A Brazilian diplomat, an Israeli journalist, and a British expert in the ethics of artificial intelligence are among the 16 women and men who have been selected as 2021 World Fellows.

This cohort brings the total number of World Fellows since the program’s start in 2002 to 375 Fellows, representing 91 countries. This year marks the 20th cohort of World Fellows.

“I am really pleased to announce the exceptionally talented group of 2021 World Fellows,” said Emma Sky, director of the Maurice R. Greenberg World Fellows Program. “At a time of global pandemic, disruptive technologies, and democratic recession, we need leaders such as these, with new ways of thinking, to address the challenges facing the world.”

The World Fellows program is Yale University’s signature global leadership development initiative and a core element of Yale’s ongoing commitment to internationalization. Each year, the University invites a group of exemplary practitioners from a wide range of fields and countries for an intensive four-month period of academic enrichment and leadership training.

“I am thrilled to welcome the twentieth class of World Fellows to the Yale community,” said Yale President Peter Salovey. “These remarkable leaders and innovators bring immense expertise and insight to our university, and I am grateful that they can contribute to Yale’s intellectual life through a mix of in-person and online activities. In this historic time, we understand better than ever that we are all connected and that we must work together as an international community for the common good. After completing the program, these fellows become ambassadors for Yale around the globe. They help us share and create knowledge, and they are our partners in realizing the university’s mission to improve the world today and for future generations.”

The mission of World Fellows is to cultivate and empower a network of globally engaged leaders committed to making the world a better place. The program is part of the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, which prepares Yale students for global leadership and service through its master’s program in global affairs, master of advanced study in global affairs and undergraduate major in global affairs.