8 December 2015
The OYWS gathers some of the brightest young people from around the world in order to network and make lasting connections to encourage positive change. The most valuable young talent from global and national companies, NGOs, universities and other forward-thinking organisations are connected to world leaders, who act as the One Young World Counsellors. At the Summit, delegates debate, formulate and share innovative solutions for pressing societal issues.
Participating in this conference is a big achievement. The conference selects participants between the ages of 18 and 30 who have demonstrated leadership abilities and commitment to creating positive change. Many participants have already had an impact in their home countries on a range of issues, including the role of business in society, transparency in business and government, the impact of climate change, global health and hunger relief.
Axel Meta reflects on his experience on the Sharood blog, especially relating to one of the speeches at the conference given by professor Muhammad Yunus (founder of Grameen Bank and a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate) that urged young leaders to use technology to change the world for the better. Sharood, Meta explains, does exactly this by using the power of online tools to improve offline life by building social relationships and enhancing feelings of community.
Meta was also able to brainstorm and discover new possible applications for Sharood with fellow conference attendees. He heard, for example, how the app could potentially substitute a fridge for a community in an underprivileged region of Kenya. Members of the community could share the food they are cooking with their neighbours with the knowledge that the favour would be returned the following day, thereby reducing the need for individual long term food storage. Although the idea is still being developed, Meta reiterates how inspiring it is to see how the app could potentially provide new solutions to food distribution in a variety of communities and contexts. These discussions with innovators in other sectors confirmed the power of collaboration.