Ella Robertson McKay Shares How Looking for Allies in Unlikely Places Can Lead to Change

For Ella Robertson McKay, managing director of One Young World, finding common ground with others is key to driving meaningful social change. The global forum of One Young World brings together diverse voices from over 190 countries, creating a unique environment where activists and corporate executives can engage in productive dialogue.

“We are very proud of our work with the corporate sector,” Robertson McKay explains. “We really believe that big business has the power to make an impact and that most of the research, technology, and innovation required to address issues like climate change is sitting with big businesses.”

When Robertson McKay says big business, she means really big business. Deloitte, Siemens, BMW, L’Oréal, AstraZeneca, and Novartis are just a few examples of the major players with whom One Young World partners while working to address the world’s greatest challenges.

This pragmatic approach stems from Ella Robertson McKay’s belief that effective activism requires moving beyond ideological echo chambers. “You need to be reaching out to people who aren’t like you,” she advises. “Even if we disagree on many things, there will be areas where we agree we need to make progress.”

She admits reaching across the aisle is no cakewalk and can be awkward — but oh, so worth it.

“Yes, it’s an uncomfortable dialogue, but we hold that tension and believe the solutions emerge from it rather than having two separate rooms, each preaching to their respective choirs.”

One Young World’s emphasis on unlikely alliances extends to its choice of host cities for the annual summit. From London to Johannesburg to Bangkok, One Young World has a history of setting its gatherings in cities buzzing with culture, technology, and more.

Reflecting on insights shared at its 2023 summit in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Robertson McKay recalls the significance of One Young World being invited by the city on the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The deal was signed on April 10, 1998, as a significant political development in the Northern Ireland peace process after decades of unrest known as “The Troubles.” It established a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland and addressed issues of civil and cultural rights, policing, and demilitarization.

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that the hard-won peace only came to be thanks to a previously unthinkable collaboration.

“This remarkable document — based on political leadership, vision, and compromise — allowed us to break a cycle of violence that continued for 30 years,” the department posted on its website.

“It was possible only through ground-breaking leadership from across the traditions of the island, from the Irish and British Governments, from our international partners, from civil society, and from ordinary people, all insisting on a peaceful, democratic future.”

And it’s this spirit of cooperation that motivates Ella Robertson McKay and forms the backbone of One Young World. She acknowledges that doing the work, by definition, isn’t easy, but it must be done.

“You can always make the case for keeping a war going, but making the case for peace is braver and harder,” Robertson McKay shares.

“Look at the people who you might not like. Who’s in power groups that are seemingly working against you? Because actually, those might be the people you really need to persuade in order to make a change.”

Diversity in Leadership Is Key To Drive Change, Says Robertson McKay

This commitment to diverse perspectives extends to One Young World’s leadership programs. Robertson McKay describes its new Global Leadership Program, launching soon, which draws on concepts from various cultural traditions.

“It draws on ideas like ubuntu, an African expression that a human is human because of other people, the Seventh Generation principle from North American Indigenous cultures, and ihsan, the Islamic expression of excellence and beauty in work.”

By synthesizing these different worldviews, One Young World aims to nurture a truly global outlook. She points out that when people hear the word leader, they often assume it will be a 6-foot-2 white man in a suit stepping up to the plate. But, she observes, “Actually that’s not really what leadership is in many cases.”

The organization’s efforts to broaden the concept of leadership also manifest in its commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Currently, about one-third of summit attendees receive full funding to participate. One Young World recently announced plans to increase this to 50% by 2030.

“That’s where the diversity really comes in,” Ella Robertson McKay emphasizes, “through a commitment to accessibility regardless of people’s socioeconomic circumstances.” This approach ensures voices from underrepresented communities have a seat at the table.

Ella Robertson McKay Explains How One Young World Is Making Its Mark

Robertson McKay speaks with genuine enthusiasm about the transformative power of bringing diverse voices together and creating spaces for unlikely connections to form.

“We get to work with the most inspiring young people from every single country in the world,” she says. “Our ability to have insight into who’s changing the world, what ideas change the world … We’ve seen a lot of it and we’ve seen what’s working.”

This global perspective allows One Young World to spot emerging trends and issues long before they hit mainstream awareness. Robertson McKay points out: “We were talking about essentially all the key themes of the #MeToo movement back in 2013, and all businesses are talking about extremism at the moment. We’ve been working on countering violent extremism since 2016.”

By fostering an environment where emerging leaders can connect across geographical, cultural, and ideological divides, One Young World is cultivating a new generation of change-makers equipped to tackle global challenges through collaboration and unlikely alliances.

“By working with young people, it’s incredibly forward-looking, and that is just incredibly engaging and exciting, but also humbling and inspiring,” Ella Robertson McKay adds. “And knowing that through funding, through giving a platform, through giving inspiration, to providing a mentor to young people at this really important stage, if you move a young person’s trajectory by just a degree, the impact it has over the course of their lifetime is really exponential.”