ONE YOUNG WORLD ANNOUNCES BELFAST & MONTRÉAL AS 2023 & 2024 HOST CITIES
31 March 2021
One Young World, the global forum for young leaders, today announces Belfast and Montréal as the Host Cities for its 2023 and 2024 global Summit.
The One Young World Summit identifies, promotes and connects the world’s most impactful young leaders, from every country and sector, working to accelerate social impact.
The One Young World Summit annually convenes over 2,000 Delegates from 190+ countries for a three-day event. Delegates are joined by influential political, business and humanitarian leaders – Counsellors – who include Sir Bob Geldof, President Mary Robinson, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Paul Polman and Emma Watson amongst many other global figures.
Following a competitive Host City Bid Process, which included eight Candidate Host Cities from across five continents, Belfast and Montréal have been confirmed as the two winning cities to host the 12th and 13th Summit, respectively.
Belfast’s long-standing history and major developments towards the peace process over the years have demonstrated the city’s ambition, optimism and capabilities to move forward at an unprecedented rate.
The 2023 Summit will be an opportunity to celebrate the city’s youthful dynamism, talent and history, as well as help create opportunities for its young people who are driving positive, peaceful and impactful change in the years to come.
Recognised as a global hub for knowledge and innovation, Montréal exudes diversity, pluralism and energy. Known for its strong youth representation, the Canadian city is the world's highest-ranked student city and a magnet for highly skilled people.
It is for this reason that in 2024, the One Young World Summit will be hosted in Montréal, celebrating the city’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, job opportunities, sustainability and innovation.
One Young World has become the definitive voice for young leaders – prioritising action rather than debate, partnering with more than 180 businesses, NGOs and educational institutions that are working to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Over the past year One Young World has expanded its offering, starting hugely successful programmes such as the COVID-19 Young Leaders Fund, Lead2030 and the new Young World Academy.
The award-winning forum inspires young leaders to drive change, take action and tackle today’s most pressing issues. To date, more than 26 million people have been positively impacted by initiatives led by the One Young World community of Ambassadors. In 2020, for every $1 invested, the One Young World community delivered a social return of $15.
David Jones, Co-Founder, One Young World said:
“Belfast and Montréal are vibrant, youthful cities, and we’re really looking forward to hosting our next Summits in these important cultural hubs. The world has faced more than a year of incredible disruption, yet we have also seen inspirational moments of activism, strength and commitment. The young leaders of the world are well-placed to help lead us out of the crisis and into a brighter future.
Similarly, our next host cities Belfast and Montréal share a passion for attracting global talent and being committed to the acceleration of the kind of ambitious, innovative ideas that we will need. As we look to the future of One Young World, we are thrilled to announce that Belfast and Montréal will be our next host cities"
The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alderman Frank McCoubrey, commented:
“We are delighted to welcome the prestigious One Young World to Belfast in 2023. The timing is significant as it will coincide with our city’s ambitious new cultural strategy and an unparalleled programme of immersive cultural activity during the year 2023.
“We will proudly showcase to over 2,000 young people from more than 190 countries around the world that Belfast is brimming with talent, potential and youthful optimism - an energy that is driving our city’s resurgence and regeneration. The fact that these young people will take such hugely positive experiences of Belfast home with them will create a long-lasting, global legacy for our amazing city.
“We’re confident that One Young World Belfast 2023 will inspire and generate opportunities for our young people, both now and for future generations.”
Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montréal, said:
“Montréal is thrilled to host the young leaders of tomorrow as part of One Young World 2024. Whether it is to attain sustainable development objectives, to address issues related to migration, human rights, climate change or biodiversity, today's youth must already be at the forefront of the great global challenges. It is imperative for young citizens to participate in the discussions. We need their voice and their ideas.”
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