Northern Ireland

Belfast chosen as host city for One Young World Summit in 2023

‘OUTLOOK’: Bob Geldof
‘OUTLOOK’: Bob Geldof ‘OUTLOOK’: Bob Geldof

BELFAST has been chosen as a `host city' for the One Young World Summit in 2023.

The event will see 2,000 young, global leaders from 190 countries descend on the city, with a mission to create a better world, with more responsible and effective leadership.

Following a competitive bid process, which included eight candidate cities, Belfast was yesterday confirmed as a host for the thirteenth annual summit in May 2023.

Delegates will be joined by influential political, business and humanitarian leaders - the One Young World Counsellors - including Bob Geldof, President Mary Robinson, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and, Richard Brandon and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, amongst others.

Bob Geldof said: "Belfast brings to this global conference an experience, an outlook, a perspective, a deep culture, and something new and very different that they won't have got at One Young World 2021 in Munich this year or Tokyo next year.

"I love the fact that One Young World 2023 is in Belfast, because there's so much that people in this city can talk about to these younger people: about processes that made two completely different cultures and societies function together; about discovering there is another way of doing things; that there is a future and that talking through subjects actually works," he said.

First Minister Arlene Foster said she was proud that Belfast would be hosting "this exciting and transformative event which brings together young leaders of the future with those more established on the world stage".

"It provides an important opportunity for a powerful and productive dialogue across nations and generations and will empower our inspirational young people to be the change they want to see," she said.

David Jones, One Young World Co-Founder, said Belfast and Montreal - which was also chosen as a host - were "important cultural hubs".

"The world has faced more than a year of incredible disruption, yet we have also seen inspirational moments of activism, strength and commitment," he said.

"The young leaders of the world are well-placed to help lead us out of the crisis and into a brighter future," he said.

"Similarly, our next host cities Belfast and Montréal share a passion for attracting global talent and being committed to the acceleration of the kind of ambitious, innovative ideas that we will need."