Angola USA Youth Ambassador's Trip to Africa

My trip to Angola as a Youth Ambassador for Education and Culture for Peace at the Venancio de Moura Diplomatic Academy—July 14-17, 2025. Priscilla Qushiega from Princeton University (New Jersey) and Dylan Charles Ramberan from TABB High School (Virginia) were also the recipients of the Minister of External Relations Scholarship.

My Angola USA Youth Ambassador trip to Luanda, Angola. The journey encompassed a series of diplomatic, educational, and cultural engagements aimed at fostering international collaboration and understanding. Key activities included meetings with the Venancio de Moura Diplomatic Academy to discuss youth participation and global education initiatives, a visit to the Agostinho de Neto University school of law to plan future collaborations, and a tour of a slavery museum, which provided profound historical insights into the impact of colonization and the transatlantic slave trade on Angola. The ambassador also engaged with local communities, visited a military base, met with the Angolan ambassador, and toured a leading cardiac robotic surgery department. A particularly impactful experience was visiting a local church, learning about its construction by villagers and the inspiring story of Simon Kimbangu. The trip offered significant personal growth, highlighting the importance of education, the resilience of the Angolan people, and the rich cultural heritage of the nation, ultimately described as a life-changing experience.

Day 1: Diplomatic Engagements and Educational Visits in Luanda

On the first day in Luanda, Angola, the Angola-USA Youth Ambassador participated in several key diplomatic and educational activities:

Venancio de Moura Diplomatic Academy

The day began with a joint meeting of the ICCOUNCIL and CIMPAD delegations at the Venancio de Moura Diplomatic Academy. The ambassador, an intern, introduced themselves, noting it was their first time in both Angola and Africa. The welcoming atmosphere helped alleviate initial nervousness. Discussions highlighted the Academy's goals, including the significant role of youth in their projects. There was an emphasis on Angolan youth participating in a major meeting the following year to advance these goals, with aspirations for the academy to join the global education system to ensure worldwide impact. A tour of the academy revealed its impressive facilities, including numerous buildings and sports courts. The language arts room showcased the diverse languages offered, which are chosen based on their future utility, with plans to expand the language options. Lunch featured delicious Angolan food, a blend of African and Portuguese cuisine. I was particularly impressed by the school's classes and extracurriculars.

In 2019, I was selected as the youngest youth ambassador by the former secretary general of the United Nations—Ban Ki-moon to in participate his program “The Voice of Children for Climate Change.”