Each time I attend a gathering with fellow Young Global Leaders, I can't help but feel like I am in a scene of one of those Superhero movies, where they bring together individuals with special powers and abilities who, together, join forces for a better world.

Here we are together in our group photo, wearing brightly coloured t-shirts that we were provided based on random selection. In our small groups, we had reflective discussion circles and were also given a unique martial arts lesson where we learned the power of a soft and open hand.

This year was especially unique, as I had a lot to share with the group in my role as a newly designated YGL Alumni! On our first day together, I was asked to speak and close a session on mentorship and how to gain the most from the YGL experience. My key message was about the importance of contribution to the community, and how we need to both be generous, while also being open to the generosity of others.

Our program also included an interactive dramatic arts presentation and workshop, where teams were challenged to address a conflict from the perspective of one of the characters.

Our Purple Group explored the character of a woman who was living alone in the United States, child and parents in Eastern Europe, and working without a legitimate visa. She was contemplating employment options and in a moment of deep isolation and rejection.

Our task was to create a series of three freeze-frame snapshots, illustrating the problem, solution, and the process to getting there. Here we see a woman who is faced with rejection, yet looking at an offer that would likely compromise her values and integrity.

What was fun about this excersize was the immediate bonding and team-building that took place in the process. It was also interesting to observe how other groups interpreted the challenges of the various other characters in the skit.

A critical milestone for me in Dalian was having an opportunity to showcase the Youth Effect publication, created by 21 Young Global Leaders since Davos 2010. This book and blog (www.youtheffect.org), is aimed at supporting decision-makers at more effectively engaging youth. The Youth Effect played an instrumental role in supporting World Economic Forum founder Professor Klaus Schwab in creating Global Shapers, a new community within the World Economic Forum to engage youth in their 20s. The Global Shapers are based in over 100 cities, as part of local hubs that are recruited through YGL curators.

While making a short presentation to our group about the importance of engaging youth, I could not help but feel as though I was part of an important milestone in history, as I truly believe that many other institutions will follow the lead of the World Economic Forum, prioritizing their own youth engagement strategies. I look forward to keeping track of this evolution and would also like to thank YGL supporters as well as one of my mentors, Kim Samuel-Johnson, who played an instrumental role in championing our effort.

Collaborating with fellow Young Global Leaders throughout the year contributes to growing excitement for the times when we come together in person. Over the past year, I've been working very actively as the Country Chair for Global Dignity Day in Canada. During our group session, we had a chance to encourage many others to facilitate the Dignity Day lesson plan in as many classrooms as possible on October 20th. In Canada, we have incorporated the Dignity principles as part of TakingITGlobal's national Defining Moments program. We have also registered over 56 people, including 30 schools, and expect to reach over 5,000 students this year.

We will be conducting a live video conference as part of our Canadian activities, in partnership with the Centre for Global Education, based in Edmonton, Alberta.

An unexpected surprise was being invited to co-facilitate a session on Managing Hyperconnectivity. I chose the breakout group on health and our discussions looked both at the issues of global pandemics and mental health. We imagined future scenarios where a new immunity drug could be created to protect people from any kind of virus, building a stronger resiliency to disease. We also spoke about how Social Media and digital connectivity can often leave people feeling a strong sense of isolation - or addiction to instant feedback and response. The emergence of the "hive brain" could result in a loss of individuality, memory and creativity while increasing stress and anxiety.  That said, the benefits could lead to greater efficiency, empathy and less reliance on central government control.  It was rewarding for me to be part of such a vibrant debate that allowed us to take a deeper look at the implications of hyperconnectivity on health.  Overall, I believe it is critical that we do not allow ourselves to lose our sense of self, in the midst of the non-stop stimulation and interactions our digital worlds provide access to.   

[breathe]

The theme of technology carried forward on the last day of the Annual Meeting of New Champions, where I joined the closing plenary session entitled "Mastering Quality Growth: Passing the Test of Technology". My session was moderated by Nik Gowling from the BBC, who offered us punchy questions with a great flow, allowing us to discuss how to foster new innovations, managing risks, privacy implications, and the evolution of cultural norms online.

For a full viewing of our session, you can check it out on YouTube!