BMW GROUP @ ONE YOUNG WORLD SUMMIT BOGOTÁ 2017.
The BMW Group delegation and Board of Management Member Peter Schwarzenbauer, who served as a counsellor, attended the One Young World Summit in the Colombian capital, Bogotá, from 4-6 October 2017. Once again this year, young leaders and major figures from around the world came together to discuss topics from international politics and education to economic developments and social entrepreneurship. This year’s speakers included Nobel Peace Prize winners and human rights activists Professor Muhammad Yunus and Tawakkol Karman, as well as former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan.
THE BMW GROUP’S OYW DELEGATES.
In its mission not to leave the future to chance, the BMW Group delegation is part of the global OYW alumni network. In dialogue with other experts at the One Young World Summit from around the globe, dedicated employees from different areas of the company seek to build on their experience and implement their learnings in their own projects at the BMW Group.
HIGHLIGHT FROM OUR ASSOCIATES’ BLOG: THE OYW SUMMIT 2017.
Leonardo Peruzzi, BMW Group Italy: Beyond imagination – Recap
“Before attending the Summit in Bogotá, I must admit, I was partly sceptical of the reports and summaries of people who had attended previous summits and who said that One Young World had changed their lives. Could an experience, as well as being exciting, really have such an impact on a person? I could not imagine. Perhaps this is in connection with the fact that my expectations ahead of the summit were linked to the presence and ideas of notable speakers, such as Kofi Annan and the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos. Their ideas and messages are known, and while experiencing them first-hand was surely a welcome opportunity, I did not expect them to really be able to have such a lasting impact on me.
Day 3 was, from this point of view, the most touching of all. The day was dedicated to the topic of peace and reconciliation, and several delegate speakers took the stage to share their experiences of peace bringing and, most importantly, forgiveness. From my personal point of view, but I believe this opinion was shared by many, the most powerful quote heard here was from a young delegate from Rwanda, Hyppolite Ntigurirwa who said “Peace is what you give. Not what you ask others to give you.” Perhaps the quote may seem like something you’d find shared on social media or on a poster somewhere, I imagine that just reading it makes it lose some of its impact. It would have for me, at least.
Now, how big the impact of this day and this experience as a whole will have been on me and other BMW delegates, only time will tell. I do truly believe though that we have returned to make a change to the way we work and interact with each other. I am excited to see what comes out of it, but I have a feeling it might be something unforgettable. While the One Young World Summit 2017 is now officially over, its impact remains completely unknown. Stay tuned if you are as curious to find out as I am.”
Leonardo Peruzzi, BMW Group Italy
HIGHLIGHTS OYW 2017.
In addition to new friendships, inspiring cultural encounters and sharing thoughts about the future, the ideas and inputs provided by the One Young World counsellors and speakers were among the highlights of the summit. Thinking about the future in workshops encouraged our delegation to look beyond existing structures and not be discouraged by obstacles along the way, because “any impact is better than none.”
Opening Ceremony.
The opening ceremony of the OYW Summit 2017 was held on the Plaza de Bolívar at the heart of the Colombian capital, Bogotá. Yemeni human rights activist Tawakkol Karman, Nobel Peace Prize winner Kofi Annan and social entrepreneur and founder of the Grameen Bank, Muhammad Yunus, all attended the official opening of the One Young World Summit 2017.
“In the opening ceremony of One Young World, as per tradition, a choir of children took the stage and sang two songs for us. Their symbolic message was to remind us that the children of today are already looking to my generation to make the world a better place for them to live in. It was powerful to think that my actions today can have an impact on the life of the children of tomorrow: It is not too early to start working to make the world a better place.”
Leonardo Peruzzi, BMW Group Italy
INSPIRING MOMENTS.
BMW Group Board of Management Member Peter Schwarzenbauer had the honour of meeting Kofi Annan and his wife, Nane, at the One Young World Summit 2017 in Bogotá.
“One Young World offered incredible insights into real-world problems across a variety of topic areas and countries. What set the conference apart was the opportunity to hear from individuals who had first-hand experience of the issues and were now working on solutions. My appreciation of what determination and ambition can achieve as well as the power of a simple conversation has reinforced that we can all make a positive difference.”
Sophie Fryer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Goodwood
TIMES OF TRANSFORMATION.
In his role as counsellor, Board of Management Member Peter Schwarzenbauer spoke at this year’s OYW Summit in one of the sessions on education about the transformation of the automotive industry. He provided a vision of the future of mobility and its impact on society. Further, Peter Schwarzenbauer elaborated on the five Sustainable Development Goals which the BMW Group has a direct impact on and explained how the company contributes.
“Plans for the future – I have come to realise how privileged I am to work at the BMW Group and can see the opportunities that we have as a global employer to make a difference. My plan for the future is to utilise this privileged position to create employment opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds that aren’t always included. “
Charlotte Stephenson, BMW Group UK
PEACE DAY.
"Peace is what you give, not what you ask others to give you."
Professor Muhammad Yunus - One Young World
Counsellor This year’s One Young World Summit concluded with a “Peace Day”, organised in the context of the Colombian peace treaty initiated by President Santos, which brought the country’s 52-year civil war to an end. The talks and discussions to mark Peace Day addressed the broader question of how a ceasefire can lead to long-term peace. One Young World ambassador Taban Shoresh also discussed topics such as truth and reconciliation with Hassan Jallow, Chief Justice of the Gambia, who previously served as a prosecutor for the United Nations.
Thank you to ONE YOUNG WORLD for the image rights.
