Project Everyone, UN Youth Office & Misk Unite Youth and Global Leaders for real dialogue

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Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — The “Unscripted: Building Connections for Hopeful Futures” session at the Misk Global Forum brought together youth advocates, global leaders, policy shapers, and partners committed to creating real, generational change through open dialogue, shared leadership, and honest storytelling.

The Unscripted format, first piloted during United Nations General Assembly week in New York, was created by Project Everyone, the United Nations Youth Office, SAP, and Misk. Its goal is simple but bold: remove the formality of panels, ditch prepared talking points, and bring different generations into the same room to build solutions together.

This Riyadh edition lived up to that vision.

A Room Built on Openness, Curiosity & Real Human Connection

There were no scripts and no hierarchy — only people who genuinely cared.
Youth advocates sat shoulder-to-shoulder with CEOs, UN officials, founders, diplomats, and strategists to discuss three core themes:

• People — Building skills that prepare youth for rapid digital change
• Planet — Renewing hope and action around the climate crisis
• Peace — Creating the conditions for justice, leadership, and stability

The session was facilitated by Dr. Sahira Al-Nahari, UN Young Leader for SDGs, a Saudi physician, TEDx speaker, and global advocate for human-centered systems. Her approach set the tone — honest, warm, intentional — reminding everyone that lived experience, not titles, drives meaningful change.

Quotes From the Room: Human Insights Driving Real Solutions

Noreen Kassam, Education Programme Manager, Project Everyone, shared a powerful message on why Unscripted matters:

“Young people don’t need permission to influence the future — they need spaces where their ideas are taken seriously. Unscripted is that space. It brings honesty back into global discussions and reminds us that hope grows wherever voices are heard without fear or hierarchy.”

She also emphasized the importance of continuity, highlighting why Misk was the right home for the second global edition:

“We started this format at UNGA to spark new ways of working together. Bringing it to Misk proves that youth–senior collaboration is not a moment — it’s a movement, and Saudi Arabia is helping shape its next chapter.”

Sudan Highlighted as a Nation of Beauty, Youth & Untapped Possibility

During the people-centered discussions, one of the Misk Global 20 Under 30 youth advocates, Kadmiel Van Der Puije spoke emotionally about Sudan — not as a nation reduced to headlines, but as a country full of:

• incredible natural beauty
• brilliant youth
• cultural depth and resilience
• resources that can support the region and the world

The message was clear: Sudan’s future must be rooted in hope, investment, and the brilliance of its young people.

This human storytelling aligned perfectly with Unscripted’s purpose — shifting global conversations away from crisis narratives and toward possibility.

The Connectors: Leaders Who Showed Up to Listen, Not Lecture

Unscripted brought together a powerhouse roster of connectors who engaged directly with youth:

• Omar Najjar, Deputy CEO, Misk Foundation
• Nina Brandt, Chief of Partnerships & Advocacy, UN Youth Office
• Riyadh Al-Zamil, Founder & Chairman, Raz Holding Group
• Mona Ataya, Founder, Mumzworld
• Wissam Kadi, VP of Global Initiatives, SAP
• Ahmad Alhendawi, Regional Director, Save the Children
• Alison Bellwood, Executive Director, Project Everyone
• Kefei Wu, Former Senior Strategy Manager, Space42
• And more…

Instead of giving speeches, they asked questions, listened deeply, and co-created ideas with the youth in the room.

Why Unscripted Matters for the Future

This session wasn’t about solving everything in 90 minutes. It was about something more powerful:

A global shift from hierarchy to shared leadership.

From New York to Riyadh, Unscripted is becoming a blueprint for how the world can meaningfully involve youth in shaping decisions — not as decorations, but as partners.

As Noreen put it:

“The future isn’t built by experts alone. It’s built through conversations like these — honest, cross-generational, and grounded in lived experience.”

A Movement, Not an Event

The partners — Misk Foundation, United Nations Youth Office, Project Everyone, and SAP — have committed to expanding this model, proving that when institutions create intentional spaces of humility and inclusion, youth don’t just participate…They lead.

The Riyadh session ended with a simple, powerful message echoed around the room: “This is how hopeful futures are built — together.”