PITTSBURGH, Oct. 11, 2012   Three years after the City put on a safe and successful G-20 Economic Summit, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and local leaders today announced plans to once again “roll out the red carpet” for world leaders. Pittsburgh will be the first U.S. city to host the One Young World Summit on Oct. 18-22, following in the footsteps of London and Zurich after beating several other international cities for the bid. The Summit will bring together nearly 1,500 future leaders from 190 countries, making it one of the largest representations of countries other than the Olympics and United Nations.

“Pittsburgh is a place that has overcome challenges to emerge as one of the most successful cities in the world in terms of job creation and quality of life,” Ravenstahl said. “I’m thrilled and excited to expose so many young leaders to our beautiful city, and to have them discuss solutions to the world’s greatest challenges in a place whose people are known for their innovation, hard work, and ‘get it done’ attitude. We’re anticipating four days of spirited discussion about how our next generation of world leaders will tackle the key challenges facing countries.”

“One of the reasons we selected Pittsburgh over competing cities for the 2012 Summit was the opportunity for delegates to overlay their debates on key global issues against the unique and successful transformation story of the city,” said Kate Robertson, co-founder of One Young World. “Delegates won’t simply attend the Summit in a conference center and go home; they’ll feel that they really connected with the city that welcomed them and encouraged their goals of achieving grassroots change around the world.”

The Mayor and members of the One Young World Pittsburgh Partnership – a group of corporate leaders who worked to coordinate the conference and delegate activities – also highlighted top events that will be taking place during the Summit, including a Bridge Party and an opening reception put on by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The Mayor also declared Oct. 15-22 “One Young World Week” in Pittsburgh.

Mayor Ravenstahl will participate in several events throughout the weekend, including the Opening Ceremony and Bridge Party. During the Closing Ceremony, the Mayor will pass the One Young World Baton to Mayor Parks Tau of the 2014 host city, Johannesburg, South Africa.

In addition to President Bill Clinton’s opening keynote address, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and musician and social activist Bob Geldof KBE will speak to the delegates about the challenges they face and the positive change and impact they can provide.

The Summit will serve as a platform for delegates, supported by world-renowned Counselors, to address and identify solutions to the same issues that world leaders tackle every day – including global business, global health, education, sustainable development, leadership and governance, human rights and social business.

Delegate debates on global issues and resolutions for change, along with the results of an international survey of 20-29 year olds, will shed light on the views and attitudes of young people from around the world on issues ranging from obesity to education and politics.

Confirmed Counselors, who will help guide delegates through three days of plenary sessions, are:

• President Bill Clinton (keynote speaker only at Opening Ceremony)
• Arianna Huffington - founder and CEO, Huffington Post
• Bernard Kouchner - doctor, humanitarian, co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde
• Bill Strickland - president and CEO, Manchester Bidwell Corporation
• Bob Geldof - activist and musician
• Carole Stone - founder, YouGov
• Carolyn Miles - president & CEO, Save the Children
• Christine Ockrent - journalist
• Doug Richard - entrepreneur
• Elio Leoni-Sceti - co-founder and chairman, LSG Holdings
• Fatima Bhutto - author
• Glenn Manoff - director - social business and sustainability, O2
• Hans Reitz - founder & managing director, The Grameen Creative Lab
• Imran Khan - politician
• Jack Dorsey - co-founder, chairman and chief product guru at Twitter, co-founder and chief executive of mobile payments at Square
• James Chau - anchor, China Central Television (CCTV)
• Jamie Oliver - chef, BBC broadcaster and campaigner
• Jan Peter Balkenende - Dutch politician and former Prime Minister of the Netherlands
• Jeremy Gilley - British actor, filmmaker, founder of Peace One Day
• Jimmy Wales - founder and CEO, Wikipedia
• Joss Stone - musician
• Kal Penn - actor and civil servant
• Ken Roth - executive director, Human Rights Watch
• Manfred Honeck - music director, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
• Marc Kielburger - co-founder, Free the Children and Me to We
• Michael Hastings - journalist and writer
• Michiel Bakker - director-global food services, Google
• Muhammad Yunus - founder, Grameen Bank and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
• Natalia Vodianova - model and health advocate
• Oscar Morales - campaigner, founder of One Million Voices Against The FARC
• Paul Polman - Global CEO, Unilever
• Pete Cashmore - founder and CEO, Mashable
• Peter Solmssen - general counsel, Siemens Corporation
• Rahul Gandhi - politician and general-secretary of the Indian National Congress
• Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima - former long-distance runner
• Will Hutton - columnist and former editor-in-chief, The Observer

Final list of Counselors to be announced in coming weeks.

The Summit will also feature several special events, including:

• An opening ceremony held in Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, set to the world-famous Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Children's Festival Chorus of Pittsburgh
• A symbolic and culturally celebratory “Bridge Party” on Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente Bridge
• Breakout sessions held at the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning Nationality Rooms and in dozens of sites throughout Pittsburgh
• A relaxed evening of “Home Dinners,” where delegates will dine with area families, who will open their doors and hearts to One Young World

This is the first time the Summit will be hosted in the U.S.  The first two were held in London and
Zurich respectively.

While media interviews with Counselors may be possible, they cannot be guaranteed. Opportunities for interviews with One Young World delegates to learn about the interesting projects and programs they have implemented around the world can be arranged.

AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday Oct. 18, 2012

Friday Oct. 19, 2012

Saturday Oct. 20, 2012

Sunday Oct. 21, 2012

More information on the Summit and opportunities for involvement with One Young World is available at OneYoungWorldPittsburgh.com and OneYoungWorld.com.

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For further information about One Young World, or to request media credentials, please contact:

Angela Braun Mineo
angela.mineo@havasww.com 
T: 412-456-0991

Media can also register for credentials at www.oneyoungworld.com/media.

About One Young World
One Young World is a global youth leadership summit, bringing together 1,500 delegates from 190 countries worldwide. Unlike any other event in the world, One Young World gives delegates the kind of media platform and forum afforded ordinarily only to those who lead countries and corporations. One Young World gives them a platform for their views, vision and ideas to create real resolutions for real change. Supported by Counselors including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Bob Geldof KBE and Muhammad Yunus, delegates tell the world what the leaders of tomorrow think and feel – and what they demand of the leaders of today. Founded by David Jones, Global CEO of Havas, and Kate Robertson, UK Group Chairman, Havas, One Young World is a unique event that offers international decision makers powerful insight into where our world may be heading.