advocating for the Indigenous self-determination in international relations.

What is the Y20 Summit?​

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The Y20 (Youth 20) is the official youth engagement group of the G20, an international forum for young leaders from G20 countries. The Y20 serves as a platform for youth to express their perspectives, propose solutions, and engage in dialogue on global issues such as climate change, education, employment, and social inclusion. Each year, Y20 delegates gather at a summit hosted by the G20 presidency, where they collaborate to develop policy recommendations that are presented to G20 leaders. The Y20 aims to ensure that the voices of young people are heard in shaping global policies and fostering sustainable development, promoting the active involvement of youth in decision-making processes at the highest levels of governance.

To be eligible to apply, you must:

  1. Be aged 18 - 30 for the full duration of the program

  2. Be available for pre-departure training in Canberra 

  3. Be available and able to travel for the full duration of the international delegation you are applying for 

  4. Be able to travel to the country of the delegation you are applying for

  5. Have the ability to commit at least 5 hours per week to the fellowship program

  6. Currently hold or can obtain a passport which is valid for at least 6-months after the end of your delegation

  7. Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident 

  8. Have not taken part in the Global Voices Fellowship Program before.

​We are looking for delegates that have:

  • Personal and/or professional interest in the delegation’s purpose and issues 

  • Potential to gain professionally and personally from the Fellowship Program 

  • Intention to use this unique opportunity to contribute meaningfully to their communities

  • A desire to upskill in policy writing to create meaningful change.​

We will recruit our new delegation of Y20 Fellows in November 2025. They will travel to the Y20 Summit in the USA in Winter of 2026.

Sign up to our mailing list to receive updates about our recruitment timelines.

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The views and opinions expressed by Global Voices Fellows do not necessarily reflect those of the organisation or its staff.

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Copyright Ⓒ Global Voices Ltd 2011 - 2020

Global Voices would like to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s First People and Traditional Custodians.

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We value their cultures, identities, and continuing connection to country, waters, kin and community. We pay our respects to Elders, both past and present, and are committed to supporting the next generation of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders.

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