Manchester to host world's largest youth summit

Manchester has been chosen to host the world's largest youth summit.

More than 2,000 young delegates from 190 countries will gather in September to share ideas about how best to drive social change.

Tokyo had been due to stage One Young World 2022 but will miss out due to uncertainty over Covid restrictions.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said he "could not think of anywhere more fitting" for the event as he praised Manchester's vibrancy and creative thinking.

The 2022 forum is to focus on conflict prevention, safeguarding oceans, and ethical leadership, its organisers said.

The young leaders will be supported by Nobel Peace laureates, heads of state and activists.

Counsellors for this year's event have yet to be announced but figures have previously included Kofi Annan, Sir Bob Geldof, Justin Trudeau, Emma Watson and Meghan Markle.

Previous summits have taken place in Ottawa, Bangkok, The Hague and Munich.

Manchester Central conference centre will house the forum from 5 to 8 September.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said there was "no better place than Manchester" for the event.

"This is the largest global gathering of young people representing every single country in the world outside of the Olympics, and one of the most significant, and we are proud to be a part of that," he added.

The summit's organisers said Manchester was known globally as a city that "truly inspires young people, not least in its efforts to become a fairer, greener place to live and work".

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