21UP Movement Inspires at the Global Leadership Summit and Royal Charity Ball 2026
- Perry Blake
- Jul 11
- 8 min read
Young people network with world leaders, perform before royalty and celebrate life-changing achievements
Some opportunities change your day.
Others change your future.
For ten young people from 21UP Movement CIC, attending the Global Leadership Summit and Royal Charity Ball 2026, hosted by Her Royal Highness Princess Kendal Aminat, was one of those unforgettable experiences that could stay with them for years to come.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of HRH Princess Kendal Aminat, 21UP Movement was gifted 10 sponsored places at this prestigious international event, alongside sponsored accommodation at the Hilton Dover Marina Hotel & Spa.
For many of our young people, this was their first opportunity to sit alongside international leaders, keynote speakers, humanitarians, entrepreneurs, community champions and distinguished guests from around the world.
This was about far more than attending a prestigious event.
It was about access, aspiration, confidence, leadership and opportunity.
It was an opportunity to witness leadership in action and to see, first-hand, what can happen when young people are given access to spaces they may never have imagined themselves entering.
A Weekend of Youth Leadership, Inspiration and Opportunity at the Global Leadership Summit and Royal Charity Ball 2026
The Global Leadership Summit and Royal Charity Ball 2026 brought together professionals and changemakers committed to creating positive change across communities and around the world.
Throughout the event, delegates shared stories of resilience, innovation, humanitarian work, mental health advocacy, community leadership and social impact.
For the young people of 21UP Movement, being surrounded by people working across different sectors created opportunities to listen, learn, ask questions, network and gain a wider understanding of leadership.
It also reinforced an important message:
Your background does not determine the rooms you are capable of entering.
When young people are given the opportunity to experience influential environments, they can begin to see themselves differently. They can develop confidence, raise their aspirations and recognise that their voices have value.
Hosted by Her Royal Highness Princess Kendal Aminat
A central part of this extraordinary experience was the opportunity to be hosted by Her Royal Highness Princess Kendal Aminat, a humanitarian leader whose work is centred on compassion, advocacy, leadership and creating opportunities for people who are often overlooked or unheard.
Princess Kendal’s life and work reflect a commitment to protecting vulnerable people while promoting hope, dignity, peace, education and positive change.
Her work spans a wide range of humanitarian and community-focused areas, including:
Supporting missing children and missing persons investigations
Suicide prevention
Mental health awareness
Humanitarian aid
Trauma recovery
Peace advocacy
Education
International community development
Supporting vulnerable families
Princess Kendal also serves in numerous humanitarian, professional and leadership roles, including Commander in Chief of the Central Investigation Agency for Missing Children, Founder and President of Jaggar Street Global, United Nations Peace Ambassador and Patron of the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program.
Alongside these responsibilities, she is an award-winning author, television presenter, radio host, forensic psychologist, criminologist, qualified counsellor and humanitarian.
Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to protecting vulnerable people while promoting hope, dignity and peace.
What Is HRH PKA?
Princess Kendal also leads HRH PKA, a humanitarian movement committed to creating opportunities, restoring hope and inspiring future generations.
Its vision is:
“A global movement of inspiration for the next generation, leading in embracing the path that we dream, and having the power within us to achieve our dreams.”
The movement is built around values including honesty, respect, humanity, peace, knowledge growth and acknowledgement.
HRH PKA champions initiatives including mental health support, suicide prevention, missing persons awareness, human trafficking prevention, trauma recovery, peacebuilding, youth leadership, educational opportunities, humanitarian aid and community development.
Through Jaggar Street Global, HRH PKA also works to support emergency accommodation, trauma relief, youth development, humanitarian projects, educational initiatives and services that protect vulnerable people nationally and internationally.
These values closely align with the work and ethos of 21UP Movement.
For the young people attending the Global Leadership Summit and Royal Charity Ball, this therefore represented much more than an invitation to a prestigious occasion.
It demonstrated what can happen when people in positions of influence choose to open doors, create platforms and invest in the next generation.
We are incredibly grateful to Her Royal Highness Princess Kendal Aminat for making this opportunity possible and for recognising the potential of the young people of 21UP Movement.
Perry Blake Represents 21UP Movement as a Keynote Speaker
The experience became even more significant as 21UP Movement Founder and CEO Perry Blake was honoured to be invited as one of the event’s keynote speakers.
During his address, Perry shared the journey of 21UP Movement, highlighting the organisation’s mission to create life-changing opportunities for young people and explaining how lived experience has been transformed into a movement that empowers the next generation.
Perry also expressed his sincere gratitude to Her Royal Highness Princess Kendal Aminat for the invitation and for providing such an incredible platform for the young people of 21UP Movement.
One of the most meaningful aspects of his speech was being able to champion the remarkable young people in attendance, celebrating their resilience, achievements and potential in front of an audience that included world leaders, royalty and distinguished guests.
Creating spaces where young people are recognised, celebrated and inspired remains at the heart of what 21UP Movement does.
Young King (YK) Performs Before Royalty and World Leaders
One of the proudest moments of the evening came when 21UP Movement’s youngest performer, Young King (YK), took to the stage.
Performing in front of royalty, international guests and world leaders is an experience that many young performers can only dream about.
YK delivered his performance with confidence, charisma and infectious energy, receiving fantastic praise from those in attendance.
His performance demonstrated the incredible talent that exists within the next generation when young people are given the opportunity and platform to shine.
Watching one of our youngest members perform on such a prestigious stage perfectly demonstrates why 21UP Movement continues creating opportunities that allow young people to believe in themselves.
A Royal Honour for Joel Ampong
Another unforgettable highlight came when Joel Ampong received a Royal Award recognising his outstanding contribution to young people and public speaking.
Joel has embarked on his own public speaking tour across London, using his voice to inspire others while raising money for the orphanage he visited in Ivory Coast last year.
His commitment to using his voice for positive change and giving back demonstrates what youth leadership can look like in action.
Joel’s award was thoroughly deserved and serves as an inspiration to other young people who believe that their voice can make a difference.
Everyone at 21UP Movement is incredibly proud of his achievement.
The Power of Networking with World Leaders
One of the greatest benefits of attending an event of this calibre is the opportunity to build relationships with people creating change across different sectors and communities.
Throughout the Global Leadership Summit and Royal Charity Ball, members of 21UP Movement had opportunities to meet humanitarian leaders, entrepreneurs, charity founders, professionals, international delegates and distinguished guests.
For young people, networking is about much more than exchanging contact details.
It is about learning from others, sharing ideas, discovering opportunities, developing communication skills and building relationships that can create lasting impact.
Experiences like this can help young people raise their aspirations and reinforce the belief that they, too, belong in influential spaces where important conversations are taking place.
Why Access to Experiences Like This Matters
Many of the young people supported by 21UP Movement have faced significant challenges.
Some have experienced poverty.
Others have experienced trauma and adversity.
For some, attending a prestigious event alongside international leaders and influential figures may once have seemed completely out of reach.
That is why access matters.
When young people enter environments like the Global Leadership Summit and Royal Charity Ball, they can begin to see possibilities that previously felt distant.
Their confidence can grow.
Their aspirations can become bigger.
Their understanding of leadership can change.
They can begin to recognise that leadership is not reserved for a select few. It can be developed through dedication, integrity, confidence, communication and hard work.
Hearing inspirational stories, meeting professionals from different backgrounds and experiencing new environments can broaden horizons in ways that traditional learning alone cannot always achieve.
These experiences can help young people build confidence, develop communication skills, strengthen ambition and dream beyond the limitations that society may sometimes place around them.
Turning Tracksuits into Suits and Ties
At 21UP Movement, we often say:
“We Turn Tracksuits into Suits and Ties.”
That statement has never simply been about clothing.
It represents transformation.
It represents helping young people recognise their potential.
It represents preparing them for boardrooms, conferences, interviews, universities, businesses and leadership positions.
The Global Leadership Summit and Royal Charity Ball 2026 was another powerful reminder of what can happen when young people are given access to opportunity, positive role models and people who genuinely believe in them.
When those ingredients come together, extraordinary things can happen.
Thank You, Princess Kendal Aminat
On behalf of everyone at 21UP Movement, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Her Royal Highness Princess Kendal Aminat for her kindness, generosity and belief in our organisation.
By sponsoring 10 places and accommodation at the Hilton Dover Marina Hotel & Spa, she created an experience that our young people will remember for years to come.
Her investment was not simply in an event.
It was an investment in the next generation.
As our young people returned home inspired, motivated and filled with new ambition, they carried with them memories, friendships, connections and experiences that could influence the course of their futures.
We are proud of every young person who represented 21UP Movement and grateful to everyone who continues to believe in the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for young people.
Help Us Create More Opportunities for Young People
The Global Leadership Summit and Royal Charity Ball 2026 is just one example of what can happen when young people are given access to new environments, influential role models and opportunities to discover their potential.
But there are thousands more young people who need opportunities to build confidence, develop leadership skills, discover their talents, broaden their horizons and believe in what they can achieve.
At 21UP Movement, we are committed to creating those opportunities.
We welcome businesses, community organisations, schools, professionals, funders, volunteers and individuals who share our belief in the potential of young people to get involved.
Whether you can provide funding, opportunities, mentorship, expertise, connections or simply help us spread the word, your support can help us open more doors.
Be Part of the 21UP Movement
The future belongs to young people, but the opportunities we create for them today can help shape the leaders they become tomorrow.
The Global Leadership Summit and Royal Charity Ball 2026 showed what is possible when young people are welcomed into influential spaces, given a platform and surrounded by people who believe in them.
This is what youth empowerment looks like.
This is what youth leadership development looks like.
This is what creating opportunities for young people looks like.
And this is why we continue to live by our values:
“Turning Tracksuits into Suits and Ties.”
Because only together can we rebuild the village that once raised the child.
Let’s work together to build a brighter future where young people are celebrated, heard, and supported. Join us in making a difference today.
Leadership begins with you. Get involved now and be part of the movement that transforms lives.
Join the 21UP Movement today and help unlock youth potential across the UK and beyond.
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