The Forum of Young Global Leaders

The Forum of Young Global Leaders (YGL) is a community of high-achieving individuals under 40, selected through a rigorous process to foster global collaboration and leadership. The program, which lasts six years, combines formal education at institutions like the Harvard Kennedy School with informal peer networking to drive social and environmental impact. The document showcases various YGL-led projects, including the Plastiki project to raise awareness of marine pollution, the 'Table for Two' initiative to combat hunger, and the 'Beyond Tomorrow' project supporting disaster victims in Japan. It also highlights the role of the YGL network in facilitating high-level diplomatic and business achievements, such as the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement and strategic investments in insurance startups.

• The Forum of Young Global Leaders (YGL) is a six-year leadership journey designed to move individuals from personal success to global significance through collaboration, learning, and action.
• YGL candidates are selected based on being 40 years of age or younger, having a record of extraordinary achievement, a commitment to serving society, and an impeccable public record.
• The Plastiki project, supported by YGL Georges Kern and David de Rothschild, used a boat made from 12,500 discarded plastic bottles to sail 8,000 nautical miles from San Francisco to Sydney to raise awareness about marine pollution and climate change.
• The 'Table for Two' initiative, founded by Japanese YGLs, donates 25 cents for every healthy lunch served in developed countries to provide meals for school children in developing countries, serving 22 million meals across six developing countries and 10 developed countries.
• YGLs Malini Mehra and Saleem Ali led an initiative to foster Indian-Pakistani cooperation on climate change and disaster risk management, including a 2011 conference in Lahore and a subsequent partnership with EcoPeace/FoEME.
• The 'Beyond Tomorrow' initiative was launched by Japanese YGLs following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami to support high-school and university students through college tuition sponsorship and leadership workshops, benefiting 50 students and 200 workshop attendees.
• The Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement was facilitated by the trust and friendship developed between Scott Brison and Luis Guillermo Plata within the YGL community, featuring a unique human rights treaty.
• The 'Fish Banks' model, developed by YGL Enric Sala and others, creates marine reserves that increase fish biomass (averaging 450% worldwide) and double fisher incomes in places like Kenya and the Solomon Islands.

APA

World Economic Forum (2014). The Forum of Young Global Leaders. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_YGL_Brochure.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. The Forum of Young Global Leaders. 2014. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_YGL_Brochure.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=The Forum of Young Global Leaders |date=2014 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_YGL_Brochure.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2014forum, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{The Forum of Young Global Leaders}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2014}, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_YGL_Brochure.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }