From Laos to Rome: Mason Korea students take climate solutions global

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Last fall, what began as a hands-on learning experience in Southeast Asia became a journey that took five George Mason University students to the heart of global food policy-and left a mark along the way.

The Mason Korea Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Builders-SeongjunPark, JaeheeYang, HyunseoLee, Damin Jeong, and TaeyeongKim-first traveled to Laos for the First Lao National Youth Forum 2025, hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Lao PDR and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with a theme of climate-resilient and sustainable food systems.

The trip was the culmination of three months of preparation, including virtual consultations with FAO technical experts and collaborative planning with Lao and Chinese youth teams. Notably, Mason Korea was the only institution from Korea invited to co-develop content and co-lead sessions.

The Mason Korea Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Builders. Photo provided

The student team led a board game session at the forum, connecting with young changemakers from across the region. They also visited local farms, met young farmers and NAFC College students, and experienced organic agriculture firsthand.

But their journey was only beginning.

The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) board game the team had developed and launched in Laos was selected as a best-practice case, earning the students an invitation to present at the FAO World Food Forum 2025 in Rome, Italy. Supported by Mason Korea's Career Development Center, the SDGs Builders traveled onward to FAO Headquarters, one of the world's most prominent gatherings of policymakers, researchers, youth leaders, and innovators working to transform global agrifood systems.

"We developed the CSA board game to make climate-smart agriculture more accessible by translating global policy ideas into a practical learning tool," said JaeheeYang, who is majoring in global affairs and is president of the SDGs Builders group. "It was incredibly meaningful to see a project our team started with Lao youth grow into something we could share with the global community at FAO Headquarters in Rome."

Project participants presenting the "Farm Smart Laos" Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) educational tool kit at the Lao National Youth Forum. Photo by FAO Lao PDR

The game piloted with Lao youth took center stage at the FAO Food Exhibition, where the team presented their Farm Smart Lao Climate-Smart Agriculture tool to delegates from around the world. They hosted interactive sessions, exchanged ideas with FAO experts and global youth organizations, and joined FAO's official youth podcast to discuss climate-resilient food systems.

From village farms in Laos to the floors of a UN agency in Rome, these five students demonstrated that meaningful contributions to the world's most pressing challenges don't have to wait until after graduation.

This year's FAO program is set to take them to Nepal and then Rome.

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