Every year, Loudoun County hosts delegates from countries all over the world as part of the Loudoun Youth International Leadership Summit. This year representatives from 21 different countries came together to discuss problems in their respective countries and how to solve them. Dominion hosted delegates from nine different countries: France, Poland, South Africa, Mexico, Singapore, Romania, Spain, and China. Delegates spend a total of 11 days with host families in America. They spend their days visiting Washington DC and talking about the problems that their respective countries are facing and solutions for other world issues. There are four representatives and one teacher from each country.

The delegates from across the world came on Saturday, April 7th and they left on the 18th. “Everything’s bigger in America and there are more useless rules,” said Maxime Haspot, one of the French delegates. “Everything in America is bigger than in France, the food, the houses the people.” said another delegate from France. “Washington has a sense of power to it.” Said Jade Sanchez a delegate from Mexico. Many of the delegates were awe-struck when visiting Washington.

Every delegation must come up with an action plan which is a course of action on a highlighted issue in their county while they’re here. The French delegates action plan is to address the discrimination nation of Muslims in France after the Paris attacks. They plan on hosting their elected officials in Le Havre, discussing it, and making videos for social media. They spent two days discussing between themselves on what is the best course of action. On the last day, they present their action plan to the Board of Supervisors for Loudoun County and the rest of the delegations from the other countries.

Haspot said, “The Air and Space museum was one of the best museums I’ve visited, it’s even better The Louvre.”. Sarazin’s favorite part was the food “American doughnuts are a gift from god.” All three enjoyed their time in America and they all hope that what they discussed at the summit will help solve some of the world’s problems and bring people closer.