Comments Lindiwe Kwele, Johannesburg Tourism Company (JTC) CEO,"Clinching the event for Johannesburg and Africa is important on so many levels. Africa is the continent which has the largest proportion (20%) of youth - as a demographic component of population - and it would be significant to host this event on a continent which so many young people call home and which offers so many opportunities and challenges.
"As the African continent's most accessible hub and vibrant business locations, Joburg makes sense as an appropriate destination to inspire youthful leadership, networking and brainstorming solutions to issues across the spectrum - from healthcare, development, finance and business - to social issues and politics."
Connect and bring together
The purpose of the summit is to connect and bring together the youngest, brightest and best minds from all over the world, to ensure that their concerns, opinions and solutions are heard. It is a dynamic global platform for young leaders making a substantial difference and tangible impact in their communities.
One Young World 2011, hosted in Zurich, saw global leaders including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Sir Bob Geldof, Jamie Oliver and Muhammad Yunus address over 1200 delegates from 170 different countries.
"One Young World is a movement that exists to affect positive change and we wanted cities that could provide a platform to inspire and motivate young leaders to act," said Jones. "We received amazing bids from superb cities and Johannesburg is a true global icon; a city that has shown it can handle world events with style and exuberance. We are thrilled that the city will be our host for the One Young World Summit 2013."
As a city, Joburg is a youthful one - with 42% of the population under 24 and 49% under the age of 34 - making for a vibrant, energetic and enterprising community. In keeping with this demographic, South Africa's commitment to youth development is described as significant, demonstrated by a host of youth development initiatives supported by both the public and the private sector.
From a national perspective, SA has youth participation and representation in Parliament, while at a city level, Johannesburg has community-based youth advisory centres, managed from the Mayor's Office.
"The opportunity to host One Young World in Johannesburg will provide us with the platform to share ideas on the importance of developing youth into future leaders, learning from both developing and developed countries," continues Kwele.
"Johannesburg Convention and Events Bureau, a division of Johannesburg Tourism Company (JTC), is facilitating the bidding process, working alongside relevant partners and stakeholders to ensure a successful One Young World Summit in 2013."
For more, go to www.oneyoungworld.com, become a fan on www.facebook.com/OneYoungWorld or follow @oneyoungworld on Twitter.
