2024 ONE YOUNG WORLD: Empowering and developing young leaders to build a fair, sustainable future for all.

One Young World offered five Carol Shields Prize for Fiction Foundation program recipients the opportunity to attend the renowned global leadership summit for young people in Montreal, Canada from September 17 to 21. Keynote speakers included luminaries such as Rupi Kaur, Sir Bob Geldof, and Carol Shields Prize literary patron Margaret Atwood. BMO Financial Group, one of The Carol Shields Prize Foundation’s lead supporters, was one of the major sponsors of the event. 

“The summit came at a pivotal moment, I returned home to my ancestral lands and submitted my letter of intent to run for an elected seat on my nation’s Tribal Council.” —Tashina Emery

Reflecting on the experience, Chantal Rondeau wrote that “writers are not often included in spaces that reflect on climate issues, world peace, and Indigenous sovereignty. However, the Carol Shields Prize mentees all write about important issues within their communities, and belong in spaces like One Young World because their works will one day inspire change. My favorite part of OYW was that artists and activists were included in a worldwide community of voices who are fighting for peace, justice, sovereignty, and for the health of our peoples and the Earth.” 

Alexandra Skoczylas, our CEO, joined the mentees for the first day of the event. They all attended a BMO Financial Group breakfast and heard a keynote speech by Grégoire Baillargeon, President of BMO Quebec, about the importance of corporate responsibility in the fight for a more just world, encouraging the leaders of tomorrow to have social and environmental concerns as pillars of their leadership mindset. Head of Employee and Community Giving Helen Seibel, Head of Strategic Initiatives for BMO Financial Group Stephanie Tedy, and other BMO team members graciously welcomed the Carol Shields Prize community, reaffirming our joint goals of improving the lives of women, especially BIPOC and other underrepresented women.

Alexandra also had the opportunity to speak to some of the mentees about what it takes to be an effective, caring leader, furthering our commitment to provide ongoing support to women and non-binary writers as they build their careers, take on leadership roles, and become examples for others in their communities.

For some, the experience was transformative. Tashina Emery shared that “the summit came at a pivotal moment, I returned home to my ancestral lands and submitted my letter of intent to run for an elected seat on my nation’s Tribal Council. I have a deep commitment to serving our community and preserving the values, traditions, and culture that have sustained our people for generations. Through my writing, teaching and policy work I invoke change. I am committed to working collaboratively with our community members, utilizing my expertise as a storyteller that translates fluidly, to listen, learn, and lead with integrity. I want to elevate those around me, working collectively.”

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The focus on youth really resonated with our mentees as well. Salima Tourkmani-MacDonald highlighted that “One Young World showed me that young people do (and are) making a tangible difference in this world. I think as young people we often feel powerless when we look at what’s happening around us. Attending this conference reaffirmed that not only are we capable of meeting life’s challenges head on, but we’re actually the key to change. I plan to apply what I’ve learned to my writing, and to let go of insecurity when it comes to sharing my perspective.”

Mentee Janielle Browne shared an insightful reflection on how to navigate the challenges changemakers face:

“The 2024 One Young World summit in Montreal as a Carol Shields Prize mentee was an honour, and from it, two thoughts remained: balance patience and impatience, and lead with empathy. On the first day, BMO’s president Grégoire Baillargeon, stressed that if we are too patient, we risk complacency, and if we are too impatient, we can break trust. As he spoke, my brain knitted his words into a tightrope I was forced to walk for the remainder of the summit—constantly considering how to push for change, without breaking trust. By day two I had picked up more things to juggle, one of them being empathy. In ‘The Icons Panel: The cause for conservation, why it matters now more than ever,’ Dame Jane Goodall reminded us that we are all animals. She acknowledged the work we must do when caring for wild animals, as we have only just begun caring for each other. Then as Cher—yes, you read that correctly—explained the symptoms of an elephant experiencing a mental breakdown, and how often humans find their distress ‘cute,’ I scribbled down an anger that just wouldn’t translate onto the page. Suddenly I found empathy weighing me down, causing me to lean too far left on the tightrope, threatening to make me fall. On the fourth day, my anger was justified. In the session on ‘Gender-responsive peacebuilding,’ world renowned fighter Lina Khalifeh said, ‘You need anger to start any fight against injustice, but it cannot be your fuel, nor can it be the only emotion behind your fight.’ I quickly recognized how futile passion is without the empathy to ensure it warms— not burns—others. Overall, I left the summit unsure if I’ll get any better at balancing and juggling, but certain that I must go one step at a time.”

Here at The Carol Shields Prize Foundation we are proud to be able to provide opportunities like this to young writers through our partnerships and continuous community building. Help us continue our work, make a donation today. 

BMO's Head of Employee and Community Giving Helen Seibel, Chantal Rondeau, Tashina Emery, Sarah Chiago, Janielle Browne, Salima Tourkmani-MacDonald, Head of Strategic Initiatives for BMO Financial Group Stephanie Tedy, and Carol Shields Prize Foundation CEO Alexandra Skoczylas.