On October 10, prior to the One Young World (OYW) 2026 Summit to be held in Cape Town, the Republic of South Africa, student delegate from Okayama University attended the send-off event for the Japan delegation held in Tokyo. The participant from Okayama University was Ms. Putri Devica Afsari, a third-year student in the Global Discovery Program.
This year marks the 16th anniversary of the OYW Summit, and Okayama University has dispatched student delegates annually since the Bangkok Summit in 2015.

The send-off ceremony began with opening remarks by Mr. OKUBO Kimihito, President of One Young World Japan Committee, followed by a welcome address from Ms. Annelize Schroeder, Chargé d'Affaires a.i., Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in Japan. Referring to the history of friendship between South Africa and Japan, she reminded participants that they would be visiting South Africa not as tourists or observers, but as delegates to the One Young World Summit. She also encouraged them to "Bring South Africa with you" after the Summit.

Ms. KONDO Yuka, Trade Relationships Manager of South African Tourism, also gave an overview of Cape Town. In addition, ambassadors who had previously attended the Summit shared their experiences and delivered messages of encouragement to this year’s participants.
The event was followed by a networking session between OYW ambassadors who have participated in the summit in the past, current university students, and other young professionals who will attend the Cape Town summit.

The Cape Town Summit will be held from November 3 to 6. The Japan delegation, including Ms. Putri Devica Afsari, will participate in international sessions, workshops, and networking events, engaging in discussions based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The five key themes of this year’s summit are Agriculture and the Global Food Crisis, Intelligent Jobs, Gender-Based Violence and Safety, Future of Africa, Peace and Security.

○About One Young World (OYW)
Declared at the World Economic Forum in 2009 and first held in London in 2010, the One Young World Summit is one of the world’s largest international gatherings of young leaders aged approximately 18 to 35 from more than 190 countries. Participants collaborate under the guidance of global leaders to address pressing global challenges. The summit continues to expand as a worldwide initiative for developing next-generation leaders through collaboration among government, industry, and academia. Participants are designated as “OYW Ambassadors,” joining a global network of approximately 21,000 young leaders. Supporters include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, heads of state, government officials, leaders of Fortune 500 companies, and prominent figures from diverse sectors such as culture, sports, media, NGOs, entrepreneurship, and the arts.