Meet your 2023 Festival Youth Ambassadors

IMAGE: The 2023 Cowra Festival Youth Ambassadors visited the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra last month.

The Cowra Festival of International Understanding Youth Ambassador Program is a special component of the Festival and this year there are 11 outstanding young locals taking part.

Festival Youth ambassadors are young people aged 14 - 21 years who are interested in developing their leadership skills and making a valued contribution to the Cowra Shire community. They play an important role in the Festival, representing their sponsor organisation in the community, fundraising for a chosen cause or charity and contributing to Festival planning.

As part of the program, Youth Ambassadors also visit the local senior community and attend special ceremonies such as the Festival Tree Planting and the ringing of the Cowra Peace Bell.

Each Youth Ambassador is sponsored by their school, sporting club, community organisation, dance school, music school, church or local business. Their sponsors support them in fundraising and awareness raising activities.

This year's Ambassadors and their sponsors are:

Alyvia Slade - Cowra Youth Council
Caitlin Brodbeck - St Raphael's Catholic School
Elliot Bennett - St Raphael's Catholic School
Callie Bridges - Cowra Ballet School
Caroline Cuda - Cowra Services Club
Gracie Roberts - Cowra High School
Kaili Buckley - Cowra Dance Factory
Keira Buckley - Cowra Magpies Rugby League Club
Natasha Smaluck - Cowra Ballet School
Stanley Rush - Cowra Magpies Rugby League Club
Seamus McCormick - Cowra Singing Studio

Youth Ambassadors pay a special visit to the guest nation's embassy in Canberra each year, with the 2023 Ambassadors visiting Dr. Siswo Pramono, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Australia earlier this month and immersing themselves in Indonesian culture for a day.

Special Festival events being hosted by the Youth Ambassadors this year include:

Cowra Festival Trivia Night
Thursday 9 March 2023 7pm
Lachlan Valley Hotel, Cowra
Tickets $60 per table (for 6 people) at eventbrite.com.au

Cowra Festival Dinner
Friday 10 March 2023 6.30pm
Cowra Civic Centre
Tickets $60 at www.cowraciviccentre.com

Sampai Jumpa Lagi (Indonesian for 'until we meet again') Farewell Breakfast
Sunday 12 March 2023 9.30am
Cowra Services Club
Tickets $22.50 at eventbrite.com.au

Stay up to date on the latest 2023 Cowra Festival news via the Cowra Festival of International Understanding Facebook page or Cowra Council's website.