YFU Symposium on Intercultural Exchange and Democratic Engagement

On 26 October 2026, ESCP Business School in Paris will host the YFU Symposium on Intercultural Exchange and Democratic Engagement, bringing together leading voices from international education, public policy, research, and civil society.

Organised as part of YFU’s 75th anniversary, this half-day symposium addresses a crucial question:

Can intercultural exchange be understood not simply as an individual growth opportunity, but as a vital investment in democratic resilience and international cooperation?

Key Perspectives Covered

• Building Democratic Capacity: How living and learning abroad develop critical thinking, empathy, perspective-taking, and constructive dialogue across differences.
• From Exceptional Opportunity to Systemic Impact: The policy frameworks, investments, and scalable models needed to broaden access to international exchange beyond those already privileged to participate.
• Making Multilateralism Tangible: How direct cross-border experiences make global interdependence and international cooperation concrete for young people.

Be part of the conversation connecting research, policy, and practice to drive systemic impact in global education.

👉 Discover the full program and speaker lineup: click here

👉 Join us to shape the future of international education. Register here