The World Bank Group Youth Summit 2021 Pitch Competition for young Changemakers.

Application Deadline: March 31, 2021 (11:59 pm EST)

Established in 2013, the Youth Summit is an annual event hosted by the World Bank Group (WBG) to engage with youth globally on the most pressing topics facing our generation. The WBG Youth Summit is an affiliate of the Youth-to-Youth (Y2Y) network, the largest volunteer organization at the WBG, which aims to inspire and empower youth within and outside the institution.  

The primary goals of the Summit are to: 

1. Empower youth to explore innovative ideas to tackle development challenges​
2. Provide youth with the tools to build and engage in impactful projects​
3. Promote dialogue between youth, the WBG, and other key stakeholders globally
   
   2021 WBG Youth Summit

The theme for the 2021 Summit is Resilent Recovery for People and Planet.

The 2021 WBG Youth Summit will be a virtual event. Dates will be announced soon. 

The economic hardship, loss of life, and global human suffering seen at an unprecedented level as a result of  COVID-19  has highlighted the deficiencies in our society and ignited a call to action that is practical, inclusive, and sustainable. At the heart of the 2021 Youth Summit theme is the opportunity for a global conversation that emphasizes the role of the youth in addressing the effects of climate change and examining the measures and opportunities for a resilient recovery for people and planet.​

A people centered recovery that promotes wellbeing, encourages inclusion through job creation, skill training and equitable education while addressing gender and racial inequality, housing and healthcare accessibility, and creating opportunities for fragile nations to benefit from funding and contribute to the conversation on how to mitigate the effects of climate change.​

A planet centered recovery that focuses on reducing our carbon footprint by encouraging waste reduction through a gradual green transition to reduce the negative impact of consumerism. And emphasizes investments in sustainable infrastructural projects, enacts legislature to halt further loss of biodiversity, localizes production to shorten supply change, and incentivizes industries to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.​

 Pitch Competition

The global nature of the COVID-19 pandemic calls for a coordinated effort toward recovery. The pandemic has resulted in the creation of not only a health crisis but also an economic one of a scale unprecedented in the recent years. How can we unleash the unique opportunities we have today to not only boost a sustainable economic recovery but also, ensure that this recovery is both sustainable and inclusive? Tell us about your ideas that aim at ‘building back better”!

The 2021 Word Bank Youth Summit Competition awards the most cutting-edge idea that supports either of the two youth summit themes listed below:

A Resilient recovery for the People: Empowers people in fighting the consequences of the pandemic and addresses growing inequality in societies

– OR –

A Resilient recovery for the Planet: Provides sustainable solutions to support the halt of climate change. 

Requirements

• The competition is open to teams of 1 to 5 individuals aged 18 to 35. Participants must be nationals from World Bank member countries.  
• Participants can be students, as well as people in the work force or any other occupation. No prior experience in any particular field or topic is necessary.
• You need to be committed to implement the solution after the competition. Diverse team compositions are advised, but not required.

Benefits

Be mentored by Youth Summit 2019 finalists and World Bank experts Network with leading professionals and young social entrepreneurs around the world Participate and learn in events and workshops Seed-funding

Timeline

Stage 1 – Submit your Proposal by March 31, 2021, 11:59 PM EST

Proposals will be evaluated by an expert committee. Shortlisted individuals/ teams will be announced by late April and will proceed to the next stage.  

Stage 2 – Refine your Idea & Prepare your Pitch (May 2021)

Individuals/ teams shortlisted in Stage 1 will receive feedback on their proposals and may be asked to submit further information, interview with the team, refine their proposals and/ or submit short pitching videos.  

Stage 3 – Pitch your idea at the virtual Youth Summit (June 2021)  

5 finalists will be selected to present their proposals live at the virtual youth summit in June.

Proposal format

A proposal with great potential might include an idea summary, outline the problem(s) it aims to address, pitch the proposed solution and why it stands out compared to existing solutions. In addition, you might want to explain the financial sustainability of your business model, potential to scale, actual progress (if any) and how you and your team Measure Success.

In case of questions, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Submit your proposal here. 

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the World Bank Group Youth Summit 2021