Global Youth Village

​Camp Overview

As political and social polarization increases around the globe, many are looking to the youth for solutions and a way forward.  At the Global Youth Village in rural Virginia, dedicated staff train young people to answer that call to lead.  Founded in 1979, the Global Youth Village is Legacy International's flagship youth summer program, and will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2019.

Every summer, in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a living, working model of the global community is established by inviting a diverse group of youths (ages 14-19) to the Global Youth Village for a two-week dialogue and leadership summit. In this tech-free zone, deep friendships are forged; respectful dialogue around challenging subjects is achieved, all in an interactive learning environment far from the classroom setting.

No day at the Village is “typical.” Each is filled with a diverse array of group and solo activities: peace-building workshops, sports and arts, evening programs and special events.  At each meal, our talented chefs cook delicious meals using fresh whole foods.  Meals are primarily vegetarian with international flares, reflecting the home-cooking of the participant’s native countries. The wood-frame cabins, named “peace” in different languages, become sanctuaries for the tight-knit camp families that form every session.

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"In the Global Youth Village, we are given responsibility - anything from planning presentations to managing town meetings and organizing sports and games. Many things depend on our judgment and teamwork. It is a good feeling."  — Angela from Chicago

"We started out as total strangers and within days we formed the closest bonds I have ever experienced.  That is because we all have potential to make a difference.  With all the chaos I experience in the world, I found GYV to be a heaven." — Vivek from India

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With the leadership of J.E. Rash, Founder of Legacy International, and a community of volunteers, a group of parents built the Global Youth Village during the particularly hot summer of 1979. That summer hosted just nine young people. Over the following four decades, with the support of dedicated alumni and numerous national and international funding agencies, the Global Youth Village has brought together over 4,500 youth from 105 different countries.

Legacy International was one of the very first organizations to initiate peace building and dialogue programs with youth from conflict areas, beginning with young Israelis and Palestinians in the early 80's followed by youth from other conflict zones around the world (Northern Ireland, Bosnia Herzegovina, Iraq, etc).  Fifty percent of GYV's participants come from the U.S., where vulnerable teenagers can succumb to feelings of hopelessness, disillusionment, and disenfranchisement and inspired teens look for ways to build social cohesion. We partner with local organizations like Summer Search, Boys and Girls Clubs, Rotary International and more to serve young leaders who want to build cohesive communities. 

The Global Youth Village is an important first step for engaging young leaders in a lifetime role as community builders. Alumni have gone on to become innovators starting small businesses and employing friends and family, public health officials bringing good hygiene practices to rural communities, educators offering literacy training, social media experts combating online bullying, fair housing advocates bringing together stakeholders to build new housing, and doctors working for Operation Smile. The message all GYV alumni carry is to live a life with purpose and respect for others based on universal values.