From September 18 to 21, TERASHIMA Miyu, a fifth-year medical student, and Lin Thu Kha Htaik, a third-year student in the Discovery Program for Global Learners, participated in “One Young World (OYW) 2024 Next Generation Leaders Global Summit,” held in Montreal, Canada, as part of the delegation from Japan.　Okayama University has been an official partner of the summit since the Bangkok, Thailand, summit held in 2015, sending two student representatives each year along with YOKOI Atsufumi, Vice President for Global Engagement, as an observer. This marks Okayama University’s ninth consecutive participation following the summits in Bangkok (2015), Ottawa, Canada (2016), Bogota, Colombia (2017), The Hague, Netherlands (2018), London, UK (2019), Munich, Germany (2021), Manchester, UK (2022), and Belfast, Northern Ireland (2023). As part of the “Okayama Dream Education Initiative” in collaboration with the Okayama Prefectural Board of Education and Okayama University, KOGATA Hiyori, a third-year student from Kurashiki Minami High School in Okayama Prefecture, a representative of prefectural high school students, was dispatched from Okayama Prefecture for the first time to participate in the summit together with members attended from Okayama University.

The 14th summit saw over 2,000 attendees from more than 196 countries. The opening ceremony took place on September 18 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, featuring a traditional welcome ceremony by the Indigenous community of Montreal and colorful flags representing various countries. Notable speakers included David Suzuki, a biologist and professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia, and Margaret Atwood, a well-known female Canadian author.

On the first day of the main sessions, Mr. Felipe Paullier, the first Assistant Secretary-General for the Youth Office, who was appointed to a senior position at the youngest age in UN history, delivered the keynote speech. Having Mr. Paullier as the first speaker also sent a strong message from OYW regarding the importance of youth being a central theme in “The Summit of the Future” during the UN General Assembly.
Assistant Secretary-General Paullier emphasized that establishing the UN Youth Office in 2023 marked the beginning of an era where youth actively participate in decision-making processes. He also strongly encouraged the 2,000 young participants at OYW, highlighting the importance of their voices in decision-making and their ability to positively change the future through their awareness and actions.
Ms. TERASHIMA Miyu and Mr. Lin Thu Kha Htaik participated in various sessions, workshops, and networking events, engaging in lively discussions with representatives from different countries on topics such as AI (artificial intelligence), Health Equity, Indigenous voices, peace, and the climate and ecosystem crisis, all framed within the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The next OYW Summit is scheduled for November 3 to 6, 2025, in Munich, Germany.

Opening ceremony

Left to right, Vice President Prof. Yokoi, Mr. Lin Thu Kha Htaik, Ms. KOGATA Hiyori, Ms. TERASHIMA Miyu

Ms. TERASHIMA Miyu participating in a workshop (second from right in the front row)