The Seven Hills team is in Pittsburgh today for the third annual One Young World summit, set to begin this evening.
President Bill Clinton will speak to over 1,300 young leaders from around the world as they gather in the city to address society’s most pressing issues.
President Clinton will address delegates at the opening ceremony, which will kick off three days of activity designed to produce tangible action plans for positive change across the globe.
Bob Geldof KBE, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus will speak at the opening ceremony to outline the challenges and opportunities One Young World presents to delegates and returning Ambassadors.
They are part of a distinguished group of Counsellors that includes former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan; Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey; musician Joss Stone; model and philanthropist Natalia Vodianova; Unilever CEO Paul Polman and campaigner Jamie Oliver. The Counsellors will offer inspiration and assistance to delegates as they develop their plans of action.
The ceremony will see One Young World co-founders, David Jones, Global CEO of Havas, and Kate Robertson, UK Group Chairman of Havas Worldwide, formally open the third annual One Young Worldsummit, the first to take place in the USA.
In a display of the summit’s global reach, representatives from each of the 182 attending countries will then parade their national flags before laying them down on stage as a gesture of unity.
One Young World will be welcomed to Pittsburgh by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, who at 32 still holds the distinction of being the youngest mayor of any major U.S. city. The opening ceremony will take place at the at the Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, home to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, which will perform on the evening.
David Jones,co-founder of One Young World and Global CEO of Havas, said: “The One Young World opening ceremony will provide an inspiring backdrop for the main focus of the summit – how young leaders can bring tangible change into their communities.
“The attendance of President Clinton, along with international figures including Sir Bob Geldof, Muhammad Yunus and Kofi Annan, demonstrates the global significance One Young World has attained. They are world-renowned leaders who can inspire the next generation of decision- makers and help shape their ideas into plans for concrete action.”
Sy Holzer, president, PNC Bank Pittsburgh and chairman, One Young World Pittsburgh Partnership Executive committee, said: “From our waterways and bridges, to our architecture, symphony and hospitality, Pittsburgh will show its connection to the nations of the world. The opening ceremony will set the tone for the next three days and inspire a sense of community that the delegates will become a part of during the summit and thereafter.”