One Young World, co-founded by Kate Robertson, has long valued empowering young leaders. Robertson and her team have developed a platform that does more than just talk about change; it actively supports and accelerates it. By introducing ambitious youths to visionaries from various sectors, One Young World facilitates the exchange of ideas and fosters collaborations that address some of the planet’s most pressing issues.
“Good leadership [is] in short supply,” Robertson observes.
However, she and One Young World are working around the clock to change that narrative. Through its customized approach and global summits, One Young World inspires aspiring trailblazers from every corner of the globe to initiate positive change in their communities, countries, and beyond.
Robertson says she always looks forward to One Young World ambassadors stopping by the organization’s London headquarters.
“Every day in London, we have ambassadors from around the world pop in to see us at our headquarters. It's always inspiring to meet them.
“I see these young leaders and how much they care about their people and what they're trying to do in often unimaginable circumstances,” Kate Robertson says. “I recently caught up with Abeer Abu Ghaith, who is the founder of talent agency MENA Alliances in the West Bank, which works with global organizations in over 22 countries to hire talent from Palestine.
“Since October 2023, 468,000 jobs have been lost in Gaza and the West Bank. So Abeer launched the Jobs for Palestine campaign to empower Palestinians to build a prosperous and sustainable long-term future. It’s absolutely critical work.”
When it comes to defining the passion behind her cause, Robertson says giving up has never been an option. “When you see someone like that. You just don't give up. You have to keep going,” Kate Robertson adds.
One Young World’s Youth Ambassadors Making a Difference
Kate Robertson continues to participate in the global conversation about how leadership prodigies can be more involved in overcoming the world’s greatest challenges.
“I always say when the leaders of the G20 are One Young World Ambassadors, the job will be done,“ Robertson said during the Hong Kong Forum on U.S.-China Relations. “But the mission as we go along, what we’re doing is identifying, promoting, and connecting young leaders usually in the age group 18 to 30 years old.
“Why? Because it’s the most informed, most educated, most connected generation in human history. It’s already a generation producing leadership of significant impact. But I believe that by giving those young leaders the platform, the connections, or the advantages they get being a One Young World ambassador, I believe that because it is an in-person global forum, these are young leaders who will have a clear and authentic sense of the whole world being one humanity as opposed to all the divided pieces we’ve been talking about here at the conference.”
The community-centric innovator emphasizes never underestimating the potency of face-to-face meetings in an increasingly distanced world. “It occurs to me at the moment that this authentic in-person, person-to-person engagement is becoming a very valuable commodity in a world where I can be faked, you can be faked — anybody’s voice can be faked. Anybody can be misquoted,” she added.
“This authentic, verifiable, person-to-person connection — they were valuable before, but now I just wonder if they aren’t essential?”
Kate Robertson is particularly proud of the access One Young World offers potential leaders to existing leaders.
“When One Young World leaders have the privilege of joining the community, they find themselves in a world of young leaders. But it is the whole world. It’s every single country in the world.”
A Global Stage for Rising Stars
One Young World's flagship annual summit serves as a global stage where next-gen visionaries gather to share their initiatives, learn from each other, and gain insights from seasoned change-makers. According to Robertson, what makes these summits exceptionally fulfilling is witnessing the transformative impact on attendees. They get to engage with international influencers and experience the unity of seeing the entire globe represented in one place. And the work doesn’t just end at the summit.
“Our coordinating ambassadors around the world, they initiate and set up meetings throughout the year,” Kate Robertson explains. “So some countries like the U.K., they'll meet up every six or seven weeks and then have a couple of big meetings a year. More than 200 people attended an event about health care in Africa. So those go on throughout the year. Last year we had 70 of them around the world — it’s a highly engaged and active network.”
This year-round engagement ensures that the momentum generated at the summits translates into tangible actions and projects that have a real impact on the ground.
One Young World's impact is evident in the projects its ambassadors undertake and in the growing recognition of the importance of fresh leadership in solving global problems. The organization has created a space where young people are not only participants, but leaders driving the agenda for change. This has led to a shift in perception, where the potential of young leaders is increasingly acknowledged and celebrated across sectors.
Robertson encourages blossoming change-makers to apply for scholarships, attend summits, and engage with the One Young World community.
“As of the end of the first quarter of 2024, we have received more than 50,000 scholarship applications,” Kate Robertson shares. “It’s infinitely more competitive than Ivy League schools or the top graduate programs. People around the world are absolutely determined to get themselves into this network.”
See more recent news here: