Making the Most of a Virtual Conference: My Experiences at Y20 Saudi Arabia
Written by: Leah Davidson
Leah Davidson was a Delegate for the 2020 Y20 Summit taking place virtually from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia representing Canada. As a young Canadian social entrepreneur, with a great passion for education and sustainability, she focused her policy contributions on the priority area of Future Fit. Read the recommendations developed for G20 Leaders to embolden their commitment to youth.
With COVID-19, many experiences are online, but what is it like participating in a virtual international delegation? How do you derive the most value from interactions over video calls, Google Drive, and Slack channels?
One year ago, I was selected as one of three Canadian representatives at the virtual Y20 Summit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in October 2020. During the Y20 Summit, we negotiated on the future of work, youth empowerment, and global citizenship to produce a Y20 Communiqué that would advise the G20 deliberations later that year (white paper and COVID-19 statement). I led the negotiation on the future of work, leveraging my experience as the founder of Canduit, an ed-tech learning platform
Although it was a disappointment not to be able to visit Saudi Arabia in-person, here is my advice for making the most of a virtual conference:
Conduct research on the impacts of COVID-19
Back in March 2020, when our delegation was starting its research and advocacy work, COVID-19 hit Canada affecting many young people. We consequently decided to include a special section in our research to understand how the pandemic had affected the mental and physical well-being and financial security of those most vulnerable.
According to the Future Fit section of our survey of around 100 young Canadians from diverse backgrounds, 57.8% of youth advocated for more inclusive social protections for workers and 54.5% emphasized the importance of “upskilling” workers into increasingly technical fields. Some of the feedback directly reflected the new normal of the pandemic, with one youth expressing, “Allowing people to work from home and work flexible hours will accommodate people with appointments, childcare needs, and different body care needs.” It was helpful to understand diverse perspectives on the pandemic and learn more about this unique time period.
2. Experience the perks of a virtual cultural immersion
The organizers in Saudi Arabia still made an effort to provide us with a comprehensive cultural immersion. I attended a virtual tour, where they showed 3D models of historical buildings, and we also received a gift bag in the mail, where we were able to taste Bateel coffee, dates, and fig spread. Although we did not learn as much about Saudi Arabia’s politics, history or traditions as we most likely would have in-person, it was a unique opportunity to engage with a foreign host country and build friendships over Zoom.
Photo: Gift basket from the Y20 organizers from Saudi Arabia
3. Network and make new friends
Our Head Delegate, Sebastian Muermann, did an excellent job in scheduling informal Zoom calls with other delegations and the Prime Minister’s Youth Council, which allowed us to build strong relationships. The Y20 organizers also held a policy session for those interested in receiving training from experts and coffee chats on Saturday for further networking.
Photo: Lead Davidson (Communications Coordinator) meeting up with Sebastian Muermann (Head Delegate) in Montreal, Quebec, while respecting social distancing measures.
4. Develop new skills like communication and stakeholder engagement
Throughout the process, I learned a lot about developing more nuanced perspectives through inclusive consultations, striking the right of advocacy and collaboration in delegate negotiations, and concisely articulating my opinions in high-level conversations with leaders such as the Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Christopher MacLennan, Canada’s G20 Sherpa.
When negotiating, it is important to take into consideration other delegates’ viewpoints and cultures, while also bringing in evidence and examples to support your ideas. When advocating for increased support for work-integrated learning, I shared the effectiveness of Canada’s co-op model in fostering workforce readiness.
5. Share your voice
As the Communications Coordinator, I was in charge of blogging and sharing our experiences and learning through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I appeared on the Y20 talk show #WhatWouldYouSay, which has been viewed almost 400,000 times and was recorded live with sound effects and lighting - a very memorable opportunity!
The Y20 event in itself was interesting and made more accessible to youth globally via digital technology, involving exciting guests like the UN Secretary-General, the former Prime Minister of Italy, and the VP of the Asian Development Bank. Sebastian received the honour of interviewing José Manuel Barroso, Chairman of Goldman Sachs International, former President of the European Commission, and former Prime Minister of Portugal, for a session on "Empowered Youth - Tomorrow's Leaders.”
Photo The Y20 Talk show on Entrepreneurship.
Photo The Y20 Summit virtual conference setup
Although there are definite disadvantages to not travelling abroad and physically meeting together (fewer cultural experiences, less time for socializing, limited exposure to public speaking), you can be intentional to still build meaningful relationships virtually and go deeper into issues that matter through online tools.
For anyone considering a career in policy, I would highly recommend applying for one of Young Diplomats of Canada’s delegations and gaining first-hand exposure to what goes on behind-the-scenes in this youth-led event bringing together young leaders from across G20 countries to discuss and debate G20 Leaders’ agenda.