Belfast grasps the baton for Young Leader’s Major global summit
7th Oct 2022
Some of the world’s most influential young leaders are coming to Northern Ireland for a major global conference.
Over 2,000 young trailblazers, representing 196 countries, will descend on Northern Ireland for One Young World 2023.
It follows a recent handover ceremony from 2022 host Manchester at Titanic Belfast, which was attended by local business and community leaders.
Belfast will also welcome to next year’s summit high-profile leaders who work with the young Ambassadors and Delegates, sharing their experiences of making a positive social impact.
In previous years, this group of political, business and humanitarian leaders has included Nobel Peace laureates, heads of state, campaigners and activists, including the Duchess of Sussex, President Mary Robinson, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the late Kofi Annan, and Emma Watson.
Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said he was “proud and excited” that Belfast is hosting One Young World 2023.
“When delegates arrive in Belfast next October they will be visiting a city and a country that has been transformed and is now considered a ‘must-see’ tourism destination,” he said.
“I encourage as many businesses as possible to get involved in the opportunity presented to Belfast and Northern Ireland, enabling our talented young leaders to help shape and develop the ambassador programme in 2023 and beyond.”
The global forum for young leaders brings together young people who are already excelling in the worlds of business, politics and humanitarian work.
One Young World’s mission is to create a world where leaders with integrity are empowered to build a fair, sustainable future for all. This is achieved by inspiring, building capacity and elevating the profiles of young leaders, from every country and every sector, who are taking action to solve the world’s big challenges.
Kate Robertson and David Jones, Co-Founders of One Young World, said Belfast “will be host to inspirational young leaders from the whole world”.
“To host the One Young World Summits we choose cities that have great things to share with the whole world – and that’s one reason we’re coming to Belfast for the 2023 summit,” they said.
“That, and the amazing, innovative, collaborative, warm people of Belfast whose great spirit is forging a new future.
“Next year’s One Young World Summit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and over 2,000 delegates from 196 countries will get to learn from Belfast and its people.”
Belfast Lord Mayor Tina Black paid tribute to “our exceptional young leaders and the talent and potential they possess”.
“Belfast is renowned for its resilience and optimism,” she said.
“One Young World is an unique opportunity to further promote our city on the world stage and it gives us a chance to celebrate the city’s history, youthful energy and future potential.”
John McGrillen, Tourism NI Chief Executive, said One Young World 2023 is a great “opportunity to share our story and to inspire hundreds of remarkable young people from across the globe”.
“Our tourism industry today plays a vital role in telling the story of the people of this part of the world and their ingenuity and resilience,” he added.
One Young World Ambassador Conor Houston said it was significant that next year’s event falls on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
“Northern Ireland will be at the epicentre of global conversations about the most pressing issues facing our planet, such as climate change,” he said.
“This summit is about raising the global ambition of our home. We are turning the page of our peace process to write a new chapter – one written by our future leaders here, who will in turn inspire young leaders globally.”
Since launching in 2009, with a network of more than 13,500 Ambassadors, innovative initiatives led by the One Young World community have directly impacted 35.8 million people globally since 2010. For every $1 invested, One Young World Ambassadors deliver $16 of social value.
