WINTER | REVIEW
“We have 250 performers
and 700 people backstage,
including the flag bearers.
It’s a huge operation”
make it my own and bring together
the UK’s talent.”
Private Drama also worked with
talent from the event industry,
including White Light, the Albert
Hall’s internal supplier, the venue
technical team, and their own
lighting designer within a ‘very
challenging’ budget. Meanwhile,
Studio Giggle was contracted to
create content for the One Young
World 2019 opening ceremony’s
distinctive heliosphere screen.
MCI’s role
After Private Drama bought the
curtain down on a blockbuster
opening ceremony One Young World’s
events agency partner, MCI UK
and MCI The Netherlands provided
full event management services,
including the instrumental role of
volunteer management.
During the week, MCI ran several
stages including BP’s Advancing
Energy and Jaguar-Landrover’s I-Pace
Stages. MCI’s event professionals
were joined by a group of keen
student volunteers from UWC
Atlantic College in Wales.
The students were encouraged
to volunteer at One Young World
because Atlantic College shares many
of the same values: it was designed to
promote international understanding
through education, to break down
national barriers in education, and
to make education a force to unite
people, nations and cultures for peace
22
and a sustainable future.
Every year the Summit recruits
volunteers from the host country to
assist with the operations of running
the event. For the 2019 Summit, 80%
of volunteers came from London
whilst the remainder travelled
from other regions in the UK and
internationally.
Volunteers supported the Summit
at every given touchpoint of the
delegate’s journey from their rousing
volunteer welcome upon arrival in
the UK to hotel check-in. Donning
hoodies in One Young World’s
trademark blue, volunteers played
a crucial part in the Summit and
became recognisable points of contact
for delegates, providing key events
information, local city knowledge and
most importantly a friendly face.
For some delegates attending One
Young World’s Summit was their first
experience of travelling abroad or
visiting London. Each volunteer’s job
was to ensure that every delegate felt
Suppliers list:
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Private Drama
White Light
Studio Giggle
MCI UK and
MCI The
Netherlands
provided
full event
management
services,
including the
instrumental
role of
volunteer
management.
welcome and comfortable in the city,
empowering delegates to make real
change in the world.
Volunteers supported the Summit
in many roles including VIP hosts,
accessibility champions, stage
assistants, directional support at
venues, registration helpers, opening
ceremony flag team assistants,
press support, news writers and
photographers.
James Hampton, One Young World
volunteer management lead said: “It’s
been incredibly rewarding for MCI to
manage the entire volunteer piece at
One Young World, from application
selection through to meeting each
volunteer in person and working
alongside them onsite. We took heart
hearing each applicant’s motivations
for volunteering and their personal
stories. The 10th One Young World
Summit would not have been possible
without the 300+ volunteers who
dedicated their time, energy and
enthusiasm to this remarkable event.”