Kate Robertson on Building One Young World: It’s ‘the Olympics of Youth Leadership’

The scene inside Montreal’s Bell Centre captured something extraordinary during One Young World’s 2024 Summit. Margaret Atwood, the literary legend who penned The Handmaid’s Tale, stepped up to the microphone at the event. “My name is Margaret Atwood, and I write books,” she said with her characteristic dry wit. The roof nearly came off with thunderous applause from 2,000 young leaders representing every corner of the globe, among them One Young World co-creator Kate Robertson. 

This electric moment exemplifies what Robertson envisioned when she co-founded One Young World in 2009 with David Jones. The duo designed it as a forum where established voices meet emerging leaders on equal footing. “Imagine if I had these young people from every country in the world?” Robertson remembers thinking as the idea for One Young World began to form during her time as chairman of the Havas Group.

Her instinct proved prescient. Today, One Young World brings together thousands of delegates annually from over 190 countries. The organization’s summits have hosted everyone from Queen Rania of Jordan to climate scientists to peace negotiators, yet Robertson maintains a laser focus on the young delegates themselves.

“I felt, more than ever, that we are truly on the right path with what we are doing,” Kate Robertson reflects. “Bringing the whole world together in one space matters profoundly — whether it’s the Olympics or One Young World.”

One Young World, Kate Robertson Unite Established and Rising Stars for Global Impact

Robertson, a long-time believer in mentoring, has seen the priceless value of pairing emerging pacesetters with seasoned professionals at the top of their game. 

“At One Young World, we see young people as equally significant as the world’s most prominent leaders,” Robertson explains. “This philosophy is what sets us apart — placing young change-makers on the same stage as global dignitaries, treating their ideas and contributions with the same level of respect and importance. It’s this unique approach that fuels the intergenerational dialogue at the heart of One Young World, where rising voices stand shoulder to shoulder with figures like Dr. Jane Goodall.”

The summits have become platforms for historic moments. Kate Robertson recalls hosting Winnie Mandela five weeks before Nelson Mandela’s passing. Kofi Annan attended every summit for eight years until his death — a remarkable dedication from someone who rarely made repeat appearances anywhere.

One Young World’s Agenda in 2025 and Beyond

Long after the lights dim, Kate Robertson and One Young World are hard at work preparing the next generation to take the lead. The organization plans to increase scholarship attendance to 50% by 2030, making the experience more accessible regardless of economic circumstances. “We’re honored to play a part in the phenomenal journeys of these motivated young leaders,” Robertson says. “We regularly get ambassadors dropping into our office and getting in touch, even a decade after they originally were introduced to us. We’re excited to work with them for years to come.”

The organization is now preparing for its next summit, which will take place Nov. 3-6, 2025, in Munich. Its partnerships now span over 250 enterprises, including major corporations like BMW, L’Oréal, and AstraZeneca. This will be a return visit to Germany for One Young World.

“One Young World 2021 Munich was the first conference to take place in Germany post-COVID,” Kate Robertson said. “It means a lot for One Young World to be able to be there, and we were honored that the city of Munich invited us back to stage a full-scale One Young World summit.”

Kate Robertson’s creation has clearly grown beyond her initial vision. “More than ever, we are making a real impact with what we’re doing,” she reflects. 

The Powerful Echo of One Young World’s Ambassadors

Tyra Omeir, founder of The Christmas Box Project — which provides children in need with boxes stuffed with books, toys, school supplies, personal hygiene products, and snacks — shared her experience working with One Young World in a video on LinkedIn.

“Before I went to One Young World, I thought I was doing all of these things on my own, that I was isolated, that I could see solutions to different problems, and that actually that was a weakness,” Omeir stated. “And me, constantly knocking on doors. I was like, ‘This is a little too much. I think I need to dial it back.’ But actually, being part of this community where people are so invested in changing the world around them is inspiring to me, and it gives me new ideas.

“It gives me a community that I can go back to and say, ‘Have you encountered this challenge? What have you done?’”

Dr. Adewumi Babatunde Enoch is a One Young World ambassador and founder and CEO of Quinta Health, an organization making breast and cervical cancer screening accessible to all.

Devastated by the preventable loss of Mrs. Adeleke — his friend, teacher, and second mother — to cervical cancer, the determined doctor channeled his grief into action. Through Quinta Health, he now ensures women in Nigeria’s underserved communities have access to early cancer detection. “Seeing her [Mrs. Adeleke] suffer motivated me to begin a movement against this preventable cancer,” he said in a TikTok video. “Cervical cancer is a global crisis. We need to ensure that no woman is lost to preventable cervical cancer.”

Stories like this continue to ignite the fire that fuels One Young World’s global community mission.

“This is a lifelong membership to one of the most incredible networks in the world,” it states on One Young World’s website. “Our global Community is a community like no other. When we say global, that’s exactly what we mean.”