13 October

The Girl I Am. The Change I Lead: Celebrating International Day of the Girl with We Can Be

Each year, the International Day of the Girl offers a powerful reminder of the potential, resilience, and brilliance of girls everywhere. The 2025 theme – “The girl I am. The change I lead” – captures a bold and hopeful spirit. Girls and young women are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are already leading today.

At We Can Be, this message is at the very heart of what we do. Our annual programme helps girls and young women see the City as a place where they can belong, thrive, and build fulfilling careers. It develops confidence, broadens aspirations, and provides invaluable exposure to inspirational women working across a wide range of industries.

Designed to empower young women to step confidently into their futures, We Can Be connects students from London schools with leading businesses across the City. The programme offers participants a unique insight into the world of work, helps them build essential skills, and inspires them to see themselves as future leaders – not someday, but now.

Since its launch in 2018, We Can Be has been a transformative experience for thousands of girls. The day provides the chance to meet professionals from a diverse range of industries, take part in skills and confidence-building workshops, and discover new possibilities for their own career and leadership journeys.

As we look towards We Can Be 2026, our spotlighted theme is Future Leaders. This means not only introducing young women to the corporate world but actively empowering them to shape it. Participants are encouraged to see leadership as more than a title – it’s about curiosity, courage, and the confidence to drive change in their communities and beyond.

None of this would be possible without the valuable support of our participating businesses. Over the years, organisations such as Linklaters LLP, Standard Chartered Bank, Schroders Investments, LGT Wealth Management, EdenTree Investment Management, Payden & Rygel, Liberty Specialty Markets, and many others have opened their doors and shared their time, expertise and inspiration.

These companies recognise that investing in young women is not simply a matter of social responsibility, it’s an investment in the future of leadership, innovation and equity. Through We Can Be, they help build a more inclusive and dynamic workforce where every girl has the opportunity to thrive.

By providing high-quality, meaningful engagements, our partner businesses have helped countless girls see new possibilities for themselves and given them the confidence to pursue them. Time and again, participants describe We Can Be as an “eye-opening experience” that changes how they see their future and how they see themselves.

The impact of We Can Be doesn’t end with the event itself. Many participants go on to seize further opportunities offered by partner businesses, exploring industries they might never have considered before. The inspiration and encouragement they receive have a ripple effect, strengthening their belief that they can be the change they want to see.

As we celebrate this year’s International Day of the Girl, we invite businesses across the City and beyond to play their part in shaping the next generation of leaders. By participating in We Can Be 2026, companies have the opportunity to make a tangible difference: to empower, inspire, and invest in the girls who will lead the change we all want to see. Together, we can help every girl say with confidence: “The girl I am. The change I lead.”

If your organisation would like to be part of We Can Be 2026, or to learn more about how you can support the programme, please contact Carla.Emmanuel@thelordmayorsappeal.org.

You can also find out more about the We Can Be programme here.