Being part of Peace Summit for Emerging Leaders 2018 was one of the greatest opportunities in my life. It didn’t only open my eyes but also my world. The valuable experiences that I got from here couldn’t be found in the books or at school. Working with people from various countries provided me many invaluable lessons and brought out the part of me that was previously hidden.

Three days before, the other volunteers and I were preparing things for the summit including delegate registration and the event’s schedule. We were trained to meet deadlines and deal with unexpected situations.

I learned so many things from my teammates through stories that we shared. We came from different countries and backgrounds, but we similarly passionate, positive and supportive. We always helped each other and became close very quickly.

Walking into the United Nations, I couldn’t stop smiling. The delegates were very kind and friendly. All the fear that I had earlier was gone. I’m usually not a very talkative person but on that day I enjoyed having meaningful conversations with many people. 

Sitting in the summit and listening to the speakers was life changing. I truly respected them. Even though they had been through a hard time, they never gave up on peace. 

It was an unforgettable week that changed the way I saw life. I learned the meaning of true happiness, which is to leave no one behind.

Achiraya  Wattanakit