In 1997, young people and leaders in the fields of human rights and genocide prevention gathered together, intent on finding new ways to prevent the crimes against humanity then ravaging the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and other zones of conflict around the world. As a result, a group of international young leaders bonded together to build an organization whose goal would be to prevent such atrocities from occurring in the first place.

The answer was clear: the key to preventing massive violations of human rights and protecting basic freedoms lies in organizing the world's youth to take action. Thus, Global Youth Connect (GYC) was born. Today, our programs and activities are challenging youth to work to transform the world around them.

With the help of a planning grant from the Dart Foundation, a steering committee of 15 young people from 10 different countries, including the former Yugoslavia, Guatemala, Cambodia, Nigeria, and the United States -- spent two years building the organization's foundations.

In August 1999, Global Youth Connect began operating as a fully incorporated 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Since then, we have developed and implemented programs that are supporting and inspiring the passions and lives of youth and helping to create change on a wide variety of human rights and social justice issues around the world.