TRT World Forum announces youth event to tackle problems of future

ANKARA (AA) - The TRT World Forum on Saturday announced a special youth event, NEXT, designed to tackle major issues facing the global community.

The full-day, in-person event aims to bring together around 750 curious minds from Turkiye and other countries at the Zorlu Center complex in Istanbul on May 14.

As part of the event, pressing social, cultural, and technological issues that will have significant impact on the future will be addressed at panel discussions and keynote talks.

Climate change, space tourism, the evolution of technology, and sociopolitical unrest across the world will be discussed.

"NEXT aims to be a dynamic platform for young leaders, academics, activists, NGO (non-governmental organization) workers, entrepreneurs, and journalists to articulate their visions of the future and provide inspired solutions for a more inclusive world," said Mehmet Zahid Sobaci, the director-general of TRT.

"Young people bring fresh eyes to complex problems. We're excited to see what kinds of innovative solutions and strategies our attendees come up with when they're in a room with each other," he added.

NEXT will feature keynotes from a range of industry leaders and influencers, as well as workshops and side events focusing on specific issues like NFTs, the Metaverse, and the future of digital content creation.

The diverse range of speakers will include influencers Sana and Will Saleh, whose mission to dispel misconceptions about Islam has earned them an impressive 1.7 million followers on TikTok, world-renowned digital media expert and "futurist" Glen Gilmore, and Pakistani youth disability activist Tanzila Khan.

Also in attendance will be social impact leader Ece Ciftci, motivational speaker Jamira Burley, and Nisreen Elsaim, chair of the UN Secretary General's Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change.