One Young World 2012
The Chair projects are the perfect opportunity to put your leadership skills to the test. WoMen’Up, an association, which has evolved into an internationally recognized network, was initially created by a group of chair students based on their chair project and was selected ‘best project’ at the OYW Forum in Zurich, 2011. Our chair students participated at the OYW Summit in Pittsburgh, USA from October 18 to 22, 2012.
Reviewing One Young World 2012, Pittsburgh - Day by day
Day 1 and 2 (17 & 18 October 2012) - Getting into the spirit!
From the moment we arrive, we all felt the special spirit of the One Young World summit. Here, everybody is talking to you in English or French with many different accents, they’re all under 25 and in 2 seconds, you realize that the person you are talking to has been involved in an NGO, in social business, in politics in his country… And suddenly you don’t feel special at all, you understand that you still have a long way to go before being a leader!
Day 3 (19 October 2012) - Getting to the core!
Opening Speech by Joss Stone, renowned singer aged 25 and returning speaker for the One Young World Summit. A speech which had everything to do with her personal experience, the necessity to carry on in life, with confidence and not be afraid of making mistakes and taking risks: “We must act. Having the idea is just the beginning. So be committed, step by step for there are no problems, only challenges.”
Day 4 (20 October 2012) - What about human rights?
Pledge :" We, the One Young World Ambassadors, pledge to take personal responsibility for improving the rights of an oppressed minority in our community." The Human Rights Plenary examined, across a range of themes, how the rights of all can be upheld and the barriers to doing so. The delegates discussed the roles of institutions, organisations, communities and individuals in this area.
Day 5 (21 October 2012) - Leadership in sports and space
The Day started with a special session by Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima around social inequality and how sports changed his life. He’s a former marathon runner from Brazil who was attacked during the 2004 Summer Olympics by a spectator which made him lose the gold medal. However, he showed a great spirit of sportsmanship. According to him, living the dream of getting the gold medal and representing his country was much greater than not getting it.