On December 6th, more than 120 students from 24 schools across Hawaiʻi gathered at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for an event unlike anything they had experienced before — the Global Vision Summit, or GVS.

What is GVS?

It is a full-day, hands-on experience where high school students step into the shoes of global leaders and grapple with urgent, real-world issues that shape the future of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. This year, students explored a topic at the center of worldwide debate:

Pacific AI: Navigating Culture & Climate

How will artificial intelligence impact our islands, our cultures, our environment, and our sovereignty?

GVS gives students the space to ask — and attempt to answer — these big questions.

🧭 A Day of Real-World Problem-Solving

Students began the day with keynote speakers from the University of Hawaiʻi’s Department of Pacific Islands Studies, Dr. Tarcisius Kabutaulaka and Dr. Tammy

Tabe, who challenged them to think critically about how technology intersects with identity, climate resilience, and colonization.

Then the room transformed.

Students were assigned roles as leaders of different Pacific nations. They formed delegations. They learned how AI development from a powerful tech company could affect their communities — economically, politically, and culturally.

And then they entered a high-stakes simulation where they had to negotiate the future of the Pacific region.

⚡ A Defining Moment: When the Debate Turned Real

Midway through the simulation, the entire room felt a shift.

The host nation of Fiji and several Pacific delegations discovered terms in the proposed AI development deal that threatened the privacy and data sovereignty of every country involved. Students realized that signing the agreement as written could jeopardize the rights of millions across the Pacific.

Suddenly, the conversation got intense.

Delegations raised concerns.
Voices sharpened.
Some pushed for transparency.
Others demanded safeguards.
Alliances formed and fractured.

For many students, this was the first time they understood how complicated — and deeply human — international negotiations can be.

Watching them revise arguments, listen across differences, and build compromise captured exactly what global citizenship looks like in practice.

🌱 What Students Learned (Even If They Didn’t Expect To)

Even though most students had never participated in a diplomatic simulation before, their growth was remarkable.

Across all measured learning outcomes, at least 84% of students reported increased understanding, and 92% said they genuinely enjoyed the event.

Students walked away with:

🌊 Why This Matters for Hawaiʻi and the Pacific

GVS is a space where Hawaiʻi youth can:

Confront global challenges
Understand the world beyond our shores
Build skills needed for civic engagement and leadership
Learn to advocate for their communities
See themselves as part of a larger Pacific story

We can’t slow technology down, but we can empower students to rise to the moment.

📊 Impact at a Glance

123 students participated
24 schools represented across 4 islands
92% said the event was enjoyable
+84% increased understanding in every learning area

These numbers reflect more than satisfaction; they reflect empowerment.

🙏 Mahalo to Our Sponsors & Community Partners

This summit would not be possible without the generosity of partners who believe in Hawaiʻi’s youth and their potential to shape the future of the Pacific. Your support ensures that students from all islands can experience programs that expand their perspectives and strengthen their sense of purpose.

🚀 Looking Ahead

The ideas, disagreements, and solutions students explored at GVS 2025 will continue to ripple outward — into classrooms, families, communities, and future careers.

PAAC is committed to nurturing Hawaiʻi’s next generation of globally aware, ethically grounded leaders.

Join us as we continue this journey

👉 Apply for the 2026 Summer Study Tours to Taiwan and Palau
👉 Support PAAC’s youth leadership and global education programs
👉 Stay tuned for the 2026 Global Vision Summit

🌺 A New Generation Confronts the Future: Highlights from the 2025 Global Vision Summit