Ella Robertson McKay on One Young World’s Summit: ‘This Is a True Testament to the Power of Partnership’

Now that One Young World’s 2024 summit in Montreal is in the rearview, Managing Director Ella Robertson McKay is marveling at not only how it perfectly married high-profile collaborations between nongovernmental organizations and private enterprises, but uplifted next-gen voices, encouraging them to step up to the world stage and lead the planet into a better place.

“This is a true testament to the power of partnership between the private sector and NGOs,” said Robertson McKay in a statement addressing a partnership with summit sponsor Air Canada, “and we are really grateful to everyone.”

As over 2,000 budding change-makers from 190 countries gathered to spark change and share ideas, Robertson McKay played a pivotal role in shaping the event’s vision and direction and spearheading Indigenous inclusion.

Robertson McKay stresses the importance of diverse discussions — a hallmark of One Young World’s mission. “One of the core components of One Young World is intergenerational dialogue. That’s why we bring together experienced individuals who have wisdom and lived experience to guide young leaders, who bring energy, innovation, and new technologies. Our goal is to unite these groups and foster collaboration.”

Bringing Indigenous Voices to the Table

This year’s summit placed significant emphasis on Indigenous thought leaders and innovators. “We’ve spent the last year focusing on Indigenous priorities, and we were really successful in bringing together our first Indigenous Youth Day with young representatives, from more than 60 Indigenous nations around the world,” explains Ella Robertson McKay. “And I hope it was of value to young Indigenous people and I think they were very proud to see their communities represented on a variety of matters.”

The inclusion of Indigenous up-and-comers added unique depth to the discussions. Robertson McKay notes. “In our consultation, one of the big thematics that came out was land rights. That’s obviously very important, and that’s pretty unanimous from Australia to Uganda to Canada. What was interesting, through further consultation, is that our delegates from the Pacific also wanted us to discuss ocean rights, as many Pacific Island nations are battling issues such as overfishing and nuclear testing.”

In addition to Indigenous priorities, the summit addressed four other main themes: climate (with a focus on water), health equity, artificial intelligence, and peace. These topics reflect the most pressing global challenges and areas where fresh-faced leaders can make significant impacts.

Air Canada was a corporate sponsor and participated in the “Wings of Indigenous Empowerment: Youth Leading Change” session, presented by Air Canada.

Samantha Bradley of the Canadian Council of the Haida Nation was part of the session. “As Indigenous people, we’re often trying to live two different lives,” Bradley said. “We’re trying to be successful business professionals in the Western world, but we’re also trying to be Indigenous, kind of cultural peoples staying connected to community.

“And those don’t always run parallel with one another. And sometimes it feels like you’re being pulled apart in two different directions doing two very different things. It’s not easy, but I think for Indigenous youth, you have to know you’re not alone.”

The Handmaid’s Tale Author Wows the Crowd

Literary icon Margaret Atwood’s participation marked a standout moment. Robertson McKay recounted when Atwood and professor David Suzuki expressed some uncertainty about whether young people from 190-plus countries would know who they were.

“They got the most enormous roar in the Bell Centre in Montreal, and a standing ovation,” Ella Robertson McKay reveals. “And you could genuinely see how touched they were. It was really meaningful to them to see how much their work has impacted younger generations.”

Robertson McKay muses about how that magical minute represented the heart of One Young World — battle-scarred activists passing the baton to the next generation.

“I think that showing people who are in their 80s, who have given their life to the services of literature of women’s rights, and to conservation and the environment, showing them that is appreciated by young people today,” she says.

“They’re coming to the later part of their lives, maybe coming toward the end of their career, and it’s important that they feel that their life’s work has been for something. This really showed them that’s the case, and you could see how touched even those two very important people were. I think it was a real privilege to be there.”

Ella Robertson McKay: What’s Next for One Young World

Robertson McKay outlined two priorities for One Young World’s future. First, the organization wants to achieve 50% scholarship representation by 2030. This initiative seeks to ensure diverse participation, regardless of financial circumstances.

The second priority focuses on increasing direct funding.

“We would like that to be tens of millions of dollars in the future, and we’ll be finding partners who are going to make that funding available while playing a role in identifying where that funding will be serving people,” Ella Robertson McKay shares.

This boost would significantly amplify participants’ global initiatives, she says.