Future leaders headed to Cape Town in 2026 as global youth summit returns to SA
'One Young World exists to identify young leaders in 196 countries to connect and promote them,' said CEO and co-founder of One Young World Kate Robertson, in announcing that the 16th summit returns to Cape Town in 2026.
One Young World, an initiative that empowers and develops young leaders across 100 countries globally to build a fair and sustainable future, is coming to South Africa in 2026 for the second time since 2013. At the summit, hosted in Cape Town, young leaders will confront the biggest challenges facing humanity in South Africa and globally.
Making the announcement in Cape Town on 5 June 2025 – in front of influencers and leaders including director of Stellenbosch University's Centre for Social Justice Thuli Madonsela, former Springbok captain Francois Pienaar, Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Miss SA 2020 Shudufhadzo Musida – summit co-founder and chief executive Kate Roberston said One Young World was established to look for young leaders in different countries to connect them and promote them.
'I say with a lot of emotion, we have learnt in our community of 18,700 young leaders all over the world that heroes move among us. Among that group of young people I have seen leadership that we dream of. It's real. It exists. It is in every single sector, and some of them are in the room tonight,' she said.
One Young World was launched in 2009 and has turned into a major forum for governments, NGOs and businesses to engage young people and partner in tackling global challenges with the next generation of socially responsible entrepreneurs. Two young South African entrepreneurs, Cheyenne Fernanda Miller and Kagisho Masae, who are beneficiaries of the programme, were at the event and gave testimonies of their journeys.
Ideas brought to life
Daily Maverick spoke to Miller and Masae. Miller is now an owner of Ferna Tech, which helps start-ups, corporates and venture partners bring ideas to life through technical innovation. She said it was a difficult journey to start the business after quitting her job as a senior venture adviser, but went to Belfast in 2023.
'Our youth unemployment rate is ridiculous. Ferna is that home for founders that don't necessarily know where to go, but we will nurture them to help them with MVP, which is your minimal viable product. We'll essentially nurture the different phases that they're at and introduce them to things like Wonderworld, introduce them to investors and give them a soft landing when it comes to actually building a company,' Miller said.
Masae is a CEO and founder of Matric Live, a mobile app designed to help high school pupils, particularly in grades 10 to 12, prepare for matric exams. He said he started the app to help children from his township in Itsoseng, North West. He attended the One Young World Summit in Ottawa in 2016.
'The inspiration was to help the kids in my township. I got a scholarship at 12 years old, so my life is significantly better than people I grew up with, and every time I go home I am reminded of that. I never thought about a business model and how it can grow… [after] I went to Canada for One Young World; that session showed me the design principles of bringing a problem solution to life. There are thousands of young people who are doing amazing things, and it is inspirational,' he said.
The 2026 summit and impact on young South African leaders
Madonsela, a former Public Protector, told Daily Maverick the summit will be a big boost and a gift that is needed in South Africa. 'We need an injection of hope. One Young World is a platform that shows that young leaders need not beg for jobs. Every young person will tell you that they saw a problem and they solved it for their community. I see over 1,000 young people feeling affirmed in terms of the little things they have been doing,' she said.
One Young World will take place in Munich, Germany, from 3 to 6 November 2025, where more than 2,000 young leaders from more than 190 countries will gather around the city.
Hill-Lewis said next year's summit will be most memorable, and Cape Town is ready. DM
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