John Baron MP hosts British Council Future Leaders Connect Forum

John at the Parliamentary Event

MP encourages young people to apply

Last week in Parliament John Baron MP, the Chairman of the British Council All-Party Parliamentary Group, hosted a networking session for 50 future leaders from 16 countries as part of the Future Leaders Connect Forum. The Forum is the British Council’s programme that aims to bring together the next generation of leaders from around the world – participants were selected from over 15,500 applicants worldwide. As well as meeting political and policy leaders in Westminster, they took part in a leadership programme to build their skills and links with the UK and one another.

John said,

“The British Council is one of the UK’s key soft power institutions. For over 80 years, it has worked to build links between the UK and people in other countries. In the past year alone, it has directly engaged with 80 million people in over 100 countries, with 100 million people in its English language programmes, and with 800 million people worldwide in some form or other.”

“As the Chairman of the British Council All-Party Parliamentary Group, I was pleased to take part in this year’s Future Leaders Connect Forum. It is a very effective scheme, providing an experience which will last for a lifetime – no doubt some of the participants will assume senior leadership roles in the future. I hope they will remember with fondness the opportunities the British Council offered them.”

“Meanwhile, I encourage young people in Basildon and Billericay to apply for next year’s programme.” [details below]

Sir Ciarán Devane, Chief Executive of the British Council, said,

“We aim to build a long-term, international community of leaders whose global visions and values will help address the world’s biggest challenges. Through Future Leaders Connect, emerging leaders will benefit from some of the UK’s best expertise and collaborate with counterparts from all over the world, on their respective journeys to making the world a better, safer and more prosperous place.”

Notes to Editors:

• The attached photograph shows John at the event in Parliament.

• Participants were selected from 15,500 applications worldwide, through a competitive process based on their vision for improving their country and the world through policymaking. The programme brought together 50 young leaders from Canada, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Tunisia, the USA and the four nations of the UK.

• Over the course of their visit to the UK they met influential global leaders and policy makers from the United Nations, Whitehall and UK Houses of Parliament.

• After the programme, delegates will be part of a connected global network of emerging policy leaders made up of 150 exceptional individuals aged 18-35 from around the world. Through this network they will build valuable connections, develop their policy making expertise, and gain the skills to have national and international impact.

• Young people across the UK are encouraged apply for next year’s Future Leaders Connect programme. Find out more here [https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/ideas-better-world].