Theresa May calls on young people from all backgrounds to "be ambitious and play their part" in the G7 Youth Summit 2021
Speaking at an event this evening, aimed at encouraging young people from a variety of backgrounds to apply to represent the U.K. at the G7 Youth Summit 2021, Theresa May will call on young people to be ambitious and play their part at the highest level of international decision making.
Lady May, former Prime Minister and MP for Maidenhead, said:
“The countries around the G7 table have been pillars of the rules-based international order, which has benefited all our citizens and the world as a whole. But it is only through continued dialogue that we can find ways to work together to resolve the current challenges we face.
The Youth G7 is an opportunity for young people from all backgrounds to be ambitious and play their part in this process and ensure the international issues that will most impact their future are being discussed at the highest level.”
The U.K. assumes the G7 Presidency at the beginning of January 2021 and, as part of that body of work, will convene seven engagement groups in order to ensure that its Presidency works for all sections of society. Youth 7 is one of those engagement groups, the others being the Business 7, Civil Society 7, Labour 7, Science 7, Think Tank 7 and the Women 7.
The engagement groups are involved at every level of G7 activities, including meetings with the Sherpas, Ministers and expert groups, through to the Leaders’ Summit, meaning that young people have a substantial opportunity to influence at the highest level of international decision making.
Each year, the Future Leaders Network selects young people to represent the U.K. at the Youth 7 and in 2021, they will host the Y7 Summit here in the U.K. They are committed to ensuring the delegates are as diverse and representative of U.K. youth as possible, and are hosting events throughout December to democratise access to information about the G7 and enable all British young people to have the confidence to apply to take part. Previous events included a roundtable with former Foreign Secretary David Miliband and former G8/G20 Sherpa Sir Jon Cunliffe earlier this month. They will also run what they hope to be the largest U.K. youth consultation in early 2021.
Commenting, Sophie Daud, Chief Executive Officer of Future Leaders Network, said:
“We are delighted that Mrs May is taking the time to share her experiences and insights about the G7 at our event this evening. We hope that in doing so, she will inspire millions of British young people to see that the G7 isn’t just an irrelevant photo opportunity for elite leaders, but a meaningful chance to deliver global change.
International politics affects all of us on a daily basis. But you don’t need to be a politician, or to have studied international relations, to get involved. Young people from all four nations, from all backgrounds, from all ethnicities and religions have lived experiences which mean they are ideal candidates to take part in the Y7.
If you want to affect change in your community, country or the world, the Y7 is a phenomenal opportunity to get involved in.”
Applications to represent the U.K. at the G7 Youth Summit 2021 close on 31 December 2020 at 23:59. Prospective candidates should visit www.futureleaders.network to find out more about the role and the application process.
Notes to the Editor:
For more information about the support available to young people in the UK, particularly our Youth G7 opportunity, please visit our website: https://futureleaders.network.
For interviews or more information, including details of how you can attend the event, please contact Sophie Daud – Chief Executive, directly on +44 7788 990041 or at sophie.daud@futureleaders.network.
About Future Leaders Network
Future Leaders Network is a not-for-profit organisation aimed at discovering and developing the next generation of social, economic and political leaders in the United Kingdom. We are revolutionising the leadership development landscape, by equipping young people with the leadership experience, skills and network they need to deliver positive change in the world.
We make a difference today with the leaders of tomorrow.
Website: https://futureleaders.network
About the Youth G7 (Y7) 2021
Youth G7 is one of seven engagement groups of the Group of 7 (G7) international intergovernmental economic organization, the others being Women 7, C7 (non-governmental organizations), Labour 7, Business 7, Think Tanks 7 and Science 7. The engagement groups are involved at every level of G7 activities, including meetings with the Sherpas, Ministers and expert groups, through to the Leaders’ Summit. They prepare recommendations for each G7 Presidency.
The Future Leaders Network will host the Y7 2021. Applications to represent the U.K. as a delegate opened on 1 December 2020 and will close on 31 December 2020 at 23:59. Further opportunities to get involved - for example, as a member of the Youth Forum, or to take part in public consultations, will be announced in early 2021.
About Theresa May:
Theresa has served as Member of Parliament for Maidenhead since 1997 and has held several positions within Parliament since. She was a member of the Shadow Cabinet from 1999 to 2010, and from 2002 to 2003 was the first female Chairman of the Conservative Party. In 2010, she was appointed Home Secretary, a position which she held for 6 years before becoming Prime Minister. She served as Prime Minister for three years, until July 2019.
Theresa had a varied education spanning both the state and private sectors, and both grammar school and comprehensive school. She read Geography at St Hugh’s College, Oxford University. She started her career at the Bank of England and went on to hold posts at the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS) as Head of the European Affairs Unit and Senior Adviser on International Affairs.
Theresa was appointed Home Secretary in May 2010 and became the longest-serving Conservative Home Secretary for over a century. During this time she oversaw reductions in crime, reform of the police, and the introduction of the landmark Modern Slavery Act.
Following her election as Leader of the Conservative Party, Theresa was appointed Prime Minister in July 2016, a position she held until July 2019. As Prime Minister, she oversaw the largest ever cash boost to the NHS and the largest expansion of mental health services in a generation; launched a 25-Year Environment Plan and introduced legislation to end the UK’s contribution to global warming entirely; published a Modern Industrial Strategy to ensure that the jobs of the future are created across the whole country not just in London; and established the first ever Race Disparity Audit to shine a light on injustices.
During her time in Downing Street, the UK’s national debt fell, there were more people in work than ever before, and taxes were cut for 32 million people.
About Sophie Daud:
Sophie is the Chief Executive of Future Leaders Network.
Sophie Daud is an award-winning public servant, who is passionate about youth empowerment and leadership development. She began her career in the U.K. Government, where she combined her scientific training with problem solving skills to tackle some of the country's most challenging social policy issues, ranging from long-term unemployment to child poverty. In 2019, Sophie was named as a “Rising Star in the Public Sector”, awarded by WeAreTheCity after a competitive selection process.
In 2016, she was selected to represent the United Kingdom at the Youth G7 in Tokyo, Japan, the official youth engagement group for the G7 Heads of State summit. Since then, Sophie has campaigned tirelessly to support the development of a new cohort of young leaders, and championing their voices in national and international decision making.
She was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Future Leaders Network in January 2019 and is looking forward to hosting the Youth G7 in 2021 when the U.K. hosts the G7 Presidency. She is particularly committed to ensuring that the Summit includes a wide range of diverse voices, including young people who are typically underrepresented in formal democratic processes.