Young people from across the world gathered in Leeds this summer for the Breeze International Youth Festival.

Now in its thirteenth year, the council-backed festival aims to foster greater international links and understanding through a range of educational, artistic and cultural events. The festival offers Leeds students a high quality international experience in hosting their partner schools from abroad.

Visiting schools - from the Czech Republic, South Africa, Poland, USA, China and Sweden - spent the week in schools, working alongside their Leeds counterparts on a variety of projects including art & poetry, sport and citizenship. The evening events programme that included a ceilidh and a UN-style debate, provided an opportunity for Leeds students to interact and make friends with their international guests.

Student Anele Mbatha commented "Breeze helps us young people to become more aware and conscious of the bigger world. It unites young people and allows us to share our diverse cultures, experiences and knowledge and also helps us to form friendships".

Fellow student Jevika Naidoo said "Breeze has widened our horizons and made us experience things that we wouldn't usually do. It can help us learn and understand the world around us and improve our employment chances...Breeze creates unity amongst young people".

Karen Murgatroyd, Senior Project Officer at Leeds City Council commented on the wider benefits highlighting that "in an increasingly global economy, international links are important so all the young people taking part, both from Leeds and abroad, benefit greatly from the festival".

Councillor Stewart Golton, Executive Board Member for Childrens' Services said "this uniques festival brings together Leeds schools with their international partners to provide an enriching experience for young people, engaging them in artistic and cultural activities and providing a platform to showcase their talents".