Where Diplomacy Is Practiced, Not Just Taught

We train students and young professionals in international policy, negotiation, and leadership through forums held in the cities shaping global affairs.

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Projects

Training the People Who Will Shape Tomorrow's Policy

Different backgrounds, one shared purpose.

CDA is a youth-led organization training the next generation of diplomats, policymakers, and civic leaders. We work across multiple regions, bringing together students and young professionals to study international law, policy-making, negotiation, and leadership not just in theory, but in the room, working through real scenarios alongside people who’ve done this work professionally. We started CDA because we kept running into the same problem: plenty of young people care deeply about global issues, but very few ever get a real chance to practice the skills diplomacy actually requires. Our forums are how we try to close that gap, one city and one cohort at a time.

Mission

To give young people a real seat at the diplomatic table not a simulation of one, but actual practice in the skills, dialogue, and decision-making that global cooperation requires.

Vision

We believe the people best positioned to solve tomorrow’s global challenges are the ones given the chance to start working on them today. A generation of leaders who learned diplomacy by doing it, starting young enough that it shapes how they lead for the rest of their careers that’s what we’re working toward.

Where our delegates have gathered so far

07 – Geneva, Switzerland

European Youth Summit 2026

06 – Portugal

World Youth Forum 2026

05 – Amsterdam, Netherlands

Youth Vision Assembly 2025

04 – Milan, Italy

Youth Action Summit 2025

03 – Porto, Portugal

World Youth Forum 2024

02 – Brussels, Belgium

Global Diplomatic Forum 2024

01 – Istanbul, Turkey

Mandela Residential Fellowship 2023

Civic Youth Forum 2026 Copenhagen, Denmark

A limited number of scholarship seats are available, covering everything from flights to accommodation depending on the category you qualify for.

Days

Hours

Minutes

What a Forum Includes

Hands-On Policy Labs

Work in teams to research, draft, and defend real policy proposals the same process used in actual diplomatic settings, compressed into a few intensive days

Global Networking

Sit across the table from delegates representing dozens of countries. Some of those conversations turn into research partnerships, joint initiatives, or simply friendships that outlast the forum.

Expert Panels & Keynotes

Hear directly from diplomats, policymakers, and practitioners about decisions they’ve actually had to make not case studies, the real thing.

Negotiation Simulations

Step into structured negotiation exercises modeled on real diplomatic scenarios, where the goal isn’t to win an argument but to reach an agreement that holds.

1 on 1 Mentorship

Get dedicated time with a mentor to talk through your specific goals whether that’s a career path, a research interest, or a question you haven’t figured out how to ask yet.

Host-City Immersion

Every forum location is chosen deliberately. You’ll spend time in the city itself, not just inside a conference room.

Hear From Those Who've Been in the Room

A Look Back at Our Forums

More to See

A few moments from our forums, captured on video.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CDA legitimate? I haven't heard of it before.

Fair question, and one we’d ask too. CDA has run forums in Porto, Milan, and now Copenhagen, with registered entities across several countries. We’re not a large, well-known institution yet we’re a younger organization still building that reputation, one forum at a time.

Is the scholarship actually free, or is there a catch?

Fully funded seats cover flights, accommodation, and meals. Partially funded and free-access tiers cover less. There’s no hidden fee after acceptance, but we’d rather be upfront: funding is limited, and not every applicant gets the top tier.

What are my actual chances of getting in?

We don’t publish an acceptance rate, mostly because it varies by forum and we don’t want to either discourage you or oversell your odds. What we can say is that we look at your application as a whole, not just where you’re from or what you’ve already accomplished.

I've never done anything like this before. Should I still apply?

Yes. Most of our delegates hadn’t either. We’re more interested in why you want to be there than in a resume full of prior summits.

What happens if I'm not selected?

You’re welcome to apply again for a future forum. We don’t have a formal waitlist process yet, so if you’re not selected this round, the most useful thing you can do is apply early next time.

Is this run by volunteers, a company, or what exactly?

CDA is a youth-led organization, not a government body or university program. We’re a subsidiary of the Headway Institute of Strategic Alliance (HISA). We’re upfront about this because it matters for understanding what kind of organization you’d be working with.Yes. Delegates who successfully participate receive an international certificate of participation.

Will this actually help my career, or is that just marketing language?

Some delegates have used the experience, network, or certificate to support applications elsewhere. We can’t promise it’ll open a specific door for you that depends a lot on what you do with it afterward.