Ella Robertson McKay Explains How One Young World's Grassroots Beginnings Led to a Global Vision

Ella Robertson McKay says she was in her senior year of high school when One Young World was being formed. 

“There was one time I'd come back from summer camp and we had construction workers in at the house and there was no electricity and so no Wi-Fi,” Ella Robertson McKay recalls. “And we went and sat in the lobby of a nearby hotel so we could use the internet. And we just wrote letters to all of these people individually: ‘Could you sponsor one young leader that inspires you to attend this conference?’"

Little did Robertson McKay know then, those humble letters made big ripples. 

“It was so humble and we were lucky to have been incubated by Havas, one of the big six marketing and advertising networks for the first five years of existence,” she adds. “We’ve been a fully independent charity since then, and are continuously growing.”

With 17,000 ambassadors around the world and counting, One Young World has morphed into a phenomenon that’s received a nod of support from some of the most relevant leaders in the universe including the Duchess of Sussex, former President Bill Clinton, Cher, and Dr. Jane Goodall alongside passionate activists, entrepreneurs, Nobel laureates and CEOs of global brands. 

“We did get that fantastic start from being in the corporate system ourselves, which is, I think, why we are very good at helping young grassroots changemakers work with big business to make things happen,” Robertson McKay shares. 

Impacting 50.2 million since 2010, One Young World has certainly come a long way since its initial summit in London. 

Establishing the Summit

In reality, the team behind One Young World saw the potential in youth leaders but never realized the organization would become so huge.

The summits demonstrate that up-and-coming generations aren’t only the future but also the present, capable of driving positive change right now. Hard-hitting issues such as hunger, the climate crisis, education, peace advocacy, and mental health are addressed over the course of four days, coinciding with networking, talks, and plenty of workshops. 

Through these gatherings, One Young World builds an international network of fresh voices ready to shape a better world for all. Attendees have the unique opportunity to learn from influential humanitarian, business, and political notables, gaining insights and advice that are invaluable for their development and efforts.

“These are life-changing moments for people. It’s the first time they're being recognized by an international audience in their young lives,” Ella Robertson McKay shares.

From Cher to Nelson Mandela, these summits have garnered plenty of star power and breathtaking moments.

Hyppolite Ntigurirwa, a One Young World ambassador from Rwanda, moved the audience to tears and received a standing ovation when he shared his struggle.

“I am a survivor of the genocide carried out in which more than a million people were killed,” Ntigurirwa said of being a child and witnessing the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. “I saw my dad being killed and fed to the dogs to eat.

“I chose to forgive people who killed my father and all those innocent people. I chose to forgive them. Let’s make this world a better place. Let’s each one of us be the peace.”

In 2019, Ntigurirwa conceptualized and carried out the “Be the Peace Walk,” a 100-day artistic journey on foot across Rwanda to mark the 25th anniversary of the genocide's conclusion. 

Ntigurirwa is just one example of how One Young World’s ambassadors use it as a medium for positive change. 

Where One Young World Is Headed

Ella Robertson McKay and One Young World are gearing up for the 2024 summit in Montreal from September 18-21, with an impressive roster of speakers including activist Kerry Kennedy, climate advocate Paul Polman, Lord Michael Hastings, Olympian Mark Tewksbury, United Way Worldwide CEO and President Angela F. Williams, and others who will be announced soon. Additionally, this year’s summit will celebrate One Young World's Indigenous Youth Day. Topics will cover diverse voices, the climate and ecological crisis, health and gender disparity, and the value of peace.

Robertson McKay says she sees each summit as an opportunity to redefine the idea of leadership for people of all ages to absorb. 

“Our mission is to inspire, build, and elevate young leaders because we believe that at the heart of every global threat, whether it's violence, peace, lack of peace, climate change, nuclear war, et cetera, at the heart of all of those challenges is a lack of leadership,” Ella Robertson McKay adds.

“We offer them the platform of our global summit where they meet each other, where they get to speak on a global stage, for some of them, where they meet current world leaders. They meet business leaders, politicians, athletes, a really, really inspiring group of people.”

Robertson McKay says One Young World is also always exploring opportunities to grow the entity’s digital footprint. 

“In associations as in life, you get out what you put in,” Ella Robertson McKay said in a video interview. “I think it’s really important now, after the pandemic, when we’ve had all these fantastic virtual meetings, we think about how we can take online communities and in-person communities and give everyone the best of both worlds. 

“I think at this moment it’s looking at what you did brilliantly in the past and continuing to do that, and then also looking at the additional extra factors you’ve gained throughout COVID and create combined models that are obviously both reinventive and dynamic, but also resilient and future-proof.”

Read more about Ella Robertson McKay and One Young World: https://london-post.co.uk/one-young-worlds-ella-robertson-mckay-discusses-the-epidemic-of-slacktivism-bridging-divides-and-disruption-gone-wrong/