Learn About this Mission and Meet the Inaugural Peace Cohort and Faculty
Rome, Italy — May 7, 2026: Project Oxygen (Project O2), a global youth initiative dedicated to healing, dialogue, and peace‑building, today announced the selection of 40 teens from around the world who will lead a transformative six‑day summit in Rome and Vatican City from May 31 to June 5. The Project O2 summit precedes World Refugee Day and Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa on July 4, 2026.
Throughout the summmit, Project O2’s inaugural cohort, ages 14–19, will participate in immersive peace‑building workshops led by a global faculty of academics, athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders. The summit is designed to help teens explore the relationship between inner well‑being, community health, and sustainable peace. Participants will also gain hands-on access to tools, pathways, and mentorship networks to support their long‑term peace projects once they return home.
Chosen from hundreds of applicants across multiple continents, the 2026 Project O2 cohort includes teens from Ukraine, the United States, Brazil, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, and regions across Central and Sub‑Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Many bring lived experiences shaped by conflict, displacement, or division—and a shared determination to build something better.
“These young people are not waiting for the world to change or to save them. They’re stepping forward to change it themselves. They’re not studying leadership—they’re living it,” said Kathleen Hessert, founder of KidsKonnectUkraine and Project O2. “Their courage is the breath before action. Project O2 exists to help that courage take root and grow.”
“I grew up learning how quickly life can change. But I also learned how strong young people can be when we stand together,” said Daryna P., a Project O2 teen leader from Kyiv. “Project O2 is important to me because it’s the first time I feel like the world is listening to our generation—to our pain, our ideas, and our hope. I want to take what I learn in Rome and bring it back home to help my community heal.”
Project O2 Faculty
This year's faculty includes:
- Kathleen Hessert — Founder of KidsKonnectUkraine and Project Oxygen
- Manuel Deza — Educational Director, Scholas International
- Taylor Thigpen — Deputy Director, KidsKonnect Ukraine, and United Nations-recognized Youth Peace Builder
- Claire Craanen — Speechwriter for NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, NATO
- Dr. Nuno Moniz — Associate Research Professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society and Associate Director of the DIAL Lab. An expert in machine learning, data privacy, and model interpretability, Moniz focuses on the real‑world impact of automated systems.
- Jeremy Cowart — World‑renowned artist and creative pioneer whose work blends storytelling, technology, and bold compassion. Cowart has photographed global cultural figures—from Taylor Swift and President Obama to Emma Stone—while dedicating his career to using creativity to uplift communities in moments of need.
- Perry Kamel — Founder and CEO of DNA Vibe, a purpose‑driven regenerative wearable company improving lives “one better life at a time.” Kamel also launched SHINE, a movement designed to unlock human potential and community vitality through its Local Advanced Manufacturing Pod (LAMP) community‑based manufacturing model.
- Jimmy Smith — Award-winning branded entertainment innovator known for iconic brand work for Gatorade (G campaign) and Nike (Freestyle, featured in the Smithsonian); founder of Amusement Park Entertainment, the creative force behind a purpose-driven, stealth-mode mental performance platform launching this year in partnership with 2-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and Dr. Michael Gervais, founder of Finding Mastery Sport.
- Travelle Gaines, Athletic performance trainer renowned for his work with elite professional athletes in the NFL, NBA, and other sports and the founder of Athletic Gaines.
Meet the Inaugural Cohort
The 40 selected students represent a mosaic of cultures, identities, and experiences. With the exception of those who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, participant profiles will soon be available at KidsKonnectUkraine where supporters can follow their journeys to Rome and back to their home communities. Cohort members have also begun introducing themselves through traditional media, Project O2’s official Instagram and LinkedIn channels, and their own personal social accounts.
What to Expect in Rome
Throughout the week, delegates will participate in:
- Trauma‑informed dialogue and conflict‑transformation sessions
- Faculty-facilitated creative, cultural, leadership, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement workshops
- Media literacy and storytelling training
- Cultural immersion experiences across Rome and Vatican City, including a visit Palazzo Montecitorio, where they will convene with members of the Italian parliament
- The design of personal peace projects to implement in their home communities, supported by a long‑term global mentorship network
The summit will culminate in the group’s participation in the General Audience of Pope Leo.
A Call to Support Youth‑Led Peace
Project O2 invites individuals, foundations, and companies to support the summit and its youth leaders. Donations directly fund travel, lodging, program materials, and seed grants for youth‑designed community peace projects.
Media Contacts
Lana McGilvray, Purpose Worldwide, 1-512-970-8310, lana@purposenorthamerica.com
Sydney Arena, Purpose Worldwide, 1‑616‑648‑9176, sydney@purposenorthamerica.com
About Project Oxygen (Project O2)
Project Oxygen (Project O2) is a global youth peace initiative rooted in the belief that connection is a choice and peace is a daily practice. Through immersive gatherings, cross‑border collaboration, and youth‑designed community projects, O2 empowers teens to rewrite the narratives they inherited and build a future defined not by conflict, but by courage, creativity, and compassion. We Breathe. We Build. We Begin.
About KidsKonnectUkraine
(KKU) KidsKonnectUkraine (KKU) is a global youth empowerment initiative connecting young people in Ukraine and the United States to foster cross‑cultural understanding, resilience, and civic leadership. Through dialogue, storytelling, and collaborative projects, KKU supports more than 5,000 youth affected by war in building meaningful relationships and shaping a more connected global future.
About Scholas Occurrentes
is an international educational movement created by Pope Francis to build a “culture of encounter” among young people worldwide. Active in more than 20 countries and connecting hundreds of thousands of schools and communities, Scholas empowers youth to transform differences into opportunities for collaboration and to become protagonists in building peaceful, inclusive societies.