Kate Robertson on Building One Young World’s Global Community

Kate Robertson's vision for One Young World has transformed it into a global powerhouse for aspiring leadership and social impact.

The organization's annual summit brings together change-makers from over 190 countries, providing a platform to connect, share ideas, and drive positive change.

“It is clear One Young World has moved on to become a genuinely important global movement and certainly one of the most important youth leadership forums in the world,” said Robertson, who co-founded One Young World in 2009 with David Jones. 

“They represent the most informed, connected, educated generation in human history and they’re certainly worthy of our time and our efforts in making sure that their voices are heard.”

Kate Robertson's own journey had an unconventional start. She was chair of the Havas Group of companies in the U.K. in 2007 when someone challenged her to launch a leadership conference.

Initially dismissive of the idea, Kate Robertson soon realized that perhaps something like that was needed in the world.

“Imagine if I had these young people from every country in the world. I've always been hung up on leadership,” she reveals. “And it started really from that.”

She began reaching out to influential figures, securing support from luminaries like Sir Bob Geldof and the late human rights activist Desmond Tutu and former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Their priceless endorsement provided the momentum needed to launch One Young World more than 14 years ago.

According to Robertson, the organization's mission is clear: "To inspire, build, and elevate young leaders, because we believe that at the heart of every global threat, all the big problems we're facing — whether it's violence, peace, lack of peace, climate change, nuclear war, etc. — at the heart of all of those challenges is a lack of leadership."

The nonprofit’s annual summit serves as the centerpiece of its efforts. The event brings together aspiring leaders, creating a truly global community. Robertson emphasizes the transformative power of this gathering.

One Young World’s Diverse Representation

Diverse representation allows One Young World to stay ahead of emerging global issues. 

Last year's impact report showed that it affected more than 8.86 million lives through projects covering a wide range of areas, from education and health care to political engagement and environmental conservation.

So, how does One Young World identify potential change-makers?

Kate Robertson said “It’s most obvious when a person takes a passion about something.

“For very young people if they’re looking at themselves [asking,] ‘Am I a leader? How do I become a leader?’ it will absolutely be an issue about which you are passionate,” she said in a YouTube interview with Danny Bartlett. “If you look at Steve Jobs’ fantastic commencement speech, he talks about finding your bliss. You know you must have passion.”

Kate Robertson reiterates her formative years spent growing up in apartheid South Africa essentially shaped her views on leadership and its importance. 

“Coming from the country I come from, I’m very aware where leadership suddenly showed. It was astonishing leadership and how important it is. I’m scared of situations where there are no leaders,” she shared. “All human situations come to a point where leadership is required, where change must happen. I think for a young person, leadership will show where there’s passion. The thing that is really tough is that leadership emerges from terrible situations.” 

Robertson cites examples such as Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela, who emerged as leaders under horrific circumstances. She admits she looks at younger generations, hoping they won't have to endure such intense struggles for leadership to emerge.

“It is OK to feel strongly about something and OK to believe that you can change something,” she added. 

How Kate Robertson and One Young World Are Impacting the Global Narrative

While One Young World maintains year-round programming and initiatives to train and empower trailblazers, its annual summits are the lifeblood of the organization. This year’s gathering will take place in Montreal Sept. 18-21. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, The Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood, and Kimberly Bryant, founder and CEO of the Black Innovation Lab, will be among the speakers. 

Making sure these summits are as inclusive as possible is another goal. Roughly a third of One Young World’s attendees receive fully funded scholarships that cover costs like flights and visas. The organization announced its ambition of getting 50% of people attending on scholarships by 2030.

This focus on accessibility ensures that One Young World can tap into a diverse pool of talent and perspectives. 

Robertson's passion for One Young World's mission is evident. She remains motivated by the incredible young leaders she encounters, warmly sharing how gratifying — and inspiring — it is when an ambassador pops into her London office: "I see these young leaders and how much they care about their people and what they're trying to do and in circumstances that to me are unimaginable."

As One Young World continues to grow and evolve under Robertson's leadership, its impact on global youth leadership is undeniable. The organization has created a powerful platform for change-makers to connect, learn, and drive positive change on a global scale. Robertson's vision of establishing better leadership for a better world is becoming a reality, one leader at a time.

“One Young World’s mission to empower young leaders grows more urgent every day as the world faces multiple crises and a failure of leadership at the highest levels,” Kate Robertson stated in One Young World’s 2023 impact report. “Every year, One Young World Ambassadors generate meaningful social impact on a huge scale across the world.”