Simon Cohen named Keynote Speaker for Made Impact Summit at UN
08.04.26
Simon Cohen Announced as a Keynote Speaker for the Inaugural Made Impact Summit at UN Headquarters
NEW YORK (August 4, 2026) – The Made Impact Summit has officially announced Simon Cohen, Chief of Compassion at the Muhammad Ali Center, as a Keynote Speaker for its inaugural gathering at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Cohen will deliver an address titled “Peace Keynote: Compassion in Action,” shaping compassion as an important strategic imperative for 21st-century leadership.
Unlike traditional conference keynotes, Cohen’s session will feature an interactive format. The room will transform into collaborative roundtables, challenging attendees to move beyond sitting and listening to having real conversations, solving problems together, and driving actual change. The session gives delegates practical ways to put compassion into action across their own institutions and communities.
For over twenty years, Cohen has brought people together across the globe to build stronger, more compassionate communities and values-led leadership. At the Muhammad Ali Center, he leads the development of the Muhammad Ali Index, a research initiative designed to measure and scale compassion globally.
At age 24, Cohen founded the international social impact agency Global Tolerance, leading campaigns and initiatives involving His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Majesty King Charles III, TED, the U.S. Department of State, and Gallup. He has previously addressed audiences at UNESCO, the World Economic Forum, and academic institutions worldwide.
The inaugural Made Impact Summit brings together global education leaders, storytellers, policymakers, social innovators, and international delegates to tackle our biggest shared challenges through collective action.
About the Made Impact Summit
The Made Impact Summit convenes at the United Nations Headquarters on September 1st to position international exchange as a proven engine for global peace and prosperity. By unifying the sector and elevating global education to the center of global strategy, the Summit is building a movement driven by one million stories.
Learn more about the Made Impact Summit here.
About the Muhammad Ali Center
The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky, is a multicultural museum and educational center dedicated to the life, boxing career, and humanitarian legacy of Muhammad Ali. Founded in 2005 by Muhammad Ali and Lonnie Ali, it features interactive exhibits based on Ali’s six Core Principles—Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect, and Spirituality—to inspire personal growth and social change. For more information, please visit https://alicenter.org/
