World Bank Youth Summit 2018: Unleashing the Power of Human Capital

Established in 2013, the Youth Summit is an annual event held by the World Bank Group (WBG) to engage with youth globally on the most pressing topics facing their generation. The primary goals of the Summit are to (1) empower youth to explore innovative ideas for tackling development challenges, (2) provide youth with the tools to build and engage in impactful projects, and (3) promote dialogue between youth, the WBG, and other key stakeholders globally. The Summit will take place in Washington, DC December 3-4, 2018. 

This year’s theme

The theme for the 2018 Summit is Unleashing the Power of Human Capital. A key determinant of a country’s competitiveness is its human talent—the skills, knowledge, and experience of its population, better known as “human capital”. The agenda will be structured around two main subthemes, exploring how youth can maximize their, and other individuals’, human capital throughout their lifespan.

Who should attend?

The Summit invites youth who are passionate about maximizing their, and other individuals’, human capital. Attendance at the Summit is open to youth aged 18-35 from around the world.

There is no admission fee to attend the event, but all travel and lodging costs are at the sole expense of the attendee. Given the scale of the event, neither the WBG Youth Summit, the Committee, the World Bank Group or any of its affiliates can provide financial assistance to those attending.

Interested youth are encouraged to find sponsors to pay for their transportation tickets and accommodation for the two days of the event. If attendance to Washington DC is not possible, please send an email to youthsummit@worldbank.org with “WBG Country Office” in the subject line and the Youth Summit Organizing Committee will make an effort to arrange a conference room in the WBG Country Office to watch the event live. 

If you can’t attend in Washington DC, we encourage you to join us online via World Bank Live. Some World Bank Country Offices might host livestreaming events. 

Applications to the Summit and to the Competition will be accepted until 11:59 pm EST (Washington D.C. time) on October 5, 2018. For more detailed information on the event, consult the World Bank website, here.