When Cher and Jane Goodall speak, the world tends to listen. One Young World co-founders Kate Robertson and David Jones were delighted to feature these two impressive women alongside the BBC journalist. John Simpson and business tycoon and environmental advocate Brand Cowne at the One Young Young World Montreal Summit for “The Icons Panel: The Cause of Conservation, Why It Matters Now More Than Ever.”

“We are very excited to welcome back for the third time an Oscar-winning actress, one of the best-selling musicians in history, an icon of the LGBTQ+ community. She actually wrote and performed a song for One Young World. She is a dedicated elephant conservation activist,” Jones said in her introduction to Cher.

Cher’s efforts for elephants

Dear began his journey in 2016when she discovered Kaavan, a 37-year-old Asian elephant chained to a wall in a Pakistani zoo. She successfully had it transported to a sanctuary in Cambodia.

Comedian and actress “Lily Tomlin called me and asked if I would come to a city council meeting about this elephant,” Cher said. Tomlin was concerned about an elephant named Billy located in the Los Angeles Zoo. Cher said she would go.

Although the superstar said she was unable to save Billy, this led her to help Kaavan.

Cher is such an animal lover that she has stated that she does not believe in zoos holding animals in captivity. “Animals are so much like us that it’s like putting your grandmother in a cage and having someone throw peanuts at her,” Cher said. “It’s just not right. It’s not human.

“I have an idea for a virtual reality zoo and the kids coming in now, they won’t know the difference and won’t care. They could just have the experience of enjoying the animal and walking around it.

Cher added that in traditional zoos, “even though they love the animals, they’re not doing the right job.” They are not doing what is best for the animal. Animals simply don’t belong in cages.

Jane Goodall intervenes

Goodall was quick to point out that not all zoos are bad.

“Some animals can be much happier in a zoo than they actually are in the wild,” she noted.

She added: “No zoo should exhibit elephants. No aquarium should have dolphins and whales. And some zoos should not exist – they should be closed immediately.”

Goodall pleads for a united movement “so that we no longer have miserable, chained elephants – which, by the way, are all over India and in temples.” There is a lot of work to be done, but fortunately more and more people understand the need to save these animals. »

But the panel members all agreed that the work was significant – and urgent. Cher works with Free the Wild with Cowne. “The real thing about Free the Wild is that we’re not really anti-zoo. We are against the mistreatment or mistreatment of animals in captivity,” Cowne said.

Cowne highlighted an often overlooked but horrific reality of zoos in war zones like Ukraine and Gaza, where zoo animals are often left unattended when a crisis arises. “We worked to relocate abandoned animals,” Cowne said.

“We have transferred large numbers of lions, tigers and bears, some to South Africa, others to Jordan. It’s a tragedy. Everyone sees people as refugees, but so do animals.

Cher summed up her passion by sharing, “I believe we should all be together on the same level. If you can’t treat an animal well, the next step is not treating people well.

See the full interview here:

How Kate Robertson is continuing a young world’s global conversation

Discussions like the one with Cher, Goodall, Simpson and Cowne are just a small taste of the scale of what One Young World engages in on a daily basis. The organization and its army of budding changemakers are determined to make their mark on issues ranging from climate change to the peace process.

“Every young leader who attends our Summit leaves as an official One Young World Ambassador, with lifetime access to one of the most incredible networks in the world! One Young World published on its LinkedIn page. “For us and our community, the Summit’s closing ceremony marks the beginning of a bold new era in our fight to build a just and sustainable future for all!

Kate Robertson also cites One Young World leaders as “the most informed, educated, and connected generation in human history with the power to change anything and everything.”

Bringing together participants from 190 countries, the One Young World Montreal Summit has become a channel for people from all backgrounds to engage in a new narrative.

“Together we can always do more,” said Ambassador Yixuan Ma. CTV News Montreal. “I really want to be part of this global representation to tackle the most pressing problems together, hand in hand. There are many challenges at the local, national and global levels, and they are all interrelated.

Co-founder Jones revealed his satisfaction at hosting the summit in Montreal. “It’s an ideal place to hold the summit,” he told the Canadian media outlet. “It’s a city that fundamentally believes in sustainable development. It’s a city that places a high value on diversity and inclusion.