The 2020 World Expo scheduled to be held in Dubai has been postponed until 2021 and we are thrilled the U.S. will be one of the 192 countries hosting a pavilion at the Expo.
You have a chance to get involved!
Sharing ideas and building understanding between nations and peoples is an important component of World Expos. IVCLA is honored, as part of the Global Ties U.S. network, to be participating in the preparations for the U.S. Pavilion - Faces of America. IVCLA will assist in recruiting a diverse group of Angelenos between the ages of 18 and 29 (Youth Ambassadors may be no older than 29 as of August 1st 2021) to serve as Youth Ambassadors. We will also nominate Cultural Performers, who will perform and interact with visitors at the Pavilion.
The theme for the Dubai Expo is Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. The Youth Ambassadors and Cultural Performers will play a major role in providing the human connections to build a better understanding about the United States. A total of 75 Youth Ambassadors and 390 Cultural Performers, who may be individuals or groups, will be selected from across the U.S. The selection process for Cultural Performers, both grassroots and semi-professional talent, will begin in mid-September. More details will be provided the beginning of September.
(The Expo was originally scheduled to begin October 2020 but due to the pandemic was rescheduled for October 2021 through March 2022. Although rescheduled to begin next year, the Expo officially retains the name Expo 2020 Dubai.)
The selection process for Youth Ambassadors will take place between now and February 26, 2021, with final selections made in May 2021. Youth Ambassadors, who will serve as guides and cultural ambassadors at the U.S. Pavilion, must be U.S. citizens ages 18-29. They will provide a human connection to the United States and its territories, reflecting our geographic and cultural diversity. Youth Ambassadors must be energetic, friendly, and people-oriented, as they will serve as the face of America to millions of Expo visitors. Although not required, the ideal Youth Ambassador would be multilingual in English and another language. The following languages may be particularly useful: Arabic, Mandarin, Farsi, Hindi, Russian, Urdu, Bengali, French, or Spanish. All applications will be reviewed, regardless of language skills.
Serving as a Youth Ambassador is a volunteer opportunity, there is no paid salary. However airfare, housing, and a $300 weekly per diem will be provided. Those selected will be assigned to one of three timelines:
Full Term: September 16, 2021 - April 2, 2022
Fall Term: September 16, 2021 - January 16, 2022
Spring Term: January 8, 2022 - April 2, 2022
(Exact dates may be subject to change)
Applications will need to include:
• contact information of 4 references (2 professional, 2 character)
• a resume or CV
• an unofficial transcript of your current or most recently completed degree
• a "one way interview" video submission of yourself (max. 15 minutes)
If you are interested in submitting an application to serve as a Youth Ambassador contact Janet Elliott at jelliott@ivcla.org for more details. IVCLA will not make the final selections but will recommend Youth Ambassador candidates to Global Ties U.S.
Youth Ambassador Program Frequently Asked Questions.