One Young World: Putting technology in the hands of social changemakers

I just returned from another fantastic One Young World Summit in Munich, Germany, one of the most powerful, humbling and empowering events I get to experience every year. Over 1,800 young leaders from 190+ countries gathered virtually and in person to accelerate social impact and receive counsel from political, business and humanitarian leaders like Sir Bob Geldof, Professor Muhammad Yunis, and Dame Vivian Hunt. In addition to keynote speeches, panels, and workshops, delegates had the opportunity to challenge world leaders, interact and be mentored by influencers. Most importantly, delegates were given a platform to present keynote speeches of their own, proposing their plans for making a positive impact on the world’s pressing issues in front of world leaders and media.

Without question, this summit is the highlight of my year. I think of this organization—this movement—as a family. It’s my honor to support and motivate these young minds who are shaping the future for generations to come. 

As Counsellor for Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, I have often spoken on the transformative times we live in. I’ve talked through our transcendence into the fourth industrial revolution which is being fueled by transformational technologies like 5G, the Internet of Things, AR, VR and autonomous vehicles. 

But these advancements are only a single chapter in our history. Last month, I posted my thoughts on Verizon’s 21st anniversary and asked what you’d like to see in the technology realm in the next 21 years. Your responses were heartening and thoughtful, but what made me feel especially enthusiastic and inspired were  those that spoke of digital inclusion, increased accessibility and democratizing digital experiences. 

This year, I had the privilege of leading a plenary session on education with five amazing delegates from around the world, speaking of how technological advancements can create the best opportunities for these highly talented young people. 

Within the last 10 years, our sector has seen such rapid advancement that truly landmark technologies seem almost common. Self-driving cars, voice-controlled virtual assistants, even the tablet. But innovation comes with a hefty price tag, at least to start. As outlined in the United Nations Sustainability Goals, fostering innovation through the use of next-gen technologies requires access to them. And that starts on a foundational level, with upgrading technological capabilities, particularly in developing countries, providing high-speed network technologies to under-resourced schools and affordable access to the Internet. From there we can leverage the lowering costs of advancements like Mobile Edge Computing to provide a computing power unavailable outside of major corporations and research universities only a few years ago.

You see, events such as One Young World give fuel to my greatest hopes. Connecting our current unparalleled growth in digital connectivity with the most informed, most connected and —I would argue—most socially-responsible generation in history is our best chance to close the digital divide. 

I’ve been involved with One Young World for a number of years and I’m consistently re-energized by the tenacity and drive of our young delegates. I truly believe the answer to a more sustainable and more inclusive society lies in giving responsible, young minds powerful technological access before the world has had a chance to reshape that tenacity into its own image.

I wanted to spotlight the Verizon Leadership Development Program delegates themselves, so I asked what they took away from this year’s event.

“I plan to use the inspiration and ideas that I have gotten from fellow ambassadors to enact change, specifically in the education sector. I hope to encourage more girls to pursue a career in STEM, help bridge the digital divide, and teach the rising generations to stand up for what they believe in. Thank you One Young World Munich for sharing your culture and country with us! 

-Akanksha Pathak

“‘We have to have young people ready to make the change and drive it.’ These words from Bob Geldof at the One Young World conference really stuck with me. It was such a unique and inspirational opportunity to connect with young leaders around the globe and gain a fresh perspective on the role of corporate social responsibility.”

- Kavya Madhavan

“Over the past few days attending the One Young World Summit I've had countless conversations with some of the most dedicated, passionate and insightful leaders from across the world. These interactions have inspired me to reflect on the importance of acting together and acting now. The OYW summit has given me the innovative plan, ingenuity and change maker community to bring my passionate ideas to Verizon to create change that will increase Verizon's sustainability. I hope to collaborate with the work Verizon is already doing towards helping the environment, climate action and sustainability, while also building on and improving the ways we can effectively combat climate change to achieve the UN SDG goals. I have so many ideas and I can't wait to work with the teams at Verizon to implement this change to help make Verizon a more sustainable company!”

-Allana Doyle

I’d like to leave you with one more thought to consider: How can we in the technology industries pave the way—really level it—to remove economic barriers and opportunity gaps? 

If you could go back in time as a One Young World delegate, what keynote speech would you make?