This year's conference will focus on innovation in the creative sectors, digital transformation, and climate action.

The World Bank Group's biggest annual event, the Youth Summit, will take place on May 19–20, 2025, and will include events and activities in the organization's headquarters in Washington, DC, as well as in other locations.

The Summit's objective is to:

Empower young people to explore innovative approaches to development challenges;
Equip youth with the necessary tools to create and engage in impactful projects; and
Encourage dialogue between youth, the World Bank Group, and other key global stakeholders.

Themes

The themes for the World Bank Group Youth Summit 2025 Pitch Competition are:

Pillar 1: Data-Driven Transformation

• Data Analytics & AI: Utilizing data analytics and artificial intelligence to develop data-driven policies and solutions in critical areas.
• Digital Health / Telemedicine: Expanding healthcare access to underserved and remote populations through digital health platforms and telemedicine.
• Financial Inclusion and Fintech: Implementing fintech innovations like microlending, mobile banking, and blockchain to close the financial gap and alleviate poverty.
• Cybersecurity and Privacy: Ensuring strong cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information and maintain privacy in a connected world.

Pillar 2: Climate Action & Resilience

• Climate Data, IoT, and Data-Driven Disaster Risk Reduction: Using climate data and IoT-enabled smart devices to monitor pollution, track energy use, and manage environmental resources, while supporting disaster risk reduction.
• Digital Agriculture and Methane Mitigation for Climate Resilience: Applying digital agriculture technologies and methane mitigation strategies to improve agricultural resilience and sustainability.
• Geothermal Innovations for Sustainable Energy: Utilizing geothermal technology as a low-emission solution for district heating, cooling, and power generation.
• Enabling Carbon Markets through Data-Driven Approaches: Creating robust carbon markets using data-driven strategies to fund climate action, particularly in developing regions.
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) for Sustainable Mobility: Promoting the use of electric vehicles to reduce emissions in the transportation sector.

Pillar 3: Empowering Change through Creative Industries

• Digital Art for Good: Exploring the use of digital platforms to create and share content that promotes positive social change, raises awareness on important issues, educates, encourages action, and contributes to a better world, focusing on areas like environmental sustainability, human rights, health, education, and social justice.
• Sustainable and Inclusive Fashion: Engaging with fashion in ways that consider the environmental and human impacts of the industry, or that cater to all body types, genders, and cultures, challenging norms and promoting inclusivity.
• Art for Social Change: Using creative expression to drive societal transformation, with art projects fostering social cohesion, inclusion, civic engagement, and voice.
• Media for Inclusive Societies: Recognizing the crucial role of media in shaping public opinion, influencing policy decisions, and promoting social cohesion in an interconnected world.

Don't miss out on the application deadline which is  26 January 2025.