Young leaders from all over the world will come together in London this week to discuss some of the biggest global issues facing future generations. From climate change to education inequalities, the future of work and media freedom.

Now in its 10th anniversary, One Young World global forum for young leaders will convene the brightest young talent from every country and sector, working to accelerate social impact. Delegates from 190+ countries are counselled by influential political, business and humanitarian leaders such as Justin Trudeau, Paul Polman and Meghan Markle, amongst many other global figures.

The One Young World Summit 2019 will take place in London, United Kingdom from 22 to 25 October 2019. This year the speakers include Ban Ki Moon, Bob Geldof, Mary Robinson, Ellie Goulding and Sir Richard Branson.

The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales has convened 10 young leaders to represent Wales at the annual One Young World Summit. This will be the first time a delegation from Wales will attend.

They are;

The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Sophie Howe said;

“I’m very excited to announce the delegation representing Wales at One Young World. In Wales, we have a message to share with the world, that we are the only country in the world to have legislated on behalf of future generations and that Wales values the views and ideas of our young leaders. One Young World provides us with an opportunity to contribute to the global challenges we face, to share ideas and build a stronger movement for change.

“The delegates have been drawn from across all sectors in Wales, in partnership with a range of organisations. I am grateful for their support in developing the Future Generations Leadership Academy, which I will launch later this year.”

Welsh Government Deputy Minister and Chief Whip Jane Hutt, said:

“One Young World is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase Wales, and our dedicated young people, to the world. Last month I met with the Welsh delegation who will pursue action on a range of important matters on behalf of our current and future generations.

“We’re proud of our Well-being of Future Generations legislation but we need to ensure we continue to develop new leaders who have the right skills to take legislation forward and create a better future for all. Wales’ voice must be heard at this international stage; sharing with the world our journey on leadership, sustainable development and well-being.”

Graeme Farrow, Artistic and Creative Director at Wales Millennium Centre said:

“As the national arts centre and as a charity, we are committed to investing in the future of Wales through our young people. We do this by providing creative and practical learning opportunities – such as our youth-led radio station and training programme Radio Platfform. We also collaborate with a range of organisations who have the same aspirations as us, and therefore we are very proud to be part of the Future Generations Leadership Academy.

“I’m thrilled that one of the Radio Platfform team, Molly, will be representing us at the One Young World summit in London this month. I am sure that she will embrace this opportunity, making a valuable contribution to the discussion and gaining experience, inspiration and ideas which she can bring back to share with us all”.

For the first time, the Welsh flag will be flown as part of the Opening Ceremony. The flag bearer for Wales will be Helen Atkinson.

Helen Atkinson of Scouts Cymru said;

“I’m really excited to be given the opportunity to represent Wales at the One Young World Summit this year, and even more delighted to have been selected to carry the Welsh flag at the opening ceremony! We can’t wait to get out there and show everyone what Wales can bring to the table internationally. At Scouts Cymru we actively promote leadership skills and in particular how we prepare our young people for the future. This experience is going to benefit the Scouts movement, and my personal skills will be enriched too.”

Ensuring we have the right leadership skills is essential for us to succeed in delivering the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Building on the great work of youth organisations including the Urdd, Scouts Cymru and the Welsh Youth Parliament, the Future Generations Leadership Academy will provide young leaders in Wales with the necessary skills to face future challenges in our public services and beyond.

The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales will be addressing the 2,000 delegates at 14:30 on Friday 25th October at Westminster Hall.

In partnership with Lord John Bird, we will also be convening a ‘Future Generations Roundtable’ to discuss the campaign to have a UK Well-being of Future Generations Act. You can find more information about this campaign here.

The full agenda for One Young World can be found here.