JA Americas: Live and VR Youth Events

In 2022, the Americas region drove youth education, engagement, and empowerment by successfully hosting national and regional events, both live and virtual. Filled with a mix of inspiring speakers and hands-on, experiential workshops, the virtual NAU Fest and three editions of FIE offered youth in the Americas region additional opportunities to expand their skillsets.

With the support of the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation, JA Americas launched a new event in 2022, called NAU Fest. Hosted on the SpatialChat platform, which mimics an immersive, virtual-reality experience without the need for expensive headsets, the virtual festival featured workshops on entrepreneurship, employability, sustainability, STEM, and resilience for students ages 16 and over, all in three languages. Keynote speakers at 2022 NAU Fest included Ndaba Mandela, Muhammad Yunus, Argentine rapper Wow, Rayssa Bratillieri, Maren Lau, and more. 

Similarly, the International Entrepreneurs’ Forum (FIE) is a high-impact educational program organized by JA Mexico, Junior Achievement Argentina, and JA Guatemala in three separate events, all of which were held in person in 2022. During a FIE event, participants interact with cultures from different parts of the world; talk with prominent speakers who serve as a source of inspiration; and take part in competitions, hands-on workshops, and activities that enhance students’ skills.

In recommending the FIE Mexico event, FIE alumnus Alejandro Márquez shared his story: “More than 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to live the FIE experience and I can say, it’s one of the best experiences of my life. Now I’m an economist and I work with federal government institutions that support entrepreneurs. I’m glad that you continue with this extraordinary work.”

According to Andrés Vila, co-director of the Córdoba, Argentina, event location, FIE “is a transforming experience for young people because they encounter many different realities and cultures, yet they all agree on being the engine of change to positively impact their communities.” 

Gabriel Allasia, president of JA Córdoba (Argentina), shared that “the particularity of the 2022 event was the large number of young volunteers involved to make it possible,” most of whom were previous FIE participants. These near-peers serve as important role models to young people from across the Americas, a key component of JA’s Theory of Change.