At a time when many people sadly treat Indigenous representation as a box to check, One Young World’s Managing Director Ella Robertson McKay takes a contrarian edge. What if Indigenous youth weren’t just invited to the table, but actually ran it? One Young World made history last fall at its summit in Montreal by dedicating its first Indigenous Youth Day to amplifying voices often overlooked in international dialogue and continuing its mission of making Indigenous voices heard loud and clear across the globe.
Connections Across Communities
One Young World brought together fresh-faced representatives from more than 60 Indigenous communities worldwide, creating unprecedented opportunities for knowledge exchange. “For Pacific Islanders, ocean rights and the preservation of waters from industrial fishing or nuclear testing are critical issues,” explains Ella Robertson McKay, highlighting how different Indigenous communities face unique priorities while sharing common concerns.
One Young World encouraged broader dialogue regarding Indigenous peoples. Ella Robertson McKay points out that Indigenous delegates brought expertise across multiple sectors, from technology to health care. Two speakers from Papua New Guinea were selected among 25 winners in the delegate speaker competition, demonstrating the caliber of Indigenous leadership present.
“One Young World is committed to empowering young people from diverse backgrounds and cultures to become agents of positive change in their communities,” One Young World’s 2024 Impact Report states. “We recognize the importance of partnering with, engaging, and supporting Indigenous and First Nations young people worldwide, and empowering First Nations and Indigenous youth was a strategic priority at the summit in Montreal.”
A Partnership Built on Respect
The organization approached Indigenous participation with humility and gratitude. “It was a true privilege to work alongside local Indigenous communities in Quebec and to learn from them,” Ella Robertson McKay says. She acknowledges the generosity of Indigenous knowledge-sharing, noting, “They have no obligation to educate us, and that takes a tremendous amount of energy and generosity.”
The success of Indigenous Youth Day has set a new standard for international conferences. “One Young World’s partnership with Indigenous communities enables young leaders from around the world to reflect on areas where we have blind spots — it’s a privilege,” Robertson McKay states. This collaborative approach promises to reshape how global forums engage with Indigenous perspectives, ensuring their voices remain central to discussions about our shared future.
The impact extends beyond the conference itself, as delegates take these lessons back to their communities and organizations.
Indigenous One Young World Youth Ambassadors Lead the Way
Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts, a member of the Bundjalung Widubul-Wiabul people of Australia, is one of One Young World’s Indigenous leaders who is adamant about raising awareness for her people and Indigenous communities worldwide.
“If we are serious about putting Indigenous voices at the heart of global decisions, then we must coordinate to ensure that the lives of Indigenous people matter — not just listened to, but actually heard,” Turnbull-Roberts said during a speech.
Turnbull-Roberts has transformed the traumatizing experience of being forcibly removed from her childhood home into a cathartic journey of healing to help other Indigenous people who might be facing similar scenarios.
“May we never stop working toward a better world and protecting the rights and interests of First Nations children and young people,” Turnbull-Roberts explained.
One Young World Indigenous Council member and ambassador Martha Lidia Oxi Chuy is another essential Indigenous voice.
The former co-executive director of MAIA Impact, the only organization in Guatemala created and led by Indigenous women for Indigenous women, is now the national director of World Connect, where she is shaping opportunities for leaders in Guatemala.
“The participation and leadership of youth are highly celebrated here,” Oxi Chuy said of One Young World. “I am particularly grateful for the consultation and inclusion of First Nations people throughout the one-year process. One of the biggest highlights was showing our respect for Indigenous peoples’ ways, having their voices, and learning from their culture.”
Pacific coordinating ambassador for One Young World Lavau Kwalam Nalu explained how essential it is for Indigenous people to share their history. “As Indigenous people, we have a long line of tradition, a long line of cultures that I guess sort of in a way before we had written history books we recorded our history through stories through telling stories that we pass on to our children and they pass it on from there,” Nalu revealed in a video taken during One Young World’s 2022 summit in Manchester, England.
Amelia Kami of Tonga is another Indigenous woman who sees the value of storytelling as a One Young World ambassador.
“Art has such a beautiful way of connecting with people,” said Kami.
“We are all trying to tell our own stories with our own authentic voices because we’re past the point where we’re going to let other people tell our stories for us. We’re reclaiming our narratives. That’s why we’re here.”
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