Our Global Summit
The annual One Young World Summit convenes the brightest young leaders from 190+ countries and 250+ organisations, working to accelerate social impact.
Delegates participate in four transformative days of speeches, workshops and networking. Throughout the Summit, Delegates are counselled by influential political, business, and humanitarian leaders such as President Mary Robinson, Rio Ferdinand and Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Once the Summit is over, Delegates graduate as One Young World Ambassadors, returning to their workplaces and communities with the means and motivation to make a difference. Since 2010, One Young World Ambassador projects have impacted the lives of over 41.56 million people.
Montréal Summit In Numbers
200 +
speakers
2500 +
in-person attendees
190 +
countries represented
One Young World 2024 Montréal
The One Young World Summit took place in Montréal (Tiohtià:ke), Canada, in September 2024. Montréal is a vibrant and multicultural city, known for its rich history, culture, and innovation. It is also home to many global organisations, such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the International Civil Aviation Organization. Montréal was the perfect place to host the One Young World Summit, as it offers a diverse and inspiring environment for young leaders to connect, learn, and collaborate.
The One Young World Opening Ceremony is the official kick-off of the Summit, where delegates are welcomed by the host city and the One Young World Counsellors, who are prominent leaders from various fields. The Opening Ceremony in 2024 took place at the iconic Bell Centre, the home of the Montréal Canadiens of the National Hockey League. It is located in the heart of downtown Montréal and is known for its state-of-the-art production technology making it an ideal place to showcase the talent and diversity of the One Young World Community. The Opening Ceremony featured a spectacular show with live music, performances, speeches, and a flag ceremony, where delegates proudly represented their countries and regions.
The Summit took place at the Palais des Congrès de Montréal, a carbon-neutral building that implements various initiatives to reduce its environmental footprint, such as responsible sourcing, waste management, and community engagement. The Palais des Congrès is also located in the centre of downtown Montréal, close to many attractions, restaurants, and public transportation options. All the hotels that were part of the One Young World accommodation package are within walking distance from the Palais des Congrès, making it highly sustainable and convenient for delegates to travel between venues.
Speakers at the 2024 Summit:
At The Summit
Professional Development
One Young World is a powerful professional learning and development tool that provides an unparalleled opportunity to learn from global leaders across the business, social, and humanitarian sectors. Through bespoke Q&A sessions, speeches, and workshops, you will gain valuable insights on how to best leverage your skills to advance the social causes you care about.
Build Your Global Network
Beyond the Summit, you'll gain lifelong access to a community of over 17,000 individuals. As a part of this community, you'll have access to funding opportunities, educational resources, mentorship, and speaking engagements. Our in-house community team will remain in touch with you, keeping you up to date on opportunities to boost your platform and maximise the impact you can have on the world.
Impact Acceleration
As the most international youth conference in the world, One Young World offers a unique chance to connect and network with over 2,000 young leaders from 190+ different countries. You'll have the chance to learn from your peers, share your own initiatives, and even collaborate on new projects. In addition, gain insight directly from some of the world’s leading corporates, showcasing their initiatives in the Community Exhibition Area.
Promoting Leadership
Alongside access to four days of content delivered by world leaders and industry experts, One Young World’s leadership award programmes - including Politician of the Year, Journalist of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year - recognise and promote the valuable work of impactful young leaders.
2024 Summit Venues
The One Young World Summit Montréal, 2024 was held at various iconic venues across the city and digitally on our Summit platform:
Pre-Opening Ceremony Reception - Palais des Congrès de Montréal
Opening Ceremony at the Bell Centre - a multi-purpose arena and the home of the Montréal Canadiens of the National Hockey League.
Summit venue - Palais des Congrès de Montréal - convention centre welcoming you in an environmentally responsible building in the vibrant centre of Montréal.
Closing Ceremony - Palais des Congrès de Montréal
Agenda
Tuesday, 17 September - One Young World's Indigenous Youth Day:
- A Day for young Indigenous and First Nation leaders, developed in collaboration with One Young World’s Indigenous Council.
Wednesday, 18 September - Evening Session:
- Pre-Opening Ceremony Reception
- Opening Ceremony
Thursday, 19 September - Morning Session:
- Plenary Challenge - Indigenous Voices
- Entrepreneur of The Year Award Ceremony
Thursday, 19 September - Afternoon Session:
- Plenary Challenge - The Climate and Ecological Crisis
Friday, 20 September - Morning Session:
- Plenary Challenge - Artificial Intelligence
Friday, 20 September - Afternoon Session:
- Plenary Challenge - Health Equality
- Campaigner of The Year Award Ceremony
Saturday, 21 September - Morning Session:
- Journalist of the Year Award Ceremony
- Politician of The Year Award Ceremony
Saturday, 21 September - Afternoon Session:
- Plenary Challenge - Delivering Lasting Peace
Saturday, 21 September - Evening Session:
- Closing Ceremony
- Closing Ceremony Reception
Workshops
Workshops are a key element of a One Young World Summit. Facilitated by partner organisations, workshops allow Delegates to delve into crucial topics in smaller groups.
Through scenario-based challenges, problem-solving, goal-setting, and interactive discussions, participants share personal experiences and testimonies, driving impact through collaboration. Summit workshops reflect the Summit plenary challenges, UN Sustainable Development Goals and regional initiatives or they focus on leadership skill development.
Examples of previous workshops include:
- “Revitalising Urban Spaces: Building Resilient Communities for a Sustainable Future” facilitated by IKEA
- “Driving transformative environmental initiatives by empowering junior employees to act as advocates for change” facilitated by Bristol Myers Squibb
- “Impactful Connections: Building professional networks to drive positive change” facilitated by KPMG
Local Mobilisation
At the 2024 Summit, we were thrilled to have two dynamic groups dedicated to making a meaningful impact on the summit and the host city community:
The Local Strategic Board: Comprising experienced executives, this board plays a vital role in securing funding, inviting iconic speakers, and fostering key partnerships within Québec and Canada.
The Local Advisory Committee: Made up of passionate young leaders and representatives of youth organizations in Montreal/Tiohtià:ke, this committee actively contributes to the event planning, mobilization, and engagement efforts.
Curious to learn more about these influential group members and their valuable contributions?
Indigenous Youth Day
One Young World organised an Indigenous Youth Day before the Summit in Montréal (Tiohtià:ke) in 2024. This event brought together young Indigenous and First Nation leaders worldwide to share their experiences, learn from each other, and engage with other One Young World Delegates.
The Indigenous Youth Day reflected the cultural diversity and traditions of the host nation and provide a platform for Indigenous and First Nation youth to showcase their cultures and traditions.
One Young World extended its Global Consultation Process to feature an additional consultation with Indigenous Youth and the Indigenous Council on which issues they wish to see discussed at the One Young World Summit in Montréal.
Acknowledgement of traditional lands
We acknowledge that One Young World 2024 took place within the traditional unceded lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka peoples, part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. There is also a strong historic presence of Anishinaabe peoples in what is now known as the Greater Montréal area. Tiohtià:ke, or Montréal, has also long been, and continues to be, a gathering place for many First Peoples from all directions. We honour and thank the traditional custodians of this land and strive to work for the success of future generations.