One Young World’s choice of Pittsburgh brings diverse youth to the region

One Young World chose Pittsburgh for its next international conference for all the right reasons — and right on time, say some involved in the city’s successful bid.

One Young World attracts young leaders from 170 countries to its annual conference aimed at shaping worldwide policies about business and government, climate change, healthcare and other issues. It will bring several thousand young people to Pittsburgh in the fall of 2012.

The site selection committee rep was impressed with our collaborative spirit, the city’s high level of support, and the safety and walkability of the place, says John Denny, director of community relations for the Hillman Company. Denny was part of the unofficial group helping to support both the many Pittsburgh delegates who attended this year’s OYW in Zurich and Pittsburgh’s effort to bring the next conference here.

The OYW rep “was excited to see it wasn’t just the tourist bureau — that we had young organizations like PUMP at the table, the universities and others,” reports Denny. “She was also blown away by the high level of support we were able to get,” which included letters from Sen. Bob Casey, Ambassador Dan Rooney, and presidents Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.

It also helped that the town is walkable and relatively safe.

Overall, OYW “is going to put a big spotlight on the value of diversity and youth,” says Denny — which may be particularly important for a city famously old and shown recently to be less than diverse, compared to other metropolitan areas.

“It is a sign, a symbolic aspect, of Pittsburgh turning the corner from a population and demographic standpoint,” says Bill Flanagan, executive vice president of corporate relations for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development — part of the OYW bid team.

“It’s another great opportunity to get a little of the global spotlight again,” he says, adding that the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair will bring its fair share of youth to the Burgh in May 2012 as well. OYW, Flanagan concludes, “is another opportunity to tell our story to a couple thousand of the best and brightest from around the world. I hope they’ll take that story home.”

Writer: Marty Levine

Sources: John Denny, The Hillman Company; Bill Flanagan, Allegheny Conference on Community Development