The inaugural ‘21CC: The Challenges of the 21st Century’ event took place on Saturday 15 February 2014 at The Sheldonian Theatre. It was organised by a talented group of 11 undergraduates and supported by the Oxford Martin School. We brought together a mix of Oxford Martin School academics and external speakers to debate four key challenges affecting the world: shifts in economic power, infectious diseases, the future of food and humanitarian aid in conflict zones. This brief report is a summary of some the discussions.