(Part 2) International Forum on Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Good afternoon and welcome back to this session for you session for micro small and medium sized enterprises in our MSME day.
It is really an absolute honor to be here as a moderator.
We have different moderators.
Let's say I will not do it alone.
I will do with Chef Alves and with Linda Angloo here.
The goal is, let's say, to First to clarify why we're doing it.
Why are we doing this use session.
I think you heard it before that you are creating the future.
You are creating it in a hopefully special way and even fulfilling your dreams and in one hand even to give you a voice to express yourself.
I think that's important, let's say for the future.
Let's say it's not only not only the future I think I saw some different speeches, really fantastic ideas, but you even have some actions.
I think it's not only to speak, even to show your action, and we're doing in a way that, let's say for the first session, we have five waves.
First, we have a European US session from 3:00 P.M.
To 420 and the Korea sessions.
So it's clear for you and every session we have five waves.
There will be five view speakers here on the stage, with the two moderator.
Hopefully that from an organizational perspective, it is clear for you.
What is even quietly interesting for us to see how you have, let's say, the perspective your perspective for the future.
We have our perspective, but it will be the whole goal today is to see your perspective.
I think in this way, organizational wise, we have all like to go through the first wave and set our Patrick Pape, Florea Termo please come on stage, Lucy Liu, Valentin Retas and Al-Sharif.
Please come here, take a seat.
So while you're all sitting down, it occurred to me as Rico was making the introduction that as moderators, we're here to hear what we don't know and how you're going to change the world because we screwed it up.
So I'm really, really looking forward to it.
Okay.
We start with Patrick.
The floor is used.
Good morning.
I'm sorry.
Good afternoon.
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Patrick Pape and thank you for having me today.
This is such an honor and a special thank you to doctor Dereubishi for encouraging me to be a part of today.
My perspective on AI and MSMEs is shaped by being an ACE triple degree scholar at the George Washington University, Luis Guido Carly in Rome, and Rymon University of China, as well as helping to grow my family small business in Jackson, Wyoming.
It is without question that AI is leveling the playing field and allowing MSMEs to punch well above their weight in terms of access to knowledge of the founders core competencies without needing to invest excessive time, money, and energy into formal education, training, or hirings.
Take, for example, my family company, Kina Good.
My parents know the ins and outs of finance, law, and business through their backgrounds, but they didn't grow up with social media or taught the back end of running a social media campaign.
With AI, we were able to better understand how to implement modern business practices like social media, SEO, AEO, and others, tailored in a digestible way for us.
At a near negligible cost.
Large multinationals have always had the resources to adapt quickly, MSMEs haven't until now.
But speaking as a recent college graduate, that is also concerning for two reasons.
First, AI is eliminating and slowing the need for many entry level jobs, jobs many of my peers have spent years preparing to enter the workforce for.
Second, it has the potential to erode the greatest strength of any MSME, and one of the few things AI cannot do or maintain.
Create an authentic story or maintain internal culture.
How do we bridge the gap between AI and human centered entrepreneurship? My vision is to look toward the past and how previous social issues were solved.
Environmental impact and fair labor standards were addressed through transparent certification and reporting, such as ESG and Fair Trade.
I believe a standard report or certification is coming for AI as well, one that will be driven by consumer demand to show how businesses are prioritizing people rather than replacing them.
This is something MSMEs can use to differentiate themselves against each other and larger firms, one that rewards businesses using it to grow, not to cut, to strengthen their stories, not to replace.
Thank you so much for your time.
Thank you, Patrick.
Our next speaker is Florea Zermo from the University of Bar Aaldo Mora, and I would remind speakers that you have a two minute time limit.
Good afternoon, everybody.
I'm Floria Zermo and I'm a student of International economics at the University of Bali Al demo in the south of Italy, Pula.
Let me just say that I'm sincerely honored to be here at the International Council of Small Businesses in the UN headquarters.
Above all, I'm honored to share with you our experience with the Green Connect Project.
Green Connect is a project whose driving force is the concept of sustainability.
The idea that it has to come more and more necessary to rethink alternative ways to act sustainably.
Especially as we said this morning, if we want to move towards a different model of production, focus on the well being of the planet and of those that live on it.
In this regard for our work, it was particularly meaningful to look at the etymology of the world economy, which for the ancient Greek meant the cure and taking care of one's home.
So the deeper meaning of this word helped us to open our eyes on how much we have neglected the serious impact that the current mode of production has had on the planet in the past 60 years.
However, as we said previously in this Congress, one question, while big question still remains unanswered.
What is truly necessary to shift entrepreneurship towards a sustainable pace and to make it truly human centered? So taking our steps from this question, we explored alternative solution through Ursu Innovation Lab that took place in our university.
This project gave us the tool of design thinking, which was used by us students to work on the regeneration of green areas in our campus.
After months of working after really questioning how could each individual benefit from the usage of these green areas, we had an open class in March.
Where every student presented its project his idea on how to use these green areas, and a very significant result was the creation of a vegetable garden that it's today available and is accessible to all the community of the city and the people that live our campus every day.
Um, this vegetable garden also represents symbolically our vision for the future usage of these areas.
So how to act sustainable is not just taking a box of, um, future aims, but acting every day and shaping our everyday life to change and shift towards a more ethical and sustainable production.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Florena for speech and about clean context.
Thank you.
Great.
This next speaker is Lucy Lu Duke University.
Hi, everyone.
My name is Lucy Liu and I'm the Executive Director of Inspiry Girl, which is a youth led organization on a mission to close the gender gap in tech.
Now, today, I want to start by telling you about a time where 100 straighters decide to trust us.
A couple of weeks ago, our volunteers showed up at a local stunt fair with nothing but a laptop.
In a few hours, they walked away with 100 emails from students, from parents, and most importantly, from teachers who were ready to vouch for us to entire classrooms.
Arguably, a major corporation could spend thousands of dollars on ads to get what we got for free.
Now, this highlights a profound truth because right now, technology makes it so that any aspiring entrepreneur can reach across the globe from their very own bedroom.
But because that same technology makes automation so effortless, everyone can do the same.
Anyone can use AI to create a website.
Anyone can use AI to create a marketing campaign just like this.
But what AI and technology cannot automate, however, is the warmth of human connection.
AI cannot sit in front of you the way I am right now and make you feel.
Big brands try to buy trust through targeted ads, but MSMEs earn it by getting closer to the communities they serve.
Small businesses don't have to guess what their audience needs because they're already part of it.
In today's era of institutional distrust, being small, agile, and human is an enormous competitive advantage.
The future of entrepreneurship rewards those who out care their competition, not just those who automate them.
As leaders, I challenge everyone in this room to actively champion the human backbone of small businesses because at the end of the day, we will always use technology to open new doors.
But it requires nothing less than humanity to keep those doors open.
Thank you so much, everyone.
Thank you, Lucy, for your passion and your message.
Our next speaker is Valentin Dretas from I'm going to screw this up, Poleno Milano.
Hello.
Thank you very much.
Good afternoon.
My name is Valentin Dretas and I'm from Frankfurt, Germany.
I would like to thank Professor Balder and the whole ICSB for this unique opportunity to participate and share my thoughts here on MSME Days 2026 on the challenge for a young entrepreneur to be ready as a successor.
Every young entrepreneur who steps into a leadership role, whether building from scratch, scaling a company, or taking over the existing business is a successor, not necessarily to a person, but to a market, an industry, a generation of builders who came before.
That is a different pressure than it sounds.
The challenge is not the handover.
The challenge is what comes with it.
Leading something you didn't fully create toward a future nobody has met for people who didn't automatically choose you.
That requires two things that are genuinely difficult to hold at once, adaptability, the ability to see what is changing before it becomes obvious.
To question assumptions, they made a business successful and may now be quietly holding it back and humility.
The recognition that experience you don't yet have is not a weakness to hide.
It is a gap to close and the fastest way to close it is genuine dialogue with those who have it.
This is where intergenerational cooperations stops being a culture value and becomes a business strategy.
Not only in family business and every startup, every MSME, every institution trying to stay relevant, the generation building today holds knowledge about markets, technology, and customer realities that move too fast to wait.
The generation that built before holds judgment, relationships, and pattern recognition that cannot be shortcut, neither is sufficient alone.
A successor who receives authority inherits a position, a successor who earns genuine dialogue inherits a future worth shaping.
To every entrepreneur, leader, and young ambitious person in this room, that conversation should not begin at the handover.
It should already be happening.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Valentin.
Great.
Thank you.
Next speaker, Alina Sharifi.
Flora Hues.
Hello, everyone.
My name is Alina and from our people from Korea, Abun Tony Ana Mida.
Today, I want to talk about a topic that I found the most significant throughout all my experiences, an individual's impact.
When people think about impact, they usually think about the topmost examples possible.
The people who changed history, the billionaires, the politicians, the kid I saw on the news the other day graduating with a doctor at 12-years-old.
Honestly, that's all amazing.
Yet, somewhere along the way, I think society has made ordinary people feel that if they do not do something extraordinary immediately, their impact somehow doesn't matter.
You hear it all the time.
I don't follow politics.
It's just one vote, just one opinion.
It's just the coffee.
People convince themselves that because their contribution seems so small, there's no point in trying at all.
As a young undergraduate student, I felt that way too sometimes.
You walk into rooms full of people with decades of experience while you're just still trying to figure out what you even want to do with your life.
Somehow, society makes it feel that by 2021, you should have a startup, a nonprofit, an Olympic gold medal, and apparently a doctorate degree.
But I don't think impact works like that.
Some people may notice the hijab around my head, the color of my skin, the fact that I'm a woman.
But the people, places, and communities I've invested in, made an impact in remember me as Alena.
And that matters because real impact is usually not allowed at first.
Most change starts quietly with individuals, and that's why this matters when we talk about entrepreneurship in MSMEs.
Behind every small business is an individual who decided that their idea, their community, and their voice mattered enough to act.
The world changes when individuals put their minds together to create something bigger than themselves.
Not because they're the most powerful people in the room, but because they decided their voice mattered enough to use it anyways, and that's an individual's impact.
Thank you.
Okay.
Thank you to all the speakers.
It's time to do a speaker shuffle.
So if you folks will step down.
The next group, Tiara, Carlo, Atara, Martina, and Ari will please come up Valentin? No.
No.
Later on.
Yeah.
All right.
We have our second wave of speakers.
Challenges on the floor.
Can you match the passion and commitment that we've heard from the first group? First up is Chiara from I'm going to say it again from Milano.
Chiara? Distinguished moderators, delegates and colleagues.
I am Cara Paduca a student of Strategic Management at Polytechnic Milano Graduate School of Management.
It's an honor to be here today speaking about the future of entrepreneurship and MSMEs.
We often think of this future as AI native, the future also belongs to the SMEs that already exist today and are resilient enough to adapt and remain relevant tomorrow.
Over the past decade, digitalization has transformed how MSMEs work, but did not deliver the efficiency promised.
I've seen this firsthand when I worked in a startup whose mission is precisely to bridge this gap in Italian SMEs.
Often, tools were built around the business, not the people running it, favoring enterprises that already had capital and skills.
The rest were left behind, not because they resisted innovation, but because innovation wasn't built for them.
I believe AI can finally close this gap because the technology itself is no longer the obstacle it once was.
It can adapt to a business existing operational processes effectively supporting the work of people and amplifying their judgment.
Even micro enterprises will then have the opportunity to achieve the same level of technological efficiencies as large corporations without the complexity and cost it once required.
This will give owners more time to focus on the business strategy and customer relationships without being held back by unnecessary technical complexity.
The real opportunity of this AI era is that MSMEs can finally leverage it to enhance their rigidity and human touch, which are exactly what continue to give them competitive advantage.
Thank you.
Thank you, Kiara.
The next speaker is Carlo Catano Universe Di Divi Aldamoro Prego.
Greetings to everyone.
I'm very excited to be here.
First of all, I want to thank the ECSB team for this opportunity.
I am Carlo Castano and I am a student of the Marketing and Business Communication and I'm a member of the Innovation Lab Association.
Today, I want to share a vision for entrepreneurship, one that bridges youth innovation with the residents of mico small and medium enterprises worldwide.
My perspective shifted completely through a innovation lab based at the University of Balin.
Also is an open innovation platform connecting students with local ecosystems to co design solution for the award sustain BT challenges, recognized by the International Conc for Small Businesses with the Global Entrepreneurship Education Excellence Award, Al proves that the next generation is the immediate IG research and development department that small businesses urgently need.
These enterprises face a double challenge, rapid digital transformation and complex ESG adaptation, while they don't usually have the resources to innovate.
At ASU we have tackled over 35 corporate challenges with more than 50 partners, ranging from public bodies to local agri food leaders like LaBella.
Using the same thinking, we inject the LT small businesses need to people.
Through our Green Connect project, we validate secular economy prototypes directly applicable to local value chains.
Journey taught us that making Macro small and medium enterprises stronger requires a new definition of sustainability, not a marketing label, but an individual capability to manage complexity.
We train young leaders by integrating cognitive behavioral and reflective abilities into entrepreneurial action.
Human centered entrepreneurship means empowering youth to strengthen small businesses.
By bringing fresh frameworks and purpose into them, the next generation can help them thrive.
Let's build these bridges worldwide.
Thank you.
Thank you, Carlos.
Our next speaker is Atara Plenas from George Washington University, wherever that is.
Imagine a net stretched out infinitely into the universe.
At each intersection of this net is a shining glimmering jewel.
When you peer individually closely at a singular jewel, you can see the infinite reflection of all the jewels in this net.
This metaphor of Indra's net from Buddhist and Hindu philosophy reminds us that no one lives in isolation, and in our own glow and in our own light, we see the reflection of all those around us.
For every person daring to dream beyond, they are like a jewel in this net and every entrepreneurs success has the ability to not only reflect but ripple outward.
And this is why micro small and medium sized enterprises matter.
As a student of international affairs and public health, I believe in the power of enterprises, and I also believe in the power of entrepreneurship led by women.
For millions of women across the world, the barrier to entrepreneurship is not talent, it's not grit, it's access.
The barrier is access to capital, to markets, to networks, it's access to doors with unforeseen locks, it's access to tables where seats aren't even offered.
If we truly aspire to uplift MSMEs, then we must uplift our women.
First, we must expand access to micro loans and flexible financing options.
Second, we must strengthen networks and mentorships, not only just to help combat social stigma, but also to help combat impostor syndrome and provide more guidance and training.
And lastly, we must actively work and invest in areas that disproportionately affect women and have historically been overlooked.
For instance, investing in a sanitary product business would not only help bolster local employment, but it would also help combat a larger public health issue of period poverty.
I say that the future of MSMEs will not just depend on the greatest technologies and emerging markets.
In truth, it'll depend on who has the opportunity to participate in them.
Just like in IndrasNt, a single jewel has the power to expand and glow to those around it.
In a very similar strain, I believe that every entrepreneur success has the ability to illuminate those around it.
Empowering MSMEs is not just about innovation, it's about inclusion, and it starts with women.
Thank you.
Thank.
Thank you, Atara.
Great speech.
Thank you.
Our next speaker is Martina Gala from Universal Tipi.
Greetings, everyone.
I am Martina Gallemari, a business economics student at the University of Bali, Italy.
It is an honor for me to be here and bring our vision to you.
We often talk about the future of work as a distant destination, but at the Sue Innovation Lab, we learned that the future is now and not something to wait for.
As students, we are not just learners.
We are a vital force for the micro, small and medium enterprises.
It is our responsibility to co create a sustainable future today.
In an ambiguous word, sustainability cannot be a simple ESG checkbox.
It must be an individual capability that builds business resilience, shifting from profit at all costs to long term community value without losing economic viability.
To achieve this, we apply design thinking.
This human centered approach requires us to suspense judgment and deeply understand human needs.
Uniting us for open innovation.
A powerful example is our Green Connect project.
Following the design thinking, we conducted over 200 interviews with students, citizens, and stakeholders.
Through this research, we are transforming physical areas into living platforms from human connection.
Our recent transition into an APS, a social Promotion association marks our commitment to making ORs a permanent autonomous platform for social innovation.
We are proving that a university ecosystem can drive regional development, bridging the local with the global.
Today, I advocate for a worldwide network of living labs within universities.
Let us treat our campuses as the heartbeat of economies, empowering the next generation to be the architects of a human centered future.
The next generation is ready.
Are you ready to co design the future of MSMEs with us? Thank you for your attention.
Push the button.
Thank you very much.
Excellent points.
Our next speaker is Ari Rosemarin.
Hello, everyone.
My name is Ori Rosemarin and I'm a rising sophomore at the George Washington University.
As a university student, I'm often asked where I see myself in the next ten years.
What is this end result that my studies are building towards? Because of new technological innovations rapidly changing the workforce, there's no longer a sustainable answer to that question.
Today, it is hard to find an industry that doesn't face a threat of complete reformation or even collapse due to rising technologies.
To claim a dream job is to risk seeing a headline stating said job is now computer automated.
If a secure workforce is now a thing of the past, I've found that the only sustainable option left is to invest in yourself.
Last semester, I took a class in entrepreneurship with Professor Amman Tebisi.
There were no traditional tests.
I didn't spend my time rewriting terms on whiteboards or making flashcards.
Instead, through presentations, projects, and after class conversations, doctor Tubishi granted me the confidence to invest in myself and my ideas.
We spent time reading articles on past successes and failures in startups.
He introduced me to opportunities within my school and my city.
He listened to my ideas and inspired me to take advantage of the rising turbulence in AI technology shaking the workforce.
I learned that in a time where unprecedented is almost promised, your ideas paired with someone to listen to them, might be all you have.
Today, the pursuit of higher education cannot just be the attainment of a diploma.
Instead, my walk across the stage at graduation must be the result of four years of innovation, projects developed, small ideas expanded to fruition.
If I spend my next three years as an undergraduate in the business school working on nothing but my GPA, I will have failed.
Classes like doctor Tubishi's and conventions like the one we attend today are more crucial than ever in supporting a new generation of innovators.
The next generation must be allotted the opportunity to let their visions be heard, supported, and achieved.
Today, in the pursuit of higher education, students like myself are looking less for a diploma and more for a group of people they can say supported them.
In looking for that group, I have found myself in this room.
Where no one has a definitive answer to what the workforce will look like tomorrow, students must be taught how to use innovations to their advantage, how to see news headlines about tomorrow's conditions and make something of them.
Community that supports growth is more important than ever and it starts with campaigns like the one we're a part of today.
I'm incredibly grateful to be here today to show my support for an initiative that gives students like me an answer to the question, where would you like to be in ten years? Thank you.
Oh.
Okay, thank you very much, Ari.
It's time for another shuffle, and we're bringing up a new reviewer, Judge, Linda.
I hope somebody's taking notes.
Actually, this is being recorded, so we're going to be able to collect some great ideas, I think.
Okay.
We're missing.
Who are we missing? Jad Ariana.
Here we go.
Angela and Kush.
Do you want to introduce Chad? What we're doing is we're alternating.
Okay.
Okay.
We'll first start with Uh huh.
Let's try this again.
We'll first start with Jad Austa from George Washington University.
There's a door we all go through before we take our first steps and yes, even before we speak our first words, a hospital door.
We on one side, a family sits and waits eager to hear their baby's first cries and to feel their first breath.
And on the other side, a new life is born.
At that very moment, something else is decided too, which doors will be open to us and which ones we'll spend our lifetimes knocking on.
Some of us leave the hospital and step into hallways already lined up with opportunities, doors labeled stability, education, and safety, while others step into something far, far too different.
Walls instead of hallways and locked doors instead of open ones, and understanding that nothing will come easy to them.
They'll have to find their own way through or build a path forward.
My name is Jad Asta, a rising freshman at the George Washington University School of Business and the Elliott School of International Affairs.
And in my eyes, that is where entrepreneurship begins.
The moment someone stares at a locked door and refuses to turn away.
The moment someone realizes a problem, a problem of the next generation and refuses to let it be, and the moment that we turn that refusal into action.
But for the first time in history, the shape of these doors is shifting, where a young person with nothing but a phone and an idea can build something, create something that stretches across cities and economies and continents that were once thought to be unreachable.
Because AI is no longer a concept reserved solely for large corporations or institutions or elite individuals.
No.
And for the next generation, this changes everything.
It means that a young entrepreneur in a small town can compete on a global scale.
It means that innovation is no longer confined by borders or by class or by any demographic, but available to millions of young minds across the globe.
And so when we return to that hospital door, to the moment that changes everything, we should ask ourselves a different question.
Not which doors will be open to us, but what we'll do when we encounter the ones that are not.
And with the tools that we now have, with the power of AI and the hunger of this next generation, we can build new doors entirely, ones that didn't exist before and ones that others will step through after us.
This is the promise of entrepreneurship.
Thank you.
Thank you, Jad, for your eloquent talk.
Our next speaker is Ariana Zamboni from Milano.
Good afternoon, distinguished guests and fellow innovators.
My name is Ariana Zamboni I'm master's candidate in strategic management at Politecnico D Milano.
I stand here today representing a generation that believes entrepreneurship must be first and foremost, event centered.
In our rapidly evolving AI driven economy, the defining question for our decade is not whether technology arrives, but whom it serves.
Drawing from my previous experience as a project manager ahead of finance at the Active Snicat I supervised the development of a startup project called Walk Me Home and a high powered safety hub designed to improve human security.
Our value proposition was placing the user at the very heart of the design process.
We realized that for technology to be truly effective in a social context, it must be grounded in empathy.
Our journey was also a testament to the power of diversity led by an all female board.
Our strategic positioning was refined through KPMG executive Mentorship and recognized by the European Investment Bank in Empowering Women Challenge 2025.
These experiences taught us that the future of micro and small enterprises lies in enablement and empowerment, ensuring that youth and women innovators lead the AI economy rather than being displaced by it.
My goal today is to demonstrate that AI should not be used to automate processes.
Instead, it must be designed to empathize with the real needs of the community.
Let us build a future where technology serves the person and where innovation starts with the human heart.
Thank you.
Next Next, we have Angela Abla from Phillips Exeter Academy.
Good afternoon.
My name is Angela Abulla, a rising freshman from Phillips Exeter Academy, and it is an honor to be sitting here today.
Somewhere in the world right now, a young person has an idea that can improve the lives of millions of people.
But the question is whether they will have the opportunity in order to bring that idea to life.
I know this frustration firsthand.
I remember when I wanted to create an app to help students study more effectively because I couldn't find one that worked for me.
But through this, I realized that even a simple idea like that requires resources, guidance, and access to tools in order to bring it to life.
This is not an isolated problem, but it's a global loss of potential.
Studies show that nearly 70% of teenagers have a business idea but never pursue it because they don't know where to start.
Many also cite a lack of mentorship and resources.
What this tells us is not a lack of creativity, but a lack of access.
When I say access, I mean access to funding, support, and the ability to reach global markets.
When a young person gives up on an idea, we're losing answers to poverty.
Climate change, and even inequality.
The problem isn't that the youth lack the drive, but it's that the system isn't built to catch us when we leap.
But we have the opportunity to start now.
To change this, we first must expand access to mentorship by creating global networks that connect experienced professionals with young innovators.
Second, we must encourage people to believe that their ideas matter.
Confidence and support can be the difference between an idea being forgotten and an innovation that changes lives.
By creating opportunities and encouraging young entrepreneurs, we are not only investing in people, but also the future of the world.
Thank you for your time.
Sorry.
Thank you, Angela.
A very relevant message.
Our next speaker is Kushi Thakkar from George Washington University.
So before entrepreneurship was ever a word that I learned in a classroom, it was something that I watched in my own home.
My parents immigrated here from India in search of a better life, and when my mom Bruce came here, she barely knew English.
But as she watched TV with me and my sister, she found herself used it to teach herself the language.
Eventually, she began working at a salon and over time, she had dreams of owning one herself.
I remember my dad believed in her and encouraged her to take that leap before she believed in herself.
Because starting a business meant longer hours and less time at home.
However, my entire family adjusted around it.
Me and my sisters would hand out flyers over the weekend.
My family friends offered to take care of us, and my dad took over morning duty as my mom would rush to work.
This was my first introduction to entrepreneurship.
I realized it wasn't glamorous or independent, but rather required sacrifice and uncertainty and a whole community helping turn something that was just an idea into reality.
Later, when my dad left his corporate job to start his own business, it was my mom encouraging him and watching them taught me that behind every entrepreneur is a support system that most people do not see.
And for the longest time, entrepreneurship felt way too intimidating to me.
But during college, I made my own connection with it.
As a computer science major, I knew I loved building things, but I often found myself wondering, why am I building this or who is this really helping? That changed when I joined my university's new venture competition.
For the first time, technology became more than just lines of code.
It became asking better questions, having conversations, and truly taking the time to understand someone's problem and thinking, Hey, maybe I can build a solution that can actually help.
And that's when I realized that the lesson that my parents taught me applied here too, that no meaningful business starts with just one person.
It starts with people, people who support you, people who trust you, and people whose problems that you are trying to solve.
In a world where it's easier than ever to build an app or launch a product, the question is not just what can we create.
The question is, who are we creating it for and do we understand them enough to actually help? Because tools can make us faster, but it can't replace empathy.
It can't replace a lived experience, and it can't replace a type of listening that turns an idea into something meaningful.
And that is the type of entrepreneurship that I believe in.
Building with people and not just for them.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
I'm thinking here as an old person that I should listen to the young people.
There's some pretty valuable lessons being shared.
We're ready to do another switch? Yes.
We have Meringue Sargent, Laredo Sergeant, Tessa Aguin, Tiffany Aguin, and Bussy Arisi.
All right.
We'll start with Maring Maring from George Mason University.
Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for the opportunity to be here.
My name is Marin Sargent and I'm a rising junior at George Mason University where I study finance and business.
As a young person thinking about the future of entrepreneurship, I believe my generation sees micro, small and medium sized enterprises a little differently.
When we think about MSMEs, we do not only think about businesses defined by size.
We think about businesses with proximity, proximity to their customers, their communities, and the specific problems they are trying to solve.
That matters because many markets are moving away from one size fits all solutions and towards products, services, and experiences built for specific needs.
In that future, MSME should not have to become smaller versions of large corporations because their strength is often in understanding people and problems more directly.
But proximity alone is not enough.
A business can understand a need clearly and still lack the technical, financial, or operational capacity to solve it at scale.
And that is exactly why artificial intelligence matters.
Not because AI is the solution itself, not because it replaces people, but because it can make knowledge and expertise easier to reach.
Meaning it can help entrepreneurs test ideas sooner, automate routine work, analyze costs, improve operations, and make better decisions with fewer resources.
And I've experienced this myself.
A few years ago, many of the projects I wanted to build fell out of reach.
Today, however, I have used AI to learn software development, build trading systems, explore blockchain technology, and create tools designed to solve real business problems.
AI did not make me an expert overnight.
All it did was give me a starting point.
It helped me move from curiosity to action faster than I could have alone, and that is the opportunity for MSMEs.
AI should not simply help AI should not simply help smaller enterprises imitate larger ones.
It should help them compete where they are strongest by understanding people, more specifically, moving and operating with greater agility and solving problems closer to home.
Because the next great innovation should not have to come from the institution furthest from the problem simply because they have the most resources.
It should be able to come from the person closest to the problem with the right tools to solve it.
Thank you.
More food for thought.
Our next speaker is Loretto Sergeant from George Mason.
Good afternoon, distinguished delegates, colleagues and fellow innovators.
My name is Loretto Sargent and I'm a senior marketing professional specializing in digital media.
Throughout my career in fashion startups, I've watched consumer behavior change dramatically.
Every day consumers are faced with thousands of trends, recommendations, and influences.
A style can go viral overnight, but behind every purchase, a person is asking a deeper question.
Does this represent me? Young consumers are balancing identity, sustainability, affordability, and self expression all at the same time.
They want products that align with their values, not just the latest trend.
This creates both a challenge and opportunity for entrepreneurs.
In the fashion industry, we used AI to identify emerging trends and get ahead of demand.
But what fascinated me most about the data was that it revealed something deeper than purchasing behavior, but rather changing priorities.
Um, because consumers were not looking for more products, but instead products that reflected their lifestyles, beliefs, and aspirations.
As we look to the future of entrepreneurship, the question is not whether AI will shape our businesses as it already is, it is how we choose to use it.
I believe AI's greatest value is in empowering people.
For MSMEs, it has the potential to level the playing field by making powerful tools and insights accessible to businesses of all sizes.
If we use AI responsibly, entrepreneurs can solve problems more efficiently, build stronger businesses, and focus on what matters most relationships, communities, and human creativity.
Because while technology may drive progress, it is people who give that progress purpose.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Next, we have Tessa Aguin from Springfield I'm sorry, from Springbok High School.
Tessa.
Good afternoon, leaders.
My name is Tessa Aguin and I'm an international baccalaureate student at Springbrook High School and I'm honored to be here with you.
Today, we are here to recognize the position the youth of today are in.
The future lies in the hands of those willing to wield it.
Young people around the world are already making changes, such as starting their own clubs, building their own businesses, and embracing the benefits of technology.
A great example of this is Desia Taylor.
Desiah Taylor is a 17-year-old who invented a color changing surgical suture thread that detects infections and wounds.
She made it for developing countries with high surgical complication rates.
Another great example is Greta Thunberg.
Greta Thunberg started a school strike for climate action outside the Swedish Parliament that later evolved into a global movement.
She has even addressed the United Nations and become one of the most recognizable voices in modern environmental activism.
However, talent and creativity alone are not enough.
We need to be granted the resources, support, and the opportunity to create an impact.
Youth empowerment means being able to provide and support the youth every step of the way in order to help them succeed.
It means making sure every young person is given the same opportunity to succeed, no matter their race or identity.
In this new interconnected world we are living in, it is always good to have a new and fresh perspective on things which the youth provide.
Our outlook on life is different from those who are more experienced or traditional, and we bring new ideas that no one has thought of yet.
In order to be able to share these ideas, we need to be heard and accounted for when making decisions.
The world we live in today is very different from a few years ago and we need to work together to create a world where every person, old and young, has the ability to speak their minds and make a change.
The next generation will need to be included to start creating that change.
Don't look at us as the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Okay.
Thank you, Tessa.
I'm assuming the next speaker is your sister.
And she is Tiffany Eguin.
We'll see if her story matches yours.
Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, MSME collaborators and sponsors.
My name is Tiffany Eguin and I'm a recent international baccalaure diploma graduate from Springbok High School.
And for our Korean visitors, To Tiffany Anita.
Thank you.
Today, we're living in a world that is constantly evolving and as a result, our lives and everything around us are evolving too.
In the last decade, there have been tremendous advancements in technology, science, the way we get our news, and the way we interact with one another.
Much of this would not be possible without the innovation and ideas that made these advancements become a reality.
These innovations show that there's no limit to our creativity and the diversity of ideas that can flourish when there's opportunity and resources.
Some countries are more advanced than others.
However, no country, regardless of wealth is perfect.
The question I want to pose today is, how can innovation be more inclusive for young people who are often left out of opportunity? I recently graduated from Springbok High School, and as I reflect on my high school experience, I was lucky enough to have a mentor who encouraged and empowered me to embrace my creativity and innovation and bring it to the spirit of my school.
Her mentorship helped me tap into the power of my voice and led me to start a club.
I founded the IB Connect organization to build a community that supports and connects the IB students in my school and community and eventually around the world.
IB Connect has taught me that innovation doesn't have an age limit.
I was lucky to have a mentor that believed in me and gave me the resources and opportunity to bring my ideas to life.
Today, there's talent around the world, but opportunity and resources don't always exist.
The lack of mentors, networks, internships, and resources for our youth is a problem that can't be solved overnight, but time shouldn't be a deterrent for us.
Despite this, we are a generation of innovative minds and every problem can be solved when the right minds come together.
Our differences shouldn't be the reason that our youth must suffer.
We need access to programs that connect youth around the world to mentors and opportunities.
Just like this forum has given me the opportunity to speak, use my voice, and speak to you guys today.
Let's open more doors and create more opportunities for others, rich or poor who yearn to experience the same thing.
Let's remember that young people are the future.
Adult problems are our problems too.
Young people should help design solutions for today's problems.
Thank you.
Thank you, Tiffany.
Next, we have Busse Rice from Georgetown University.
Humans have been building since the dawn of time, constructing the columns of the Parthnon, laying the bricks of the pyramids of Giza, engineering the transistor that paved the way for personal laptops.
But among these inventions, we disregard the ones that stayed as ideas or failed in production.
My name is Bussey Rice, a rising freshman at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service.
I have often wondered why so many brilliant businesses have disappeared before they were ever imagined.
Having grown up across multiple continents, I have witnessed firsthand how a single opportunity can change the trajectory of a person's life.
Not because ideas lacked ingenuity or because people lacked ambition, but because opportunity never reached them.
In today's world, borders can be crossed in seconds.
One idea can reach millions overnight.
Collaboration can occur between people who have never met yet share the same goals and our greatest untapped resource is not oil or technology.
No, it is unrealized human potential.
We face a world increasingly shaped by AI.
But as young change makers, we must ensure that these technologies amplify human potential rather than replace it.
The economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, climate concerns, and social divisions that plague our world today can seem overwhelming.
Yet history time and time again reminds us that progress has never been achieved by those who waited for circumstances.
No progress belongs to those who remain committed despite uncertainty, to those who continue building despite the obstacles they face, and it belongs to those who choose to cooperate rather than stay divided.
Today, I envision a world where a teenager in Nairobi can collaborate with the one in Sao Paulo, where a family business in a small village can reach international markets, and where entrepreneurship embodies a language of diplomacy.
Because each empowered entrepreneur is proof that opportunity can be shared across borders.
The next generation is not waiting to inherit the future.
We have already begun building it.
Thank you.
Okay, thank you guys.
We're ready for our last wave, as we call it.
Enrique is going to come back.
So coming up should be Priya and Maria, Tapia Pereira, Matthew Wilson or Olson.
As Achan.
Oh, boy.
A Achalon Achalonia and Ameria DR Treham Arts.
Okay.
Let's go ahead and start Tapia Pereira from Bucknell University and Silver Spring International Middle School.
Tag team.
Hello, good afternoon.
My name is Mia Tapia Pereira and at just 13-years-old, I have had firsthand experience with creative and artistic micro, small and medium enterprises.
Through this experience, I have realized that these businesses strengthen our communities and contribute to economic and social development around the world.
My dad is the owner of Roto Movements, a studio dedicated to teaching dance and martial arts.
Growing up, I have worked alongside him by assisting with summer camps and classes, and while doing so, I have observed the challenges and responsibilities involved in managing a small business.
With this experience, I have been able to develop an understanding of the lack of accessible funding for MSMEs.
For example, when my dad needed to purchase new equipment for his studio, his only options were to use credit card or obtain a bank loan, both of which carried high interest rates.
For many creative businesses, inaccessibility to affordable funding can make it difficult for them to grow and ultimately affect their well being and the growth of their communities in these enterprises that these enterprises serve.
Good afternoon.
My name is Priya Tapia Pereira and just like my sister, my experience growing up was shaped by creative and artistic MSMEs.
From participating in Brazilian martial arts to classical Indian dance, my community's investment in creativity and entrepreneurship is what allowed my dad's business and other creative arts businesses to flourish.
For example, my state's Arts Council awards grants to local art businesses such as My dance Studio and my dad's martial arts Studio.
New developments within my state are also incorporating AI in a database to help local businesses find funding and grants.
So while my sister and I, we're lucky enough to have a model and understanding of how creativity and entrepreneurship can enhance a community, as my state continues to excel in fostering MSMEs, I believe that initiatives such as the useful incorporation of AI and alongside creative entrepreneurship can serve as a model for sparking the future of MSMEs.
Thank you.
Well done.
Next, we have Matthew Volson from George Washington University.
Distinguished moderators and colleagues, I just have one question for everyone.
Who hears from Africa? Raise your hands.
My question is, where is Africa? Where in this panel, in all of it today, who has mentioned Africa? It's a continent with a population of 1.4 billion people.
It is younger and it is growing faster than any other continent on the world stage.
80 to 90% of businesses on the continent are informal.
Not registered by the government, Africa is the future of SMS MSMEs, so their future is informal.
The most advanced tech that these informal entrepreneurs have would be Android phones, perhaps with Chat GPT installed, and some of them don't even have any phones at all.
Within the context of the AI period, not one speaker other than myself mentioned the continent that birthed humankind There has not been sufficient mention of how to work with these informal enterprises either, which also contribute a lot of the percentages for other developing economies, not just the continent of Africa.
Africa is a continent rich with intelligence, potential, and hard workers, yet no one seems to care.
But I'm here to share my perspective.
I'm here to share my story of how one country on that continent, the Republic of Ghana, has changed me and how innovations from there can change the world.
My name is Matthew Wolfson.
I am a rising senior at George Washington University and I lead Reclaim Terra, a micro enterprise operating in the beach town of Coker Ba Ghana.
We seek to turn plastic pollution and we have The problem that the UN has been trying to place into a treaty for many years now, into a profitable, self sustaining business, and we're pretty damn close to it.
I Cocrbe, elderly woman, whom we would b as part of the informal enterprise pool, sit for years beside mosquito nets packed with 55 kilograms of plastic bottles, waiting for a buyer who may never come.
Giving them phones and helping them access AI would untap a large opportunity and maybe get them to some buyers like ourselves.
Fishermen pull plastics from the same waters as their catch.
Meanwhile, the community has no meaningful way to clean all that up.
Reclaimed error changes the incentive structure.
My associates who are working now in Ghana, Jonathan Bavie Bentam who are in Coccobt and I work with young tricycle riders through town, collecting up to 550 kilograms of plastic daily.
We have already sold 800 kilograms of it to off takers like Polytank and it's been done in just nine days of operation.
This is something that would cost tens of thousands of dollars perhaps for a larger enterprise or even if they would do it our own.
Many of them actually throw those plastics onto the beach, the larger enterprise.
But the most important innovation we have is not logistics.
It is how we compensate people.
It implemented 300 plus tar credits already, a proprietary currency given based on plastic weight with the potential to be turned into carbon credits in the future.
TC is at this moment right now, as we sit, redeemable for food, medicine, and essentials in two establishments in the village of Cocobe.
This currency has been supported by the fishermen chief and endorsed by the lead chief, the most important one in Cocrabit through a letter asking that the community must comply with us.
Community trust solves the cash flow problem that kills most waste businesses.
We no longer have to pay sorters in cash before the plastics are sold.
The currency keeps us solvent and independent while circulating real value in Cocrabit while giving people exactly what they want, right? Restaurants can use the currency to pay more plastic collectors and will gain sponsorships and promotion from us at Reclaim and has done so already in exchange.
We want to work with the Swiss Embassy and to make sure that we become successful.
We do not assume stable grant funding, we do not wait for the next round of treaty negotiations.
We act now with what we have and where we are.
This is the next generation of MSMEs lean, local, and built on one core philosophy that the poverty of resources forces the correction of the method.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Matthew, for that passionate speech.
Africa is the future.
Next, we have Adesa Chelanu from Phillips Exeter Academy.
Good afternoon.
My name is Adesa Chanu and I'm a rising sophomore at Phillips Exit Academy in New Hampshire.
As someone whose family is from Nigeria, I've had the opportunity to visit many rural villages in Eastern Nigeria.
Even though I was young, I couldn't ignore the overcrowded clinics, families struggling to find enough food and communities with few resources, realities I never experienced growing up in the US.
One afternoon, as I drove past the local hospital, I noticed a long line of people waiting outside.
Parents held sick children in their arms hoping to receive care.
Then I saw a woman crying and pleading with hospital workers who would not let her inside.
Mama, why aren't they letting that lady in? I asked.
My mother quietly explained that the woman had been denied medical treatment because she couldn't afford to pay.
At the time, I didn't understand.
As I grew older, I realized this wasn't an isolated incident.
Across rural Africa, millions of children still lack basic health care simply because of where they live or what their families can afford.
That's why entrepreneurship and innovation matter.
In Rwanda, an app called Bab O allows families to use telehealth solutions to consult with doctors while Nigeria's Life Bank uses technology to deliver blood, oxygen, and critical medical supplies.
These innovations show us that technology can bring health care to children who might otherwise never receive it.
At Phillips Exeter, our student led harness discussions teach us to ask thoughtful questions and learn from one another.
In biology, we cite diseases like malaria while discussing why some communities lack access to health care.
Those conversations just show me that science and entrepreneurship can work together to solve real world problems.
I still think about the women I saw outside that hospital.
No parent should ever have to wonder whether they can afford to save their child's life.
The next health care breakthrough may not even come from a large corporation.
It may come from a student sitting in a classroom today.
We need to invest in young innovators and continue raising awareness so we can build a future where every child has access to the health care they deserve.
Thank you.
More passion, more passion.
I love it.
Our last speaker this morning or this afternoon is Ama Dior Trim artist from Entrepreneur Lane, Entrepreneur lane number one.
Good afternoon, distinguished guests, youth leaders, entrepreneurs, and representatives from around the world.
My name is Am Tran artists and I am honored to join you today at the United Nations for MSME Day 2026.
Thank you for this opportunity.
I was born and raised in Nita Development, Tompkins House is in Brooklyn, an underprivileged community.
Growing up, I learned that your circumstances do not determine your future.
Through creativity, perseverance, and the support of my community, I discovered that young people have the ability to create, build, and contribute in meaningful ways right now.
At 12-years-old, I founded Ames Animations My Be Brave Mental Health Awareness Tour, an intergenerational intuitive that uses art, storytelling, and creative expression to promote mental wellness and foster healthy conversations between youth, adults, and seniors.
Through this program, young people teach art to older generations while gaining wisdom from their life experiences.
It taught me that some of our greatest breakthroughs happen when generations learn from one another.
At 14, I launched my sneaker brand Lane Woo, New York, because I wanted to show that young people can transform ideas into reality.
What began as a sketch on the screen became a growing business.
In 2023, partnering with Gurney, New York, the sneakers were included in DPA Lux gift bags for 75 Oscar nominees.
That experience showed me that even the biggest accomplishments often begin with a single idea and the courage to pursue it.
Today, I am 17 and manage Leaders in motion or LIM, a program that I founded last year for schools, helping students discover their talents through creativity, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, public speaking, and community service.
Through LIM, I have the privilege of learning alongside my peers, encouraging them to believe in themselves and their potential.
My journey taught me that small businesses do more than generate income.
They inspire confidence, solve problems, strengthen communities, and create pathways for others to follow.
Yet millions of youth people around the world still lack access to mentorship, resources, networks that can help bring their ideas to life.
As we look toward the future of MSMEs, I encourage us to invest not only in business, but in people, especially young people.
When you nurture our creativity, support our ambitions, and trust us with that responsibility, together, we can accomplish extraordinary things.
Today, I stand before you not only for myself, but for young people everywhere whose ideas deserve to be seen, whose voices deserve to be heard, and whose potential deserve to be realized.
Thank you.
Wow.
What a group of young people.
It's been left to me to summarize what I heard.
First of all, it's obvious that every one of our speakers have a passion and a commitment.
There's a concern about being able to do what they want to do.
The other thing that I heard was that the human interface, the connectivity is as important, if not more important than technology and AI.
Um, I also heard that empowerment and inclusivity is critical to the success of micro small and medium sized enterprises.
Now, we heard from a group of young people with a wide range of academic and experiential background.
There were some eloquent storytelling.
There really was.
My hats out to them.
Out of all of this, there are two thoughts that I come away with.
First of all, as somebody who's been around the sun a few times, I've developed a lot of experience that quite frankly gets in the way when young people ask for guidance.
Horrible to admit that.
And so in my interactions with young people, I encourage them and give them my permission to explore because I think that's really, really important.
And we heard that from a number of the speakers being frustrated that they weren't allowed to reach out and explore.
Um, The world is a very different place today, and I could go on and on and on about whether that's good or bad, but that's the reality.
The fact that this group of young people is committed to the human approach while taking advantage of technology and resources, I think is absolutely critical.
If all the speakers would rise and let's give them all a tremendous round of.
All right.
Thank you, everybody.
We have the next wave of students and they came all the way from South Korea.
We're going to ask them the new wave of entrepreneurs from South Korea to come up.
Let's give them a big round of applause, everybody Actually, hello, Korean young leaders.
Welcome to the United Nations.
We are very happy to have you here.
This session features the youth delegation from Republic of Korea.
These are remarkable young leaders traveled all the way from Korea, arrived late last night after a long international flight to the lead us today.
Thank you so much for your dedication, your enthusiasm, and your commitment to shaping a better future.
So each participant will be given 2 minutes to present.
So So then the first speak Laon Toy, Tony Lee Hain Kim, correct? No.
Okay.
Let me do this.
Let me do it this way.
Okay.
So we're going to do it this way to save time, you're going to introduce yourself and announce your name and then give your speech and we're going to go down.
Okay.
Sound good? Okay.
My name is I'm a ninth grade student at High School in California.
Good afternoon, distinguished guests, respected leaders, and fellow students.
Let me start with a simple question.
Have you ever stayed up late watching YouTube or playing video games until you fell asleep? When I was about nine or 10-years-old, my younger brother and I spent an entire night playing games on a laptop.
Around 7:00 in the morning, my parents woke up and were shocked to find both of us asleep right in front of the screen.
At that time, it seemed like a childhood obsession.
But over time, I learned how to channel that energy into self leadership and personal growth.
My first real test came in sixth grade physical education class.
During the push up test, I could only do six.
I was one of the weakest students in my class and I felt embarrassed.
The very day I said I go teach ten push ups, then 20, and I began practicing.
Through consistent effort, I eventually achieved 50 push shelves.
This experience taught me an important lesson that true confidence con steady action.
Inspired by this mindset, I began applying to my hobbies and interests.
I taught myself robos coding and creating my own DD worlds on the platform.
I also learned video editing and started uploading content to YouTube.
Interactive viewers, adding their comments gave me motivation, energy, and joy.
Along the way, I discovered that combining different skills can create unexpected opportunities.
For me, blending coding, video editing, and communication felt like making being pop.
Being pop is a Korean dish that combine different ingredients into one balanced and flavorful dish.
In the same way, effective leadership requires us to bring together different talents and ideas for the common good.
My dream is to build a platform that helps young creators develop and share their ideas more easily.
I want to support them because many young people do not know where to begin.
In this rapidly changing era of AI and digital technology, the future does not belong to those who simply wait.
It belongs to those who learn, adapt, and take action.
Each of us has unique strengths and talents.
When you bring them together, we can create something far greater than ourselves.
Let us combine our talent, just like the ingredients in Beam and Pop and build a future that is innovative, inclusive, and human centered.
Thank you.
Exceptional start to the discussion.
And you asked me a tricky question.
I do play video games and I stay up late, so I should have not answered this.
Don't do it.
But next, introduce yourself.
Okay.
Hello, Brian.
Hello, Brian.
My name is Jim Choi.
I'm a fifth grade student at Ocean Elementary School in Busan South Korea.
It is a great honor to speak here today as a youth representative at MSME State.
My dream is to become a business leader.
To be honest, I do not realize studying very much.
Sometimes I would rather play or spend time with my friends, but I still want to do well in school and I want to be successful in the future.
I believe success comes from learning, trying, and never giving up.
I like I enjoy helping people.
I like caring for others and making them happy.
I also love colors and fashions.
I enjoy thinking about what color look best on people.
I also love cooking and my family smiles after my food, I feel happy too.
This experience has taught me something important.
I truly enjoy making people happy.
That is why I want to become a business leader.
I think a lot of the future.
Today, AI can do many amazing things.
It can answer the questions, create pictures, and help people work faster.
But I believe there are some things AI cannot do.
I cannot truly understand a person's feeling, I cannot share a kindness from the hurt.
That is why I want to build a business that focus on people.
I want to create products and services that make people feel happy, confident, and careful.
I believe a good business is not only about making money.
It is about helping people and making their lives better.
Thank you.
What an exceptional leader.
Well done.
Distinguished guests and leaders from all sectors of society.
Good afternoon.
My name is Ming Yang from Chondu South Korea.
Today, we live in a world that is changing faster than ever before.
Technology and artifical intelligence are transforming the way we learn, work, and live.
While these changes mean new opportunities, they make many of us question the duration of our lives.
Because of this, I began asking myself an important question.
Am I truly the leader of my own life? Am I living the life I have chosen? I realized that the true leadership begins with understanding ourselves and take ownership of our lives.
At first, I was running, but instead of standing still, I chose to take small steps every day.
I learned that dreams can never become reality without actions.
As those small actions accumulated, they gave me the confidence to move forward.
I believe this lesson is even more important in the age of AI.
As more tasks become automated, Geni human connection will become increasingly values.
The rule that machines can never replace our ability to lead with purpose, communicate with sincerity, and inspire others with meaningful visions.
My dream is to help young people discover their own voices and believe that their stories matter.
When we recognize values and one another's stories, we can grow together throughout understanding and empathy.
I believe that self leadership is the foundation of true leadership and the key to creating a better future.
This belief reminds me of the words of Nam and Josk Stay awake and put your beliefs into actions.
I hope that all of us will have the courage to lead our own lives and turn our beliefs into meaningful actions that help us closer together.
Thank you.
Thank you, exceptional leader.
Absolutely fantastic.
Next, Hello, I'm Y in Li currently attending Korea International School, Jeju.
Recently, it seems like the whole world is talking about artificial intelligence and robotics.
Every day we hear stories about technology transforming the future and companies reaching new levels of success.
But at my dinner table, this story sounds very different.
My father runs a small manufacturing company that supplies parts to larger corporations.
Growing up, I thought being a CEO meant freedom and success, but I soon realized it also meant long nights, constant pressure and endless responsibility.
This year, as AI robotics help major corporations achieve record profits, I thought things would finally become easier for him.
Instead, I watched him worry even more.
The world is changing faster than ever before.
AI is transforming industries, but not everyone is able to keep pace.
Unlike large corporations, small businesses do not have billions of dollars to invest in new technology, yet they're expected to adapt just as quickly, and if they cannot keep up, they risk being left behind.
But small businesses are not a small part of the economy.
They create jobs, support families, and keep local communities alive.
They are the foundation that allows larger companies to succeed.
Without a strong foundation, even the tallest building cannot stand.
So as we celebrate technological progress, I believe we must ask a different question.
No, how can I make the biggest companies stronger, but how can I help everyone move forward together? Technology should not be a ladder that only a few people can climb.
It should be a bridge that allows everyone to cross.
Let us build a future where technology creates opportunity, not inequality because moving forward should mean moving forward together and no one should be left behind.
Thank you.
Hello, my name is an L, and I'm currently attending at Korea International School, Diju.
I have a best friend who is 68-years-old.
She taught me language, mathematics, piano, and even how to enjoy key dramas.
To me, she has always been the smartest person in the world.
She is my grandmother.
But recently, when I look into her eyes, I see something fear.
The world she once understood so well now seems so unfamiliar to her.
She wants to watch a movie or order food, but everything requires a touchscreen, a password, or an app she doesn't know how to use.
Then she simply gives up.
One day, she says something I will never forget.
These days, I feel like I've become stupid.
The world is changing too fast, and it scares me.
Hearing hearing those words broke my heart.
I wasn't always patient.
Sometimes while teaching her how to use her smartphone, I forgot that she was the one who had once taught me how to understand the world.
Now, as artificial intelligence becomes part of our everyday lives, the challenges are growing even bigger.
What concerns me the most is not how quickly AI is advancing, but who it may leave behind.
As technology becomes more powerful, it must also become more understandable.
Otherwise, people like my grandmother may find themselves feeling excluded from a world they hope to build.
I am a teenager who dreams of becoming a developer.
I want to build technology that does more than impress people.
I want to build technology that builds technology that empowers them, preserving independence, protecting dignity, and helping people participate in a changing world.
Because my grandmother was never the problem.
The problem was that technology often expected her to change instead of learning how to serve her.
Progress should not be measured by only smarter machines, but by way where people feel more capable, more connected, and more valued because of them.
If technology can help a grandmother feel confident instead of afraid, then it is doing more than advancing.
It is serving humanity, and that is the future I hope to create.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
We will invite the next wave of future leaders here.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And your grandmother is an amazing woman.
We are going to innovate.
We are going to start from the farthest right and we're going to come down this way.
You go first.
Hello.
My name is ing Bing Ko.
I'm a rising 11, and I'm attending North London Collegiate School in Jeju.
How you must be.
Distinguished guests, delegates from around the world, and young leaders who shaped the future.
Good afternoon.
Standing here today at the United Nations headquarters, I'm reminded of a timeless truth.
History is written by those who transformed adversity into opportunity, and this spirit of resilience is deeply rooted in South Korea's history.
More than a century ago, ordinary citizens joined the national debt repayment movement, sacrificing personal wealth to protect the nation.
And decades later, South Korea rose from the devastation of war and achieved the miracle of the Han River, transforming poverty into prosperity.
In 1997, during the Asian financial crisis, millions participated in the gold collection campaign, donating treasured possessions to help restore the national economy.
My father was one of them.
My father donated two gold dental crowns carefully kept remaining years.
I believe that somewhere within the foundation of South Korea's prosperity today, my father's smile continues to shine.
Every crisis became a lesson of resilience, responsibility, and community, and my dream is to build businesses that expand opportunity and protect human dignity, ensuring that the benefits of innovation reach those who have been left behind.
The ultimate purpose of innovation must always be humanity.
Fellow young leaders, we are not waiting for the future to arrive, but we have the power to create change today.
Let us see challenges as stepping stones and obstacles as door to new possibilities.
Past crisis tried to bury the darkness, it failed to realize that we seed destined to grow.
Together, let's move forward towards greater resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainable future for all humanity.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, distinguished guests, respected leaders, teachers, and fellow students.
Nice to meet you.
I'm honored to be participating in this MSME UN speech.
In a chat, you ask a sophisticated question, list three entrepreneurs from South Korea.
When most people agonize over answering it, the chat immediately answers the question without hesitation.
Kim Mong Su, Chong Jung and Li Bu Chu.
This is the world we live in right now with artificial intelligence becoming part of our daily lives.
In conversations, social media, and even education, AI is rapidly altering the way we interact with information.
Due to the rise of AI society, the uncertainty about the future has increased, resulting in young people competing harder than ever to secure a stable future.
This circumstance is happening right now everywhere where many students dedicate significant time and effort to prepare for future opportunities.
However, this raises an important question.
Is following traditional methods the best way to prepare for the future? A great example of this is Thomas Edison.
During his time, many people believed that rote memorization and traditional learning methods were the key to success.
However, Edison showed that curiosity, creativity, and the ability to explore new ideas were also essential.
As an entrepreneur and an inventor, Edison transformed his ideas into inventions that changed people's lives.
From this, we may learn that traditional methods can be valuable, but they should not limit our abilities to think beyond what it exist.
In the AI era, young people should not only focus on memorizing information, but also develop abilities to think creatively, adapt to change, and discover new possibilities.
As Thomas Edison once said, to trouble with our way of educating a set does not give elasticity to the mind.
It cast your brain into a mold.
In the AI era, we must not let our minds fit into that mold.
We must be the ones who break it.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
Good afternoon.
My name is Yum Shin, eighth grade from St.
James Per Academy in Jeju.
The light flashes three, two, one.
Imagine being stranded halfway across an eight lane highway as a pedestrian light flashes three, two, one.
For a healthy adults, this countdown is a minor rush.
But for millions of elder individuals, it is a life threatening nightmare.
I first realized this problem through my grandmother.
As she grew older, I noticed that crossing wide intersections became more difficult and stressful for her.
What seemed like a simple daily activity was becoming a barrier to independence.
This experience inspired me to explore solutions through my eighth grade capstone project, which focused on the United Nations sustainable development goals, especially good health and well being.
While volunteering in my community, I met an elderly man who told me that he rarely left his home because he was afraid of crossing the large intersection near his apartment.
But sadly, history is not unique.
Around the world, many senior citizens face similar challenges every day, and this is why I propose the Senior Smart pedestrian System.
The idea is simple.
By simply tapping a senior transit card on a traffic signal pole, the system automatically recognizes a vulnerable pedestrian and extends the crossing time by 10 seconds.
At the same time, our audio message provides reassurance and guidance.
Safe walking time applied, P cross calmly.
The solution does not require expensive new technology.
It simply uses existing systems with empathy and propose.
Great ideas do not always begin in laboratories or boardrooms.
Sometimes they begin by noticing the struggle of people around us.
Let us make sure that leave no one behind.
It's not just a slogan, but a promise built into every crosswalk.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, Mo guests, teachers, and friends.
My name is u Win Hwang.
I am a fifth grade student in Yang in Elementary School in Teku.
It is a great honor to stand before you today and speak about the qualities of a global leader who will shape the future.
The future holds counties opportunities and challenges for all of us.
Technology is advancing rapidly and people around the world are more connected than ever before.
In this era of rapid change, we need leaders who can make a positive impact on the world.
First, a global leader needs empathy.
They must be able to understand people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
Also, listen carefully to different opinions.
When we understand and respect one another, we can solve problems together.
Second, a global leader needs creativity.
The challenges of the future may not have simple answers.
Creative leaders think from new perspectives and discover better solutions.
Third, a global leader needs a strong sense of responsibility.
Every action and decision we make can affect others.
Great leaders act not only for their own benefit, but also with their future generations and our planet in mind.
Above all, global leader needs courage.
Courage enables us to choose what is right, even in difficult situations.
I believe leadership is not something that suddenly appears in the future.
It begins to read through our choices and brave actions.
It is built by practicing kindness, fulfilling our responsibilities, and constantly striving to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
Through these more than meaningful actions, I will work toward achieving my dream of becoming a global leader.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, distinguished guests.
My name is Chiang Yang in Ambu Middle School in Kangan.
What is a leader? I've asked this question several times.
It's not only about the person who represents one group.
I believe a leader is a person who not only brings people together, but should also be the one who's stepping forward.
They should only be generating ideas.
Now, how can global leaders solve the problems we're facing? They should use their three aspects of respect, judgment, and an open mindset.
I believe they even great leaders can't always come up with the best solutions on their own.
They should consider other people's ideas.
A great leader should know how to respect and use others' ideas.
Next, they should make the right judgment, not only following reality and economy, but they should make their decisions based on ethics and humanity.
They should make their judgment acceptable to most of the people.
Finally, the most important aspect of a global leader is an open mindset.
First, a global leader should understand people's traditions and cultures.
A global leader should understand the world.
They should also break the mold.
Now, it's the time to step out of the box and the global leader should think of new ideas.
Now, what do these aspects mean to me? It's a dream.
I want to be someone who's respected all around.
A global leader is the type of person I want to be.
I want to make decisions to help the world.
A global leader isn't a leader presenter.
It's the key to our solution.
A global leader should know how to use others ideas and think differently.
Now, listen to me.
A global leader isn't a person who's clever and smart.
It's a person like Christopher Columbus who started the adventure.
Thank you.
Thank you.
What an amazing set of young leaders here.
Thank you.
We're going to start with the next wave.
One, two, three, you press the button.
Now we start with the next one.
We're going to start from the left and we're going to go all the way to the right.
Are you ready? The world is wide and there is much to be done.
These words changed Korea and now they're changing me.
Distinguished Chair, respected Chairman Kang on Jun of Nexon Group, who shared this inspiring story with us today and honored guests from around the world, it is a great privilege to be here with you.
Good afternoon, everyone.
My name is Hazel Yu.
I'm a youth speaker from the Republic of Korea.
Today, I would like to talk about the spirit of KE entrepreneurship.
Throughout history, Korea has been a nation that transformed crisis into opportunities.
Despite experiencing war and poverty, Korea grew into one of the world's leading economies.
At the center of the growth was a powerful entrepreneurial spirit.
One of the most inspiring examples is Chairman Kim U Jun, the founder of Tehu.
In 1967, he started a textile company with a simple but powerful belief.
Because of his global vision, a small company grew into a world class enterprise.
There is an important lesson from his story for young people like me.
We must not lose courage when we face failure.
We must develop the creativity to find opportunities within challenges.
The spirit of KE entrepreneurship is about growing together with the world beyond national borders.
Inspired by this spirit, I have begun to build my own dream.
My vision is not simply to succeed as a student.
I want to become a bridge connecting Korea and the world.
I hope to stand confidently on the global stage.
I want to learn from diverse cultures and create positive social value.
My dream is to become a global leader who helps people grow together.
I will not be afraid of making mistakes.
I will continue to challenge myself and grow every day.
Together with friends who share the same vision, we can turn every crisis into a shared opportunity.
I believe that when young people dream boldly and act with courage, they can change the world.
Thank you for listening to my story.
I'm Hang Liu from the Republic of Korea.
Yes.
You got a standing ovation.
How.
You should have free ice cream all night long.
Alright, Jo next.
The future is not something we wait for, but something we create.
Hello, everyone.
My name is in Yun.
I am a first year student at Yang Pang Middle School in South Korea.
Today I want to talk about the future.
We have dreams.
Some students want to be doctors, teachers, or scientists.
To reach our dreams, we need to study hard and keep trying.
Many Korean companies work hard for their future too.
They succeeded because they Come on.
They succeed because they keep working and learning.
Something sometimes we fail will make mistakes, but it's okay.
We can learn from them and try again.
I will also work hard for my future.
I want to become a person who obs.
The future is not something we wait for, but something we create.
Thank you for listening.
G.
Okay.
Good afternoon.
My name is Sharon Hong, and I'm a worker in South Korea.
It is a great honor to stand here today as a youth representative.
I am growing up in an exciting age of artificial intelligence and innovation.
Every day I see technology change the way I learn, communicate, and solve problems.
AI can answer questions, create emes and help you find solutions as you learn before.
These amazing changes mean you set it about the future.
At the same time, do you think about an important question.
In a world where AI can do so many things, what kind of person should I become? I believe the answer can be found in people, just not technology.
South Korea has achieved market growth, dedication, hard work, and innovation.
However, South Korea assist not in technology alone.
It will by people who care for one another and work together in difficult times.
I believe the spirit is one of Korea's greatest strengths.
The Goa future technology should not be replaced by people.
Instead, it should help you with better natural life.
Technology should always the human thing and values.
However, kindness, empathy, and resonsibilities are things that technology cannot fully replace.
I believe these qualities won't make you truly human.
I believe South Korea's innovation can become a powerful force for selling goal challenges.
I cannot create opportunities for people who need the most.
My dream is to use technology to make people live better.
I want to keep ideas and solutions that bring hope, happiness, and opportunity to others.
I also want to become a leader who uses innovation with compassion and responsibility.
I do not believe the future should only use merger.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Distinguished delegates, it is a great honor and joy to stand here today at the United Nations headquarters.
Today, most of the people believe that the future is something that simply comes to us.
However, I believe that the future is something that we create ourselves.
Youth are the next generation that will build a better future.
Unlike many adults who have already chosen their paths, young people are still discovering theirs.
Because of this, we have the freedom to imagine new solutions and create positive changes.
As young people, we have the opportunity to shape a feature that has not yet been fully written.
As one of the future leaders of society, I want to actively contribute to making my country even better.
For example, I would like to introduce Korean culture to people around the world who may not know much about it.
Through social media, I hope to help turn Korean culture into a global trend that helps connect people across borders.
Young people possess creativity, curiosity, and a strong spirit of challenge.
One success story can inspire one person, and that person can then inspire many others.
My dream is to become an entrepreneur like the leaders gathered here today.
I do not want to be remembered simply as a successful person.
I want to be remembered for the positive changes I create.
If you visit inju Korea, you can still feel the influence of Nan ygZhoSkh teachings.
He taught his students that knowledge should be transformed into action that changes society.
I will carry in my heart the belief that the future belongs not to those who wait, but to those who take action.
Together, we can create a future filled with opportunity, hope, and positive changes.
Thank you very much.
Hello everyone.
My name is Hack Jin Kim.
Today, I would like to talk about the question, what should technology exist for? We live at a time when artificial intelligence and advanced technology are developing rapidly.
People often focus on faster computers, smarter algorithms, and more powerful AI.
However, I believe that technology advances undertaking people becomes even more important.
I always have enjoyed mathematics and codings.
At the same time, I have often wonder how people think and act differently even in the same situation.
This question became more meaningful through my volunteer work teaching A Rubik's Cube to elderly people with dementia.
At first, I thought it was simply about touching a puzzle, but I soon realized that everyone learn differently.
Some learn through repetition, while other members through colors and shapes.
Through this experience, I learned that human intelligence is not simply about finding the right answer quickly.
Human learn through experience, gross through mistakes, and connect with others through emotions.
I have also seen this while I'm playing a basketball.
During a game, player constantly adapt to changing situation and work together.
This ability to adapt is one of the humanity's greatest strengths.
Today, AI can process enormous amount of information and perform calculation at incredible speeds.
But human can emphasize, increase orders, and find meaning in uncertainty.
That is why I believe technology should not exist to replace the people, but to better understand and help them.
Because of these reasons, in the future, I hope to study neuroscience and engineering to better understand how people think, learn, and adapt.
I believe the future belongs not to the most perfect technology, but to the technology that understand the people the best.
Thank you for listening to my speech.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And can we get the next wave? And can we give all of them an amazing applause? Thank you.
Okay.
I was told to go the other way.
We start with you.
Yeah.
Good afternoon, distinguished guests, respectful leaders, and fellow young innovators.
My name is ua, a junior from Calvin Manitoa International School, and I'm here to represent South Korea today.
Everyone tells young people to pursue success, but very few people ask an important question.
Success for whom? I believe that success is not about money alone.
It is about creating value for others.
This is the spirit that helped build modern Korea.
After the Korean War, our country had no resources, only people.
Korea invested in its people and a poor nation became a global success story.
That is why K entrepreneurship is fundamentally human centered.
It begins with people, their ideas, their needs, and their potential.
However, many schools today still do not teach young people how to create value.
Value often begins simply.
It begins with a small idea and a sincere desire to help others.
Think about the tactile paving blocks found on sidewalks around the world.
Someone created them because they cared about the people who cannot see.
One year ago, I was a student simply with an idea.
I noticed that many small business owners created excellent products, but they cannot afford global shipping.
I created a platform called Let's go.
It combines orders so that even the smallest businesses can reach customers around the world.
Without realizing it, I was practicing entrepreneurship.
I was creating value where others saw limitations.
I am not a CEO.
I am still a student.
Yet this was possible because I was given the opportunity to learn and take action.
Great change often begins with something simple, and it is completed when human kindness gives it meaning.
That is the future I want to build, and I hope all of you will join me in creating it together.
Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests and fellow students, good afternoon.
My name is Ke Yi Jin Kim, and I'm a student at Chatting International School in South Korea.
It is an honor to speak before you today.
Imagine living in a country where cities are destroyed, families have lost everything, and people do not know what tomorrow will bring.
This was South Korea in 1953 after the Korean War.
But today, South Korea is known for its advanced technology, global companies, and modern cities.
But how? This unbelievable transformation is often called the miracle of the Han River.
Growing up in South Korea, I see the results of this success every day.
However, when I learned about Korea's history, I realized that none of it happened by accident.
After the war, Korea faced poverty, uncertainty, and a lack of resources, yet the people still refused to give up.
Through hard work, education, determination, and cooperation, the country rebuilt itself and created new opportunities for future generations.
There's a Korean saying in we da, which means a crisis is an opportunity.
I believe this phrase best explains the miracle of the Han River.
Korea turned one of its greatest crisises in its history into an opportunity for growth and progress.
Today, many countries still continue to face challenges such as conflicts, poverty, and economic uncertainty.
But Korea's story reminds us that difficulties do not have to define our future.
With hope, resilience, and a commitment to improvement, positive change is possible.
The miracle of the Han River is not only about Korea's story.
It is a powerful reminder that even the greatest challenges can become opportunities for a brighter future.
Good afternoon, distinguished guests, respected leaders, teachers, and fellow students.
By the time I finish this sentence, artificial intelligence will have processed more data than a human can do in a lifetime.
AI is changing the way we live, learn, and work.
The important question today is not what AI is.
The real question is how we should prepare for the age of AI.
First, young people must have the determination to go beyond their limits.
Whenever people want to create change, they challenge themselves.
However, in the age of AI, some people may think technology will do everything for them.
Therefore, they may feel less need to improve themselves and make a change in the world.
But while AI can provide information, it cannot give us the courage needed to achieve great things.
By pushing beyond our limits, we can continue to grow and help build a better world.
Second, young people must learn how to understand others.
This is called empathy.
AI can process data, but people can truly understand one another.
AI can recognize emotions and suggest responses.
However, it cannot truly feel emotions or experience human relationships.
Empathy builds trust between people.
It also helps create a kinder and stronger society.
I dream of a future where people continue to grow while using the benefits of AI.
I also hope for a society where humanity never loses its sense of ethics, even as AI advances rapidly.
The future will not belong only to those of the smartest technology.
It will belong to those of the courage, empathy, and heart for others.
Thank you for listening.
Good afternoon, everyone.
My name is on jug.
When people think of entrepreneurs, they often imagine adults in business suits.
However, some of the most innovative ideas today are coming from young people and teenagers.
Young entrepreneurs have tremendous potential because they are naturally curious, creative, and willing to take risk.
Growing up surrounded by technology allows us to feel problems in different perspectives and develop new solutions.
For example, many teenagers start their own online business, create mobile apps, or launch non profit organization while still attending school.
Some use innovation to address real challenges such as climate change, mental health, and education inequalities.
Another reason youth innovation is important.
Youth entrepreneurship is important is that it can help develop essentialized skills like communication, responsibility, leadership, and problem solving.
Even when a business does not succeed, they can gain valuable experience and confidence.
Of course, they can face problems like lack of financial support, opportunities or mentors.
Although sometimes underestimate themselves simply because of their age, that is why schools and communities have to actively support youth innovation through programs and competitions.
As a young person passionately preparing for the journey, I'm deeply honored to participate in the tenth anniversary celebration of the United Nations and Miss E's Day.
One day, I hope to become a leader who creates positive change and empires others, just like remarkable leaders who gathered here today.
Thank you.
Welcome.
Hello, everyone.
My name is is.
I'm a sixth grader from South Korea.
A few days ago, I did a huge pile of homework, but really wanted to go and play with my friends.
I imagine giving AI all my homework and running on its as fast as I could.
In 2026, AI makes everything easier.
It can write essays.
It can solve problems that might take us sideways in just a few seconds.
But if we stop using our own bins, we may slowly lose our ability to think deeply.
AI can process information, but cannot truly experience.
That is why we should focus on the things AI can never do.
I would like to share the ideas.
First, being there for each other.
When a friend is sad, I run over to them to share Cheetos and ice cream.
AI can comfort them, but it cannot run over it, enjoy some snacks, and share the warmth of sheer happiness like we do.
Second, choosing a direction.
AI can give us many answers and solutions, but humans must decide where those solutions should be used and whom they should help.
Even the fastest car is dangerous without a driver who knows where to go.
In the same way, people must guide AI in the right direction.
Third, we should work together.
The world's biggest problems cannot be solved by machinery alone.
They can only be solved when different people cooperate and support one another.
I do not want to be smarter than AI.
My dream is to become a person who does what AI can never do.
I want to sit beside a crying friend.
I want to choose the right direction.
I want to work together with others.
I believe that in the future, we will grow our dreams with AI by our side.
AI will be a powerful tool, but people will always be the heart of every great idea.
My dream is to become an interpreter who uses technology while never losing human warmth.
Would you be willing to become a supporter of my journey and growth? I will continue to build bigger dreams in my AI system by my side.
Thank you very much.
We have one last wave of presenters, and then we'll close the session.
And I think everybody in this room wants to be your friend.
I asked them to come.
Right.
The last four presenters, but not the least, we are going to start going this end and we'll go all the way there.
Good afternoon, everyone.
My name is Lucia and I'm a student at Pot High School in California.
When people talk about the AI era, they often focus on machines, data and speed.
Today, however, I'd like to talk about something more personal change.
Over the past few years, I've studied outside the US, transferred to a new school, and moved to different cities around the world.
At first, everything felt unfamiliar.
The way classes were taught was different, the way people interacted with each other was different, and even small daily habits felt new to me.
I had to learn how to ask for help when I needed it.
I had to learn through mistakes and keep on moving forward even when I felt left behind.
Through these experiences, I learned that adaptation is more than a practical skill.
It is a uniquely human strength and in the age of AI, I believe that adaptability is one of the most important qualities young people can develop.
About a month ago, I visited the computer history museum and one story I heard there really stuck with me.
It was the story of relational databases.
IVion played a major role in creative technology, but Oracle studied commercial potential and through innovation, Oracle grew into one of the world's largest software companies.
The lesson was clear to me, invention and innovation are not always the same thing.
Innovation requires recognizing change and having the courage to adapt to it.
However, adopted AI doesn't mean accepting everything without question.
Although AI can help us analyze and solve problems faster than ever before, it can't replace our values, judgment, or the source of our ideas.
We know not everyone will view AI the same way.
Some people will embrace it, some will fear it, others may reject it completely.
But regardless of how people feel, AI is here to stay.
Whether its impact becomes positive or negative, depends on how people choose to develop it.
To build a better future, I believe young people must shape AI with innovation, creativity, responsibility, and courage.
The greatest hope for the future is not artificial intelligence itself, it's the warmth, wisdom, and humanity of young people.
Thank you.
Good morning, distinguished guests, respected leaders, and fellow youth from around the world.
My name is Ran Cho, and I'm a first year student at My Middle School in Busan, South Korea.
It is a great honor to stand here today at the United Nations headquarters as a youth representative celebrating MSMEs Day.
My dream is to become a diplomat.
When people think about the future, they often talk about artificial intelligence, advanced technology and innovation.
These changes will transform our world.
However, I believe that no technology can replace the values that make us truly human.
The future will not be led only by the smartest people.
It will be led by people who understand others, connect communities, and create solutions for amenity.
That is why I believe the three most important qualities of global leaders are empathy, communication, and creativity.
First, empathy helps us understand others and build unity instead of division.
Second, communication turns understanding into cooperation.
Great leaders are not only good speakers, but also good listeners.
Third, creativity helps us solve problems in new ways.
Challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and conflict require fresh ideas and courageous actions.
As a future diplomat, I hope to develop these qualities and become a leader who connects nations, encourages dialogue, and promotes peace.
Young people are often called the leaders of tomorrow, but I believe we are also leaders of today.
If we choose empathy over indifference, communication over misunderstanding, creativity over fear, we can build a world that is more connected, more innovative, and more compassionate.
Today, I hope this gathering inspires young people to think about what kind of world we want to create together.
These values can help us build a more peaceful and beautiful world.
I want to prepare for the future with young people across the globe.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, distinguished leaders, ladies and gentlemen.
My name is Hun Ya Jun and I'm a Jung from the Republic of Korea.
When people hear the word entrepreneurship, they often think of successful CEOs, start ups, or large corporations.
I used to think the same way.
However, through school projects and different competitions, I discovered a different meaning.
My teammates and I often face challenges with limited time, limited resources, and no clear solution.
At first, this situation felt really frustrating.
But over time, we learned an important lesson, creativity grows when the resources are limited.
Instead of focusing on why we liked, we began asking, what can we do with what we already have? This simple change in our mindset helped us find new ideas, solve problems, and work together more effectively.
Through these experiences, I learned that entrepreneurship and economics share a common principle.
Both are about making choices and creating value from limited resources.
Every day, people make decisions that shape their future and the ability to use resources wisely is becoming increasingly important.
Today, technology is changing our world faster than ever before.
Yet innovation does not come from technology alone.
It begins with people who are willing to think differently, ask meaningful questions, and take action.
Me, as a young citizen of Korea, I hope to contribute to a better future through creativity, responsibility, and action.
Thank you.
The last speaker.
Hello, ladies and gentlemen and students.
My name is Nay Park.
What if your future depended on technology you could not access? Today, the world celibates artificial intelligence, advanced robotics, and faster Internet.
And also, new technologies promise to make our life easier and more efficient.
However, while we focus on these innovations, must not overlook on important reality.
Millions of children worldwide still lack access to reliable Internet and digital devices.
For them, the digital divide is a barrier that limits educational opportunities and prevent them from reaching their full potential.
While some students access online classes and unlimited information, others struggle simply because they like the necessary technology.
I believe the purpose of technology should not be speed, profit, or convenience.
The most valuable technology is the one that helps the greatest number of people.
Every child, regardless of location or family income, deserves the opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed.
To address this, we need affordable, lightweight, and accessible solutions.
Educational platform must work offline and more smoothly on order smart phone and low cost devices.
With the right approach, a simple mobile phone can become a classroom, a library, and a gateway to knowledge.
This is what humans entery entrepreneurship means to me, creating innovations that serve people first.
By focusing on inclusion, we cannot fulfill the United Nations vision of quality education for all.
As a future leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, we must ensure that technological progress benefits everyone.
Let us build a future with technology great opportunities and leave no child behind.
Thank you for listening.
Thank you very much and amazing speeches.
Now we get into the final chapter of the long day here, and I would like to ask doctor Winsel Sargent to come here onstage, and he will make some announcements, and then we will do the closure of the session here today.
Doctor Winsel, you're going to be sitting on my left and you are considered a youth speaker.
I have two proclamations to be read.
The first is by Congressman Yvette D.
Clark, US State United States House of Representatives, whereas Brooklyn serves as a proud and vibrant borough reflecting the rich cultural diversity of communities from around the world.
It is a time honored tradition within the United House of Representative to recognize the individuals and organizations whose contributions strengthen our communities and advance the public good.
And whereas the International Council for Small Business ICSB founded in 1955, is the world's oldest and largest organization dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship and supporting micro small and medium size enterprises, fostering innovation, economic opportunity, and sustainable growth through a global network of educators, researchers, policymakers and practitioners spanning more than 130 countries.
Whereas the United Nations through General Assembly resolution A res 712 79 designated June 27th as MSME Day in recognition of the vital role MSMEs play in promoting sustainable development, creating jobs, driving innovation, and reducing poverty throughout the world, and the 2026 celebration carries special significance as ICSB commemorates its 71st anniversary, marking seven decades of leadership in champion entrepreneurship, empowering small businesses, and cultivating the next generation of innovators and business leaders across the globe.
Whereas this year's theme, human centered entrepreneurship in an AI driven future underscores the importance of ensuring that technological advances and innovation remain grounded in human values empowering individuals, strengthening communities and expanding economic opportunities for all and whereas under the distinguished leadership of doctor Kishan Kim, chair of the ICSB board, doctor Iman L Tbishi President and Chief Executive Officer of ICSB and doctor Winslow Sargent, immediate past chair.
That's me.
The organization has continued to expand entrepreneurship education, research, and policy dialogue while fostering global collaboration and economic development.
Whereas, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, I proudly salute and commend the International Council for Small Business on the occasion of the 70th anniversary and join in celebrating MSME Day 2026 in recognition of the organization's steadfast dedication to promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic empowerment and for enduring contribution to communities throughout Brooklyn, United States, and the global community, Now, therefore, I Yvette D.
Clark, member of Congress, representing the Ninth Congressional District of New York, do hereby acknowledge the International Council for Small Business and MSME Day 2026 with great honor and recognition in witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States House of Representatives to be affixed this 25th day of June 2026 Yvette.
The next proclamation is from the Honorable Charles E.
Schumer.
Whereas, on the 26th day of June in the year 2026, the United Nations and the International Council for Small Business, ICSB will host the 2026 UN micro small and medium sized enterprises celebration.
I am grateful for the opportunity to recognize the incredible leadership of ICSB on its 70th anniversary, including Chair Kishan Kim, CEO Amon L.
Tbishi and immediate past Chair Winslow Sargent, for their work over the years to establish and recognize this annual celebration.
Whereas the UN micro small and medium sized Enterprises Celebration observance was established by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A res 71279, an effort spearheaded by the International Council for Small Business, together with the Republic of Argentina securing the United Nations formal recognition of the vital role that micro small and medium sized enterprises play in the global economy.
And whereas this year, ICSB will celebrate its 70th anniversary this year for seven decades.
The organization has been committed to advancing entrepreneurship worldwide and fostering an exchange of knowledge and expertise among its members through its World Congress, influential academic journals, informative publications, specialized programs, webinars, workshops and training sessions, ICSB has worked tirelessssly to expand and support small businesses throughout the world, and whereas this year, MSMEs Day will hold the theme of humane centered entrepreneurship in an AI driven future.
ICSB has always worked under the idea that business begins with people, not profit or process.
This year's celebration commences at a time where technology is changing rapidly.
The celebration will reaffirm ICSB's belief that innovation must remain in service of human dignity and shared opportunity, which will positively impact businesses for generations to come and therefore, be it known that I, Senator Charles E.
Schumer, do hereby recognize the International Council for Small Business, along with the United Nations as it comes together to exchange ideas and perspective regarding global businesses.
I know that both of these institutions will continue their outstanding work for years to come.
Best wishes for a wonderful event, Sign signed this 26th day of June in the year 2026, Charles E.
Schumer, United States Senator.
This is the proclamation from Senator Schumer.
You will be able to see it.
Thank you.
And this is the proclamation from Representative Yvette D.
Clark.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I would like to ask doctor Nico Baldegg and doctor Jeffrey Als to come to the stage right here on the podium.
And then I would like to ask also miss Linda Acellano.
She's sitting all the way in the back to come up onstage right here.
And then, at this point, it's the last act that we will do here.
I would like to first thank the Republic of Korea for their outstanding leadership for this forum, and I'm very grateful to Ambassador Yu Cha and his team for the commitment to advancing entrepreneurship and innovation on the global stage of Korean K entrepreneurship.
And also, I would like to thank the Mission of Barbados for their support.
Now it's time to recognize some very special people and we will do it here at the center stage of the Ecosox chamber.
I'm going to ask my colleague doctor Kishan Kim to ask all the leaders of the people that came from Korea to be here standing in the middle.
Call their names Yun who is co principal of Korean Y Entrepreneurial School program.
The other step to come to all here.
Just Thank you.
We would like to recognize her effort for bringing all these wonderful students from Seoul South Korea.
The amount of hours and time and support she has done has been incredibly amazing.
Her work here and what you have seen here is because of her dedication and love to the students.
Let's give her a big round of applause, everybody.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Had taza.
Thirst, I wanted to share my feeling about the Korean yesterday session.
Of course, the international session is excellent.
Actually, it's amazing.
I think she encouraged the student.
He enabled them to speak here like this.
Dedicated.
Actually, I think he cannot sleep at all yesterday.
I think they are dreaming.
Thank you.
Thank you.
We would like to give her a commemorative coin for MSME Day.
With that, the chair of the board will hand you a commemorative coin of the UN to remember this day forever.
Who.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Next, it is a great delight.
I would like to introduce another person as hardworking, as energetic.
I met him the first time in Cairo, where he came in and amazed everybody.
Now, I am half Egyptian, as you all know, and I am half Italian.
Proviso Professor Cg Pre.
I would like Rico Baldeger to talk a little bit about Professor Qar and I'm just going to stand here looking good while he gives you all the talk.
I have to say Mario rai is an innovative professor doing a lot of investment for students.
I saw it and we gave him Nv in Cairo, let's say and's really a good example for you in entrepreneurship for students.
Congrads.
I mean, you want to say something Italian to everybody? Microphone.
If I will speak Italian, although I can speak English because I a est regi questingaantastic, I.
Do we need a person, I can reg can be render vio as they built a company in two months without even knowing each other because they want to take care of one plot of six sector of lands.
But I mean, it's just an example of what they can do because they don't even know each other, but they're doing something great.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
One picture? One.
Malia.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Hold on.
Oh, we move it down a little bit.
Two more awards and then the best is for last.
When we decided to bring the youth here, the first person that came to my mind and I called her and I messaged her, I said, you need to activate the mom network.
I think the mom network are back there and they're looking at us.
And she said, doctor Tubisi, you have it.
And they brought in the most brilliant young minds here.
So we would like to recognize miss Linda Acellano for her amazing work.
And we would like to give her the award, a commemorative coin for all your effort and Tyler's here.
I am personally grateful.
She used to be my student.
Linda, this is for you.
Thank you.
Stand behind you.
She'll lead here, Linda.
Thank you all so much.
I am just so honored and so impressed by my girls that came, the moms that came with them, and all the youth that spoke today.
The future is bright, so we know that we are leaving this world in good hands.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You can go back now I have known this person and he is one of the most global experts in entrepreneurship and small business.
I've known him for years now.
His knowledge, his wisdom, and his youth spirit in asking questions is unmistakable.
I'd like to recognize doctor Salvatore Zechini from OECD to come up here to be recognized for all your years of dedication and effort on entrepreneurship and small business.
Let's give him a big round of applause, everybody.
Salvator Salvatore.
I know, I always surprise you.
Wait, the coin, show it to everybody.
Yep.
Thank you that.
Yep.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, doctor Salvatore.
Want a quick word? This is not the first time I have come to this meeting at the United Nations, but I'm very much impressed by the passion and the knowledge that the youngest generation has shown here and these people come from worlds that are far apart from what we used to call the West.
Which means there is a kind of spreading out of knowledge, experiences and successes that teach lessons to everybody.
It's no longer a case of the West teaching and instructing the East or the South, but it's let's say a reciprocal relationship where every side in the world We'll learn more how to cope with the challenges of the future.
But we will have another opportunity to delve into this subject.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Salvador, you can go down.
I would like to ask Jeff and Linda to come and center stage here.
Now, this is the moment that I've been waiting for for the whole day here.
On behalf of the International Council for Small Business and everybody that was involved here, we would like to recognize all the young future leaders here.
We would like you to stand here one by one.
We will be awarding you a medal from ICSB to recognize yourselves for the amount of work.
Once you take the medal, we would like you to stand right at the end here and then we'll take a good picture and we'll end.
With that, I would like to ask Mr.
Chairman to come in the middle here, to shake your hands as we give you the medal as well, and my team will be providing the medal.
Let us start with Professor Ques team.
Why don't you come here and we'll take pictures for everybody, and then Linda's mom's Network, you're next.
Then last but not least, the Korean amazing stars here.
Yaa Veloce.
And the chairman will put them on.
Yeah.
Kishan, you want to put them on medal.
So you get here, shake hands, and then they'll give you the medal.
Give the medals to Rico.
Go ahead, Bradley.
Okay.
What's Rico Rico here.
Alright Alright.
Just give me these.
Thank you.
There we go.
Go ahead.
Go.
Bravo.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Okay.
Bravo.
Okay.
Oh, here.
I'll treat you.
Well done.
Thank you.
Oh.
There we go.
Beneath metals.
We're trying to figure this out and we go.
Bravo.
Thank you very much.
Raga.
Thank you.
That's good.
Congratulations.
Nice job.
Thank you.
You did amazing.
I remember you.
Yeah.
Well, then, any moment.
Okay.
Keep walking, keep walking.
Keep going down those more metals.
Oh, I plotted for you.
And then, all right.
Next.
Do you have some? Keep going.
I know you.
Amazing.
Thank you so much.
Oh, I can give you.
You did so good.
Good job.
One more.
One more.
All right.
Okay.
Couple more? Okay.
Al keep going down because you're, can do it on yourself.
Oh there.
Thank you.
All right.
We have one more.
One more.
One more.
Come here.
Take a medal and go down.
Okay.
All right.
Then I would like to recognize all the team that supported.
Sky and your team and everybody.
What? Oh, the Korean kids, please.
I'm sorry.
Yeah, you guys, I need to later.
Later.
Yeah.
Oh, you have medals.
Everybody has medals.
You have medals.
Guys, you got to move down.
Oh gosh.
Linda, just go down this way.
Winzor, you got to tell them to move down.
We'll take pictures at the end, everybody.
Just move down.
We'll take a lot of pictures at the end.
Keep going.
Keep moving all the way down.
Oh, you have a meal.
Okay.
Just keep going down.
All right here, medal, you have it? Oh, you have med? Okay.
No, no, Linda, let them give it here.
All right.
Come this way.
Cher.
Give me a medal medal.
She needs a medal.
All right.
Can you take the chairman in the middle? Wait, and then I'd like to get the preparation team Sky and your team.
Kishan down there.
Come guys, come, Jeff, you got to help me.
All right.
I'm so proud of you guys.
You made it.
I'm going to best middle of you.
Tammy, middle? We need.
We have a couple.
We have more.
Yeah.
Then we have more.
That's it.
I think we have everybody.
All right, everybody.
This is for pictures now.
This is for history purposes.
Let's all big smiles.
Valeria, take over.
I'm going to stand there should I stand.
Hi everybody.
Let's do it.
One, two, three.
Oh my God, two.
Wait, don't.
Don't.
Waste.
Wait, everybody.
And then everybody in the audience, come get a picture.
You'll be in it.
Let's go.
Let's go.
This is for memory.
Professor Passi Salvatore.
In the middle, come up here.
Let's come.
Salvatore.
Pay attention to the photographer.
That's right.
Let's do it fast.
You can see this.
Punch, punch the other.
One, two, three.
Another one, one, two, three.
Yes.
Yes.
One, two, three.
I'm with the cat.
One, two, three, wait let's do.
One, two, three, Yes.
Yes.
Be devil.
Be Bel.