Today we are delighted to announce the Host Cities for the One Young World Summits 2017 and 2018.
Bogotá, Colombia will host the 2017 Summit and The Hague, Netherlands will host in 2018.
Colombia will be the first country in Latin America to host the Summit, when 1,500 young leaders from over 196 countries will gather in Bogota in 2017, before the baton is passed to The Hague for the 2018 Summit.
Bogotá and The Hague beat off strong competition in the bidding process, which also included submissions from Paris and Belgrade.
By hosting the annual One Young World Summit, Bogotá and The Hague will welcome delegates from almost every country in the world – in a gathering that brings more nations together than at any other major event other than the Olympics.
The successful bid from Bogotá set out a vision for a spectacular One Young World Summit in 2017, with the main Summit taking place at the new Agora Convention Centre. The bid received strong support from across the City, including the Council of Bogotá, the Office of the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, and the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce.
Similarly, The Hague put forward an impressive and passionate proposal, which, coupled with its standing as the International City of Peace and Justice, caught the attention of the One Young World bid committee.
Alongside the young delegates, the Host Cities will welcome at the Summit the One Young World Counsellors, a distinguished list of global leaders who have in recent years included: Former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan; Former US President Bill Clinton; musician and activist, Sir Bob Geldof; Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus; entrepreneur and founder of Virgin Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington; chef and food campaigner Jamie Oliver; Unilever CEO Paul Polman and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson.
To date, One Young World Summits have taken place in London (2010), Zurich (2011), Pittsburgh (2012), Johannesburg (2013) and Dublin (2014). The 2015 Summit will be the first hosted in Asia, taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 18-21 November, with the 2016 Summit to be held in Ottawa, Canada.
Kate Robertson, founder of One Young World, said:
“Each year at One Young World we aim to push the boundaries of what is possible, to ensure that our global Summit continues to be the world’s principal gathering for young leaders.
“We were humbled to see the outstanding passion and determination of the Host City proposals from all cities, but Bogotá and The Hague really stood out in presenting their plans for the Summit, which capture both the spirit and ambition of One Young World.
“Hosting the One Young World Summit will shine a spotlight on Bogotá and The Hague, while having a meaningful impact on their young populations, and we believe that these cities will do justice to the hard work that has been put in by previous Host Cities.”
President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos commented:
“I am pleased to announce that Bogotá will be the host for the biggest youth event in the world. It is an honour to learn that One Young World has selected Colombia for this event.”
Mayor of The Hague Jozias van Aartsen commented:
“The Hague looks forward to host One Young World in 2018. Our city is known as the international city of peace and justice and it is no exaggeration to state that decisions made here affect the entire world and the whole of humanity. The Hague’s unique profile will enable One Young World to create awareness, reach a greater audience of young people from all over the world and to actively contribute towards building a better world.”
