Last month, One Young World held its first ever Expert Event, the Environment Summit 2016, which gathered 400 young leaders alongside experts of science, politics, the arts and business.
As the first in a series of Expert Events, the Environment Summit focused solely on environmental challenges and the role young leaders can play in solving them.
Founders Kate Robertson and David Jones kick off the event with a welcome presentation on the lawn of the world's largest environmental research lab, Biosphere 2. Tucson's Mayor Rothschild and University of Arizona's Dean Joaquin Ruiz also took to the stage to welcome delegates to Arizona and Biosphere 2 and explain the tangible connection that delegates will have to engage with the environment through this setting.
Held at the most environmentally friendly building at the University of Arizona, the second day of the Summit hosted speeches from experts including US Federal Chief Sustainability Officer, Christine Harada, Managing Director of WildAid, John Baker; former NASA astronaut and humanitarian, Rob Garan; Robert Swan OBE, polar explorer and UN Goodwill Ambassador for Youth, CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray, the star of Entourage and The Devil Wears Prada and environmental campaigner Adrian Grenier; and many more. A full list of speakers can be found here.
Inspiring speakers call for innovation, collaboration, and #imagination at @OneYoungWorld Environment Summit | #OYW pic.twitter.com/ADykx2W8dZ
— UN Foundation (@unfoundation) May 20, 2016
We also heard from Delegate Speakers, each considered a leader in their respective field.
#OYW Delegate Speaker Geoff Bishop says you need a business plan to create #SustainableGrowth in your community pic.twitter.com/zSyWIj8vIO
— One Young World (@OneYoungWorld) May 20, 2016
The third and final day of the One Young World Environment Summit focused on delegates collaborating and putting their ideas into action and digging deep into concepts that were mentioned during the previous day.
Another dynamic session w/ @LeylaAcaroglu who talks to #OYW delegates about disrupting systems & designing new ones. pic.twitter.com/r5uivZ3kn1
— One Young World (@OneYoungWorld) May 21, 2016
Expert-led Breakout Sessions were held throughout the day, dissecting topics of politics and leadership- with a session held by Senator Christine Milne, Former Leader of Australian Green Party- to analyzing the profound effects of climate change upon the indigenous communities.
Breakout session on aquaponics in the biosphere 2! Talk about sustainable agriculture! #oyw #chia pic.twitter.com/jBXlDyGs1u
— Annie Quadros (@annie_quadros) May 21, 2016
The event wrapped up with a closing dinner and presentation from highly acclaimed slam poet, Sekou Andrews, who encouraged delegates to pursue the calls to action that they were posed with over the last three days.
Parting words of wisdom from @sekouandrews. An impeccable way to end the first #OYW Environment Summit @B2science. pic.twitter.com/RxlWTwKeTS
— One Young World (@OneYoungWorld) May 22, 2016
You can read event highlights from Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 here.
