Montreal’s historic Olympic Stadium hummed with plenty of possibility and potential this September when over 2,000 budding leaders from across the globe gathered for One Young World’s 2024 summit. The four-day event transformed Canada’s cultural capital into an epicenter of activism and cross-cultural dialogue.
“There was a real exchange of knowledge, I think, between the different communities,” One Young World Managing Director Ella Robertson McKay says. “One Young World is one of the only forums in the world where countries that have much smaller economies than G20 nations are given, or are able to rightfully take up the space that they deserve. I think that is something that’s really unique about the work that we do.”
The summit marked a watershed moment — the launch of One Young World’s first Indigenous Youth Day. Ella Robertson McKay described the profound impact: “We were deeply honored to partner with our Indigenous Youth Council and local communities to create space for Indigenous youth to connect and share their wisdom.
Their stories hold valuable lessons that can guide us all toward a more inclusive future. “By dedicating the first morning of the main conference to Indigenous perspectives, we wanted to emphasize the crucial role these young leaders play in shaping global conversations. Their insights and leadership are essential in addressing today’s most pressing challenges.”
Ella Robertson McKay Champions Next Generation Leaders
The summit’s programming centered on five key themes: water scarcity, Indigenous voices, gender equality in health care, ethical artificial intelligence development, and peace-building initiatives. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participated in an extensive dialogue about AI with global AI expert Yoshua Bengio, demonstrating the Canadian government’s commitment to engaging youth on emerging technologies.
Robertson McKay recalls hearing a delegate talk about the summit’s impact, saying, “When I saw AI on the agenda, I really didn’t think that was for me. It’s completely changed my perspective, and I realized how much it’s going to impact my own work.”
The event featured remarkable moments of intergenerational dialogue. Literary icon Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale, received a thunderous standing ovation after her humble introduction: “My name is Margaret Atwood and I write books.” Her presence alongside other luminaries like Queen Rania of Jordan and environmental activist Jane Goodall created powerful bridges between established leaders and emerging voices.
One Young World maintains a steadfast commitment to accessibility. “Currently, about a third of our attendees receive fully funded scholarships covering flights, visas, everything,” Robertson McKay adds. “We’ve announced our ambition to reach 50% scholarship attendance by 2030.”
Building Bridges for Global Solutions
The gathering showcased remarkable success stories from One Young World’s global network. Robertson McKay highlighted how a 2018 delegate speaker who received a $10,000 grant through the nonprofit’s COVID fund, established for those on the front lines of the pandemic response, recently secured a $20 million grant from Melinda French Gates to advance gender equality.
“One Young World’s social return on investment is 16 to 1,” Ella Robertson McKay explains, highlighting the multiplicative power of investing in nascent leadership. “Any investor would certainly take a return of 16 to 1 on an investment.”
Montreal’s selection as host city carried special significance. Known to Indigenous peoples as Tiohtia:ke, the location perfectly aligned with the event’s emphasis on Indigenous voices and cross-cultural dialogue. The carbon-neutral Montreal Convention Centre provided an ideal setting for discussions about environmental stewardship and sustainable development.
Looking ahead to 2025’s Munich summit, Robertson McKay remains focused on expanding One Young World’s impact through meaningful partnerships and direct funding initiatives. “Through One Young World, we provide networking, inspiration, mentorship, platform opportunities, and funding,” she informs. “The funding component proves particularly powerful in accelerating change.”
The Montreal summit demonstrated how hope can catalyze concrete action. “Optimism isn’t enough. You have to have hope, which is really the active part of it,” Robertson McKay reflects. “Hope is the antidote to all of it, to war, to climate change. When you feel hopeful, you feel you can do something, and in turn, doing something makes you feel hopeful. It’s a virtuous cycle.”
One Young World Ambassadors Leading the Way
Many of One Young World’s youth leaders took to social media to share their excitement and compare notes on the event.
Veronica Torres shared on LinkedIn she was “Incredibly honored to be selected as a 2024 One Young World United Way Delegate!”
She also expressed her gratitude to United Way, which has partnered with One Young World to bring some of the pacesetters working at the nonprofit to the summit.
“I have the pleasure of working to promote health equity across our diverse five boroughs,” Torres shared. “I’m really excited to jump into some of those health equity keynotes and presentations and bring back that knowledge to continue serving the New York City region. Over the past few months, I have been empowered by ongoing professional development trainings, preparing for the 2024 One Young World Summit in Montreal.”
Jennifer McEathron was another United Way attendee. “Learning about One Young World has really kind of reassured me that there is hope for a stronger tomorrow. And it really is an honor to be given an opportunity to meet the best and the brightest young professionals.”