RYLA — Rotary Youth Leadership Award — is an international leadership programme for young people coordinated by Rotary Clubs worldwide. Each year, thousands of pre-selected young people aged 13 to 30 take part in programmes designed by Rotarians and partner companies. The primary selection criterion is leadership potential and a personal drive to develop it.
In spring 2018, Rotary Club of Almaty prepared and delivered this programme for the very first time in Kazakhstan. The club focused on several universities in Almaty, conducting extensive preliminary work: meetings with faculty and students, and presentations explaining the purpose of RYLA, which aims to:
— Demonstrate Rotarians' respect and attention for young people, and their understanding of youth's critical role in building a better future for society. — Give the best students the opportunity to complete an intensive programme of meetings with local and international business leaders working in Kazakhstan. — Help participants discover their leadership qualities in an immersive environment of speaker sessions, competitions, team assignments, leisure activities and informal networking.
The first RYLA Kazakhstan 2018 programme, held under the motto "Leaders Can Change Everything", took place from 26 to 29 April at the Tau-Turan complex (the recreation base of Almaty's Turan University). 30 students from 5 universities in Almaty and 2 universities in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan participated.
