COVID-19 prevented the annual event from taking place at the City Football Academy, but the Club were still able to bring together 250 Young Leaders from 23 cities around the world for a week of digitally delivered training sessions with City in the Community coaches.
Supported by Cisco, the Club’s Official Technology Partner, the digital Summit used Webex to enable all Young Leaders to connect remotely, participate in valuable discussions, and engage in fun collaboration.
DONATE NOW | Cityzens Giving for Recovery
Participants also got to hear from inspirational speakers from the world of sport, including Micah Richards, Karen Bardsley, Britain’s most successful Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, Wimbledon tennis champion Marion Bartoli and sport and television presenter Seema Jaswal.
PUMA Ambassador Tommie Smith, the Olympian famous for his Black Power salute protesting racial injustice in the United States at the 1968 Olympics award ceremony, also joined the panel of guests.
It was a new experience for all, but Soriano commended the efforts of the Young Leaders, City in the Community coaches and guest speakers.
“Throughout this pandemic we have all had to think differently about how we engage and interact with each other, and I am delighted that we were able to bring our Young Leaders together digitally,” he said.
“The Summit provides important opportunities for our Young Leaders to continue developing their skills, as well as the chance to reflect on the amazing work they are doing in their communities and learn from one another.
“Alongside the expertise of our City in the Community coaches, this year we also had the privilege of welcoming exciting guest speakers to the week’s events to talk about their experiences.
“We are proud to have been able to facilitate these insightful conversations and provide a platform for participants to hear these stories first-hand.
“We look forward to seeing our Young Leaders apply what they have learned and continue empowering their communities, supporting them as they begin to recover from the pandemic and beyond.”
