Community Corner

Millbrae Woman to Participate in Global Youth Leadership Conference

Seren Pendleton-Knoll, 24, will represent US at summit in Switzerland.

Seren Pendleton-Knoll, a 24-year-old Millbrae resident, will collaborate with young people from the US and the World at a conference in Switzerland to discuss pressing global issues.

Pendleton-Knoll will act as an ambassador for the US, along with about 800 other youth representatives from over 100 countries at the second annual One Young World Summit held in Zurich, Switzerland over Labor Day weekend.

“Internationally, I think there is a lot of negative feeling about the US,” she said. “And, it would behoove the US delegates to leverage our own talents so we can represent [the country] in a positive manner.”

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The summit will focus on issues impacting the environment, media, business, health, leadership and religion. Dozens of political, business and environmental leaders, such as Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will also be in attendance.

“I am very interested in the religious discussions, which will focus on countries going to war because of religions differences,” Pendleton-Knoll said.

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She learned about the conference at the beginning of July, after the application deadline. Although organizers granted her an extension, she only had one week to raise the necessary $5,000 to attend the Swiss summit.

After several rejections soliciting donations from local companies – which told her they would support organizations but not individuals – a friend told her about the fundraising website indiegogo.com. She received $1,000 from an anonymous donor and eventually exceeded her $5,000 goal by $50.

Currently, she is the program coordinator for the San Mateo County Youth Commission, which is comprised of 25 youth delegates throughout the county that serve on local commissions and discuss issues affecting young adults. She hopes to attend UC Berkeley this fall to pursue a Ph.D in social work as well as a law degree.


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