Reimagining leadership at One Young World
At Virgin Unite, we believe that empowering young people and fostering cross-generational partnerships is how we unlock the best new ideas and ultimately, how we create lasting change for people and the planet. For these partnerships to form and flourish, people first need the space and time to talk, listen, and connect. One such space is One Young World.
The One Young World Summit recently took place in Munich, bringing together an incredible group of global leaders united by a shared commitment to tackling the world’s toughest challenges and reshaping the systems needed to meet them.
I had the privilege of attending the summit and of co-chairing a plenary session with Lord Michael Hastings, a true champion of justice and humanity. Together, with three extraordinary members of The NewNow, Renata Koch Alvarenga, Victor Ochen (a Founding Leader), and Yasmina Benslimane, our discussion explored the themes of radical collaboration and positive disruption in an age of insecurity. The conversation centred on how young leaders can drive cooperation for a safer, more inclusive world and was grounded in the belief that the most effective solutions emerge when we work side by side.
I also had the honour of introducing May Asagba, a 2025 NewNow Leader and founder of the CAIN Educational Foundation. CAIN is an extraordinary force for good, dedicated to empowering underserved African students with free education, digital skills and mentorship. Since its launch, CAIN has transformed the lives of thousands of people, providing laptops, helping learners achieve top marks, and building vibrant learning hubs in communities. CAIN's vision is to reach one million children and youth across Africa by 2040, and in doing so, ignite a wave of hope, innovation and opportunity that extends far beyond any one classroom.
May’s story is a testament to what happens when compassion meets action and she shared it beautifully with the plenary, “In 2013, I started the CAIN Educational Foundation to provide access to quality education. The CAIN Educational Centre now offers young people between the ages of 10 and 30 opportunities for lifelong learning.” May also spoke of Choma, a 16-year-old girl who had never touched a computer but now types effortlessly during digital literacy sessions. Just months after joining CAIN, Choma received a fellowship to study front-end development, an opportunity that could transform the course of her life.
At Virgin Unite, we talk about challenging the unacceptable and few injustices are more unacceptable than a child denied the right to learn. Education creates opportunity and a future, and as May put it so powerfully, “Deliberately denying access to education is an abuse of power.”
The summit reminded me that young leaders aren’t waiting for permission to lead, they’re already doing it. We must remember that our role is to stand beside them, amplify their voices, and remove the barriers in their way.
In addition to the above sessions I was thrilled to announce the opening of applications for the next cohort of The NewNow. The search has now officially commenced for the next group of emerging leaders with a commitment to collaboration, courage, and creativity. The new cohort will join a thriving network of peers and mentors driving meaningful change around the world.
Founded by Virgin Unite in 2018, The NewNow was created to empower extraordinary young leaders with the tools, networks, and support to drive systemic change. Seeing it take centre stage at One Young World was a moment of immense pride. What began as a bold idea to reimagine leadership has grown into a global community influencing conversations on peace, equity, and sustainability.
The world needs courageous leadership more than ever and the One Young World Scholarship Programme opens the necessary doors for the next generation to learn, connect, and lead.
The challenges we face are too complex, too global, and too urgent to be solved in silos. Real change will happen when generations come together, when experience meets imagination, and vision meets courage.