Fort Worth Sister Cities International is hosting high school students from Japan, China, Eswatini, and the United States for its annual Global Leaders in Action program. The two-week experience allows participants to explore leadership through healthcare, civic engagement, and technology while learning the value of citizen diplomacy.
Program Details
One stop on the students’ visit included the simulation labs at UNT Health Fort Worth, where they gained firsthand exposure to healthcare education and innovation. The program focuses on leadership development, but organizers say its greatest benefit comes from helping students connect across cultures.
According to Fort Worth Sister Cities International President and CEO Kippen de Alba Chu, the program aims to facilitate interactions between people from different cultures and countries. Participant Hu Yawen emphasized the importance of communication across cultures, stating, “We are in different countries, we have different cultures — how can we communicate with each other?”
Building Lasting Connections
De Alba Chu believes that the connections made during the program can have a lasting impact, as participants find more similarities than differences with people from other cultures. Participant Eswatini Mbabane noted that finding common ground is key to building lasting relationships, while Daniel Barreto from Fort Worth added that having something in common can serve as a foundation for friendship.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
