Introduction to the IYLC - International Youth Leadership Conference

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The IYLC is aimed at university and college students, who seek to strengthen their leadership skills and gain meaningful international experience. The Conference welcomes individuals between 18 and 24, who demonstrate commitment to academic excellence, personal development and community involvement in a spirit of responsible and sustainable leadership.

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Frequent Questions

This FAQ adresses some of the most common common questions about the conference.

Please read through the information below before you contact us with questions.

Application

Application Deadline – We handle our applications in several rounds, with deadlines approximately every 10 days (usually the 1^st, 10^th, and 20^thof the month). Once your application is complete, we will review it in the next round, and you will be notified regarding acceptance via email within 5 days after the deadline.

Age – The conference is intended for university students aged 18-24, although we do have some discretion on this matter to account for different countries’ educational systems. For liability reasons, we cannot accept students younger than age 18 at the time of the conference. This age must be calculated from the date of birth (Western age standards), even if by the standards of your country, your age is different.

Filling out the Application – The only way to apply for the IYLC is our online application, and each student must apply individually. Please include your complete mailing address, as we will use this to send your acceptance package to you. Also, please enter your name as it appears in your passport.

The following question:

“IYLC, Insight: Dubai Alumni or IYLA: Yes / No

If no, please enter name of professor who recommended you “

refers to our past conferences. If you have attended a previous IYLC, the Insight: Dubai or the International Youth Leadership Africa conference, please tick “yes”; and if a professor has recommended you, please include his or her name here.

General

Dress – The dress code for most activities of the conference is "smart casual". During simulations and most trips, participants will not be permitted to wear t-shirts or jeans. During the conference, there will be a small number of events that will require semi-formal attire. Our opening and closing ceremonies, Model Parliament simulation and embassy visits in Prague will be semi-formal occasions. All conference participants are asked to pack accordingly and bring appropriate attire for these events. "Smart casual" refers to casual business wear, or what you would wear to a job interview (NO jeans, sneakers, etc.) For the three "semi-formal" events, men are asked to wear a suit and tie. If you do not have a suit, then a dress shirt will be suitable. For women, a dress, skirt or dress pants would be most appropriate for the semi-formal events.

Please note: We have tried to limit the amount of foot travel that you will be doing, but there are a few short walks (from the Embassies to the Ministries, for example) so please pack accordingly. The streets in Prague are mostly cobblestone, and high heels can become very cumbersome, so please bring comfortable dress shoes!

Weather (Summer): Prague is fairly warm in the summertime, so it is important to be prepared for hot temperatures. It is likely to rain one day and be very sunny the next. Check the weather forecast over the internet before coming.

Weather (Winter): Prague can get quite cold during the winter. There is likely to be snow, so warm coats, a good sweater, and appropriate footwear are needed. We have tried to limit the amount of foot travel that you will be doing, but there are a few short walks (from the Embassies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for example) so please pack accordingly. Check the weather forecast over the internet before coming.

Money – The currency of the Czech Republic is Czech Crowns (CZK). All major foreign currencies and traveler’s cheques may be exchanged for Czech Crowns at many convenient exchange booths at the airport and in the city centre. Current exchange rates can be found on the internet.

You will also be able to extract money from Czech ATM machines in local currency with your bank debit cards, as long as your bankcard operates on an internationally recognized network. Most places DO NOT take American Express in the Czech Republic, and it is not common to pay by credit card in small stores. Our best suggestion is to bring a small amount of foreign currency and a bank debit card or an internationally recognized credit card. Prague is a fairly cash-oriented city, but majority of shops that you enter will accept credit cards. Bank machines are fairly common, and it’s easy to get money out at reasonable exchange rates.

Please note: A number of con artists work at the airport, trying to convince new travelers to exchange their money. Do NOT exchange money privately or on the street; rather, we recommend that you go to one of the many exchange stalls at the airport or in the city to exchange your money.

Visas

Czech Immigration law can be extremely bureaucratic and time-consuming – many Embassies require 4 to 6 weeks to issue a visa. If you need a visa, we strongly recommend that you begin the process as soon as possible. Please check the website here for an up-to-date list of countries that do NOT need visas to enter the country.

If your country is not on this list, it's a safe bet that you will need a visa. In this case, to locate the embassy or consulate nearest you please visit "Czech Embassies Abroad" here.

Please note: the requirements to apply for visas vary from country to country. It is best to contact the local Embassy or Consulate and find out exactly what you will need.

The Invitation Letter from the Czech Foreign Police

(Zvací dopis)

Some students will be required a special document – the Invitation Letter from the Czech Foreign Police (students from Pakistan, India..). If you need this document, please note that there is a very specific and time-consuming procedure for obtaining it. Please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and we will send you more information about how to proceed.

*Please note: Although generally we recommend that students wait to pay their conference fee until after the visa is issued, in cases where students need this letter, we cannot apply for the letter on your behalf until your conference fee is paid in full.

Funding

Conference Fees

The conference fee covers: 5 nights accommodation in Prague, all meals, all local transportation, a friendly airport greeting, all field trips, site visits, guest lectures, workshops, an awards ceremony and the infamous end-of-conference party. (The Czech Value Added Tax (VAT) is included as well.)

Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from Prague (the conference fee does not cover airfare). SkyTeam is the official airline network of the IYLC, and offer students a 10% discount on Economy Class airfare in all airlines in the network. For more information, see SkyTeam Discounts here.

Sponsorships – Since we are an accredited academic organisation, many of our students ask their university or another academic organisation on campus to fund their tuition to the conference.

An excellent way to have your entire conference paid for is to find a local business or charitable organisation in your hometown to sponsor you. The best approach to take is to first contact them over the phone. Try to arrange a meeting with them. Explain how you would like their assistance in helping you attend the next International Youth Leadership Conference in Prague, Czech Republic. You would like for them to help cover your small student fee required to attend this year's conference. In return, you will write letters to the local media informing them of your sponsorship, and you will represent their business at the conference by wearing for example a nametag with their logo on it. Their name and logo will also appear on our promotional materials and on our website.

For further advice on securing scholarships and funding please go here.

Show initiative: it's an opportunity for you to attend the next conference free! Remember, these businesses WANT to sponsor you. It’s in their best interest to show support for the next generation of leaders in their community.

When you have found a sponsor, simply email the details to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we will take care of placing their name and logo on our conference materials as promised. Good luck!

Scholarships – We have a limited number of scholarships available for students for participants from developing countries and countries in transition. Due to our financial constraints, we are unable to provide any further assistance towards either travel expenses or registration fees.

In the past, many of our students have secured funding themselves, either through private sponsorship or through Organisations like the Academy for Educational Development (www.aed.org) in conjunction with the USAID (www.usaid.gov) Please check with their websites to see whether there is a mission in your country that could help fund your participation in our conference. OSCE and UNDP have also sponsored some students.

Funding by Universities – A number of the IYLC participants are funded by their universities. Universities that support their students’ attendance at the IYLC conferences can become part of the International Youth Leadership Network. To acknowledge their support we place their logo on the IYLN website and on all conference related marketing materials. Besides other benefits they receive a 10% discount for their university delegations (minimum 2 students).

Venue

Internet Access – The hotel lobby has wireless internet, as well as all the classrooms where you will be working with your groups. There is also a public computer with internet located on the ground floor of the primary building, next to the reception. Many restaurants in Prague also offer wireless internet on request if you order something.

Meals – There will be vegetarian options available at each meal; there will also be arrangements made for Jewish and Muslim participants (ie. A non-pork dish). If you have any specific dietary requirements, please let us know as soon as possible and we will do everything we can to accommodate you.

Phones – Pay phones are extremely rare in Prague, and long-distance calls are quite expensive. There is a pay phone in the hotel lobby and it would be best to purchase a card for international phone calls at the local newsagents (trafika). Hotel phones are free for local calls. If you will be bringing a mobile phone, it may be possible to purchase a SIM card and a recharge coupon so that you can send SMS (TEXT) messages or make calls. The mobile phone companies O2, Vodafone and T-Mobile are easy to find in Prague.

Extra time in Prague

IMPORTANT: Although the conference takes place in Prague, there is more emphasis placed on utilizing and developing the unique international community of the conference and not so much importance is placed on sightseeing in Prague. This means that you may not have as much time to explore the city as you might like. We strongly encourage you to make arrangements to stay in Prague before or after the conference in order to see the city and experience Czech culture.

Overview

The International Youth Leadership Conference is a weeklong forum on world politics, international relations, law, media, business and global economy. We started the IYLC in 2000 in Prague as a week-long forum that now draws on average 100 university students from 35+ countries across the globe biannually. Since its inception, the conference has touched the lives of nearly 2000 participants from a total of 120 countries and is considered by them an unparalleled learning experience. The theme of the conference is a "cross-cultural exchange of young ideas concerning the future of world leadership."

The main objective of the IYLC is to facilitate an exchange of ideas across an ethnically diverse and socially responsible group of young international leaders. The conference blends social interaction with cultural and educational components into one cohesive experience. Our organisation, Civic Concepts International, believes in the learning method of direct, hands-on experience. In our simulation activities, students have the opportunity to test their leadership skills, debate current issues, deliver speeches, draft resolutions, make executive decisions, and realize through experience the complexities of international relations. By participating in simulations that recreate a United Nations Security Council crisis meeting, an International Criminal Court hearing, and a model European Parliament session, students begin to understand international relations and relationships through practice as opposed to theory (as taught in their university curriculum). Their interaction provokes communication and dialogue that, throughout the week, provides an unparalleled learning experience and cross-cultural adventure.

With a wide range of nationalities participating in the conference, we stress cross-cultural understanding and an open-minded exchange of different national perspectives on global issues. Among the many events packed into the week, the IYLC recognizes communication, cooperation, and dialogue to be the most important aspect of the conference. The individuals that create the conference are each other's best resource in uncovering the similarities and differences between people from different backgrounds coming from diverse geographical locations. By bringing over 30 nationalities together, and exposing them to real world issues, we are strengthening relationships and cooperation between cultures and creating a network between the future leaders of the world.

IYLC student sponsors and alumni agree that the International Youth Leadership Conference is an excellent forum for young leaders to benefit from the experiential learning and cross-cultural exchange of ideas with like-minded students from around the world.

Participants

The IYLC is aimed at university and college students, as well as recent graduates, who seek to strengthen their generic leadership skills and gain meaningful international experiences. The Conference welcomes individuals between 18 and 24, who demonstrate commitment to academic excellence, professional development and community involvement in a spirit of responsible and sustainable leadership.

The International Youth Leadership Conference is a unique model that harmoniously combines academic and socio-cultural components. With its busy 5-day schedule, the IYLC involves participants in diverse discussions and activities that directly and indirectly contribute to their academic and professional careers, as well as raise their intercultural, gender and environmental awareness.

Ethnic diversity of the participants in composition with their rich academic and professional backgrounds ensures that the issues are probed on various levels and crosscuts. Representing various countries with their unique cultures, political systems and foreign policies, participants involve themselves in an intercourse with the whole spectrum of interests and viewpoints represented. The multiplicity of the students is a valuable asset that ensures an unprejudiced and balanced debate on all the issues in the framework of the conference.

Effects

As a recognised academic course, the IYLC supplements and broadens the existing knowledge, as well as equips the participants with new facts and details, essential for a profound understanding of the issues at hand. Those participants, who major in subjects other than political science or international relations, gain a substantial foundation for building up the understanding of these subjects and further expand their practices in the field.

On numerous occasions the IYLC has served participants as a turning point, positively affecting their academic and professional careers through introducing them to areas and issues that they wouldn't experience otherwise. The conference tends to expand the participants' skills: it helps many students to step out of their comfort zones and explore new people and opportunities, thus strengthening their confidence and making them comfortable with new experiences and environments.

For many of the participants, the IYLC is the first opportunity to travel abroad and explore another country. The conference helps them to expand their horizons, experience the joy of travel and discover new cultures and places. Again, it's an opportunity for them to step out of their comfort zones and experience the world at large.

During the conference, many of the participants establish life-long friendships, which in a longer perspective may affect the decision making processes in their countries, promote international peace and non-violence, and determine outcomes of certain problems and crises.

The diversity of the participants inevitably contributes to intercultural communication and better understanding of different cultures. Consequently, the conference reinforces the values of tolerance, equality and democracy among participants.

Last but not least, the conference empowers its participants, and encourages them to work on making their communities safer and better places to live.

Quantitative effects of the IYLC are presented here.

Strengths

The International Youth Leadership Conference is a unique model that harmoniously combines academic and socio-cultural components. Placing a strong emphasis on complementarity of theoretical knowledge with practical experiences, it ensures a better understanding and comprehension of the issues at hand and exposes its participants to first-hand experiences that they wouldn't otherwise encounter. With its busy 5-day schedule, the IYLC involves participants in diverse discussions and activities that directly and indirectly contribute to their academic and professional careers, as well as raise their awareness of international conflicts and issues of global importance. Ethnic diversity of the participants in composition with their rich academic and professional backgrounds ensures that the issues are probed on various levels and crosscuts.

Representing various countries with their unique cultures, political systems and foreign policies, participants involve themselves in an intercourse with the whole spectrum of interests and viewpoints represented. The multiplicity of the students is a valuable asset that ensures an unprejudiced and balanced debate on all the issues in the framework of the conference.

Throughout the conference the participants are guided by the facilitators, who as former IYLC participants possess the knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate the discussions and the activities of the conference. Being peers to the participants, they can easier identify the needs, choose better approaches and adjust to working moods and behavioral patterns of the participants, thus positively affecting the group dynamics and the overall success of the conference. During the IYLC, participants have an amazing networking opportunity: with all 5 continents represented they can build contacts with fellow students thus establishing relationships potentially useful in their studies and jobs. This aspect comprises a long-term effect of the conference that directly links to the sustainability of the project. Besides, the participants meet and communicate with high-ranking governmental officials, diplomats, business people, who furnish them with useful tips and advices, as well as share their professional experiences.