Young leaders from across Ghana came together on August 27, following global celebrations of International Youth Day, for the third edition of the annual UK-Ghana Young Leaders Summit, to celebrate youth-led innovation and sustainable design solutions.
Under the theme “Showcasing Youth as Designers of Change,” the summit brought together future leaders to highlight how sustainable design can address some of Ghana’s most pressing environmental challenges.
The summit also celebrated eight decades of British design excellence and previewed the World Design Congress in the UK, coming next month.
As part of the event, the Design Council UK shared insights from their Design for Planet mission and demonstrated how sustainable design drives economic growth and social impact.
“Design has the power to transform lives and communities. This summit reflects the UK’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s young innovators while highlighting the extraordinary potential that emerges when British design expertise meets Ghanaian creativity and entrepreneurship”, said Keith McMahon, Acting British High Commissioner to Ghana.
Pamela Bassah, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Diaspora Relations at the British High Commission, added, “Ghana is home to exceptional young talent with bold, innovative ideas for tackling climate change through sustainable design.
“This summit showcases how UK-Ghana relations can bridge expertise with creativity, to co-create solutions for the challenges of tomorrow”.
The event brought together a distinguished group of young people and changemakers from the creative arts, climate action, and sustainability sectors. Among the attendees were alumni of prestigious UK government scholarship programmes, including Chevening, Commonwealth, and GREAT.
The Honourable Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, graced the occasion, alongside Osman Ayariga, CEO of the National Youth Authority.
The event also featured high-level representation from the Ministry of Climate and Sustainability and the Youth Employment Agency, underscoring the Government of Ghana’s strong commitment to youth empowerment and sustainable development.
Highlights of the event included panel discussions featuring sustainability agencies like GoTo Initiative and Dex Ghana, and a TED-style presentation by winners of the Earthshot Prize 2024 – Green Africa Youth Organisation.
Ghana’s creative economy contributes approximately 2.5% to its national GDP, driven by young entrepreneurs innovating in digital media, fashion, and architectural design.
In the UK, creative industries generate over £100 billion annually and employ more than two million people.
The summit supports a shared commitment to creativity and innovation and makes the UK and Ghana natural partners for mutual growth and knowledge exchange.