Written by Kish Santos

Whether the Journey before you leads to the heights of the heavens or the depths of the abyss, each step you take is another achievement.

-Katheryne (Genshin Impact)

Attending the Future Action Summit in Kuala Lumpur was much more than simply attending my first international conference. It became a core memory, one that I feel will help shape my future. This was my first time flying overseas and my longest trip without being accompanied by a family member. This summit was a testament of how far my ambitions could go and how supportive my family is of me and my dreams.

Like many other young adults, I play a lot of video games and I am a member of multiple discord servers related to my various interests and hobbies. I have always enjoyed meeting new people and listening to their stories and opinions. My online communities helped me get to know different people who share similar interests. But still I find that the best way to meet people is still the traditional way of seeing them face to face.

I first heard of the Future Action Summit through an Instagram post and it caught my interest as a Foreign Service student. I was hesitant at first to try this new thing but I have always wanted to attend an international conference. After looking into it, I felt that the summit and its objectives would help me secure knowledge, gain experiences, and make connections. In the end, I signed up for it alongside two of my friends.

On the first day of the summit, we were grouped based on the SDGs we are advocating for. Our table, SDG 5, was full of amazing women. It was very heartwarming to be able to share stories with one another.

For the second day, the highlight was the cultural night. A particularly memorable moment was when our delegation was trying to put together a presentation on the spot. It was fun learning about other people’s culture and seeing everyone’s uniqueness being highlighted. It was really nice seeing different communities and cultures come together and be celebrated.

My favorite part of the last day of the summit was spending time with my fellow delegates. After the intense discussions and hands-on session, it was nice to take the time to make memories together before we all had to part ways. I spent the rest of the day doing Tiktok trends with my new international friends and filling up the Freedom Wall with messages. It was about forging friendships with these people I’ve been learning alongside this entire time and hope to collaborate with in the future.

Aside from the summit activities, I was able to visit the iconic Petronas Twin Towers with other delegates. It was more beautiful at night! We were also able to visit the Jalan Alor Food Street where we had amazing conversations over dinner. Before we left, my friends and I, who attended the summit together, also got to visit Merdaka Square, Batu Caves, and the Central Market. We were able to visit the Thean Hou Temple as well.

All in all, the experience of attending my first international conference is something I will never forget. I certainly learned a lot from the people I met who shared their experiences and perspectives. They inspired me to do more myself. I want to use what I have learned and apply it to my community too. More than the sessions, it was the people I met that made the summit experience.

I also learned a lot about myself during the trip. For instance, I never thought I would enjoy walking around until my shoes broke (yes they did!). So even when I encountered challenges throughout the trip, they were nothing compared to how much I gained along the way. The courage to take that step was indeed an achievement not just for me but for everyone who became a part of it.