90 Youth Voices
Throughout our history we have consistently offered opportunities for young people to have their voices heard on a global stage.
We help them develop skills and confidence to work together to address the challenges which face us all.
In our 90th year we brought together 90 young people from around the world to develop skills, get inspired and build connections.
Read the 90 Youth Voices’ statement
Meet our 90 Youth Voices
Abdel Rahman Al-Refae
Jordan
Abdel Rahman is a student at the Royal Jordanian Geographical Center. His passion for solving Rubik’s Cubes and intelligence games has led him to become a proficient trainer. He is also talented at problem solving, coding and technology. Abdel Rahman volunteers with the organisation NAYA and supports social and youth development.
Amanda da Cruz Costa
Brazil
Amanda is a young adviser to the UN Global Compact, founder of the Sustainable Perifa Institute, and presenter of #TemClimaParaisso?, a programme about the climate crisis. In 2021 she was deputy curator of Global Shapers, the youth community of the World Economic Forum.
Angela Petrovska
North Macedonia
Angela is a journalism graduate. She currently works on video and multimedia stories at Vidi Vaka. Previously, Angela worked for national television and Scoop, the Center for Investigative Journalism. While at CIVIL – Center for Freedom and Television 24, she monitored and reported on the elections in North Macedonia.
Anna Kovalevych
Ukraine
Anna is an activist and aspiring lawyer. She is currently balancing her law degree with volunteering. Anna is passionate about photography and folk dance. She loves immersing herself in new experiences and growing her knowledge by attending workshops, participating in forums and travelling.
Ariadne Stagkou-Bell
Greece
Ariadne works for a large Greek company, helping to create an inclusive workplace and monitoring human rights issues across its operations. In 2022 she co-created the sex education project CLiTTERATES, which empowers young women to make informed decisions about their bodies, sexuality and sexual health.
Aththanayake Mudiyanselage Pavithra Indunil Aththanayake
Sri Lanka
Pavi is a passionate environmental educator, conservationist and zoologist. She is currently Senior Executive at the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka. Over the last six years, Pavi has connected with more than 10,000 school children and 130 youth community leaders to promote environmental education and climate action.
Ayah Adnan Diab Al-Refa’e
Jordan
Ayah Al-Refa’e is a Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at a civil society organisation. She studied translation at university, completing her degree despite a two-hour commute and challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. Ayah Al-Refa’e is the author of imaginative short stories and articles, as well as a content creator.
Aymane Akraray
Morocco
Aymane balances his studies alongside working. He enjoys sports, especially boxing, and is passionate about opportunities for self-development.
Aynur Murtuzaliyeva
Azerbaijan
Aynur is a teacher at a local government school, as well as a facilitator teacher. A keen volunteer, she is now working on a book reading project with primary schoolchildren and a nature protection initiative. Aynur has previously volunteered with the Food and Agriculture Organization and Uluchay, the Social-Economic Innovation Center.
Ayoub Charif
Morocco
Ayoub volunteers at Raouabit Assadaka Association, an organisation committed to building an equitable and inclusive society. He is passionate about his professional growth and currently completing a traineeship. In his free time Ayoub enjoys music and fitness.
Batool Wajiha Zaidi
Pakistan
Batool is studying for a BASc in Arts and Sciences at University College London (UCL). She works with the UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education to identify young people’s environmental policy priorities. In 2023, she was President of the UCL Sign Language Society. She also organised events for the UCL Ahlulbayt Islamic Society.
Betselot Zewge Tefera
Ethiopia
Betselot is the founder and Creative Director of ZEMENAY, Ethiopia’s first size-inclusive fashion line. She is determined to change the views of the plus size industry and raise the profile of sustainable and ethical fashion. Betselot attended fashion school before going to university to pursue a degree in Marketing Management.
Borbála Roza
Hungary
Borbála is a software engineer and animation student. She works with a start-up specialised in visual storytelling. As a student in animation, she is passionate about providing marginalised Hungarian communities with a visual platform to share their narratives and missions with the wider public.
Brejdon Xhavara
Albania
Brejdon is a journalist. As well as working on different media projects, he leads the media NGO Community Reporters Albania. As part of the Balkan-Egyptian community, he is passionate about empowering Roma and other Balkan-Egyptians through community journalism.
Bukky Adebowale
Ireland
Bukky is the former national Vice President for Equality and Citizenship within the Union of Students in Ireland, where she represented over 134,000 students. For her master’s thesis, Bukky conducted ground-breaking research on ethnicity representation in fertility, cementing her as a trailblazer in the field of women’s and reproductive health.
Chaimae Younes
Morocco
Chaimae is a PhD student specialising in the modelling and optimisation of hybrid desalination systems based on renewable energy. Her research and experience in water resource management and renewable energy informs her work to promote environmental awareness and sustainable development.
Cherubim Mawuli Amenyedor
Ghana
Cherubim is a passionate digital marketing and transformation strategist. He won Ghana’s Youth Social Entrepreneurship Competition in 2017 and went on to establish Strimpe, a start-up aimed at finding digital solutions to some of Africa’s biggest challenges. Cherubim is a 2023 Mandela Washington Fellow and the Alumni UK Ambassador for West and Central Africa.
Chi Nguyen Tran Mai
Viet Nam
Nguyen is a Research Assistant at RMIT University Vietnam whose work has been published in journals, conference proceedings and books. Driven by a passion for new media and digital literacy, her research explores communication in critical areas such as healthcare, gender equality, sustainability and entrepreneurship.
Diana Anselmo
Italy
Diana is a Deaf performer and visual artist. While completing their Master’s in Theater and Performing Arts they debuted Autoritratto in tre atti (Self-portrait in Three Acts), which is still being performed at European festivals. Diana is a founder of Al.Di.Qua. Artists, Europe’s first professional association of and for disabled artists.
Diborah Ermiyas Mezmur
Ethiopia
Diborah is a plan and project director at a youth-led organisation and programme manager at a private children’s education company. She is currently studying International Relations and Social Work.
Dyas Alifiadisty Winata
Indonesia
Disty is a communication for development professional and leadership adviser. She is the co-founder of Indonesian Youth Diplomacy, a youth-led organisation that aims to increase youth participation in international forums.
Eleni Kakouri
Greece
Eleni is a data analyst in the private sector. She works with many NGOs to support gender equality in Greece. Eleni has a particular interest in the sustainable use of AI and technology.
Elham Moradi
England
Elham is pursuing her studies in computing at Milton Keynes College. Passionate about teaching, she volunteers her time as a maths teacher at her local library. Elham is a sports enthusiast and especially enjoys badminton and volleyball.
Eva Breberová
Czech Republic
Eva is studying at a business academy and hopes to go to art college. A keen performer, Eva loves to sing, play guitar, dance and act on stage. Getting to know new people is her favourite thing to do.
Evelina Stikane
Latvia
Evelina balances academia with her passions for chess, swimming and volleyball. She works with an NGO and volunteers for Future Heroes, the British Council’s entrepreneurship competition for girls. Evelina enjoys connecting with her cultural heritage by performing traditional Latvian folk dances and taking part in improvisational theatre.
Farhana Chowdhury
Bangladesh
Farhana is a postgraduate student at MC College Sylhet. She was previously youth leader for the LEAD Bangladesh project and now has the same role with IDEA, a local NGO. Farhana has also been involved in the social action project Safe Environment, which works with the local government and community to ensure a clean and safe place to live.
Filip Pawlak
Poland
Filip is completing a Master’s in Performing Arts in Sweden and working on his own artistic projects in Poland. He works in theatre and dance and is particularly interested in the art of disabled artists. In his practice he focuses on issues of identity, normativity and the construction of pride.
Gayani Sandamali Dissanayake Bohingamu Mudiyanselage
Sri Lanka
Gayani is studying for her PhD at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. Her focus is on introducing an eco-friendly method to improve the growth of urban trees. For her work in environmental conservation and social services, Gayani was chosen as the British Council in Sri Lanka’s Youth Climate Ambassador in 2023.
Geri Emiri
Albania
Geri is the founder and Director of Amfora Center, which aims to improve journalism in Albania, and the creator of Amfora.al, an online media platform. In 2020 he won second place at the EU Awards for Investigative Journalism in Albania. Geri is a mentor and has published several manuals for journalists and local activists in Albania.
Greta Topjana
Albania
Greta is a journalist and television presenter. She works at Euronews Albania as host of the show Good Morning Albanians. As an activist, she promotes young people’s rights and participation in decision-making processes. She also leads the youth NGO IDE Albania. Greta has a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master’s in Political Science, Governance and Integration.
Hamza Isah Baffa
Nigeria
Hamza has a Bachelor’s in Microbiology and a diploma in Computer Science. While at university, he made history by becoming the first elected individual with a disability to serve as a welfare secretary in his faculty. He advocated for accessible school infrastructure, including libraries, laboratories and restrooms.
Israel Campos
Angola / Portugal
Israel is a freelance journalist for the BBC and the Portuguese service Voice of America, focusing on political, environmental and societal Angolan issues. His work has appeared in media outlets including Al Jazeera and The Wall Street Journal. Israel won the inaugural Press Freedom Award from the Angolan Journalists Union and in 2023 published his debut novel And the Sky Changed Color.
Jacqueline Cruz Aguila
Mexico
Jacqueline is a human rights defender. She provides companionship to women in abortion situations, advocates against ableism, and works to expose symbolic and structural violence. Jacqueline is also a member of Real Justice plus, a non-political youth network in Latin America fighting for HIV justice and sexual and reproductive healthcare.
Joanitta Najjuuko
Uganda
Joanitta works with the Climate Smart Youth Action Network as an agronomist. She trains young people and women in climate smart agriculture and advises them on best agronomic practices, as well as tracking the progress of their gardens.
Jose Mari T Callueng
Philippines
Jose Mari is a National Council member for a non-profit human rights watchdog. He supports victims in case preparations, doing legal research and gathering evidence. He has a Juris Doctor degree from Adamson University College of Law and was previously the national president of the oldest alliance of campus journalists in the Philippines.
Júlia Dias
Brazil
Júlia is a social environmental project manager and lawyer. She is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in Management and Projects in the Third Sector. Júlia is a member of the Jandyras Network – Advocates for Climate and Social Justice in Belém. She also leads the Smart Cities initiative at Lab da Cidade, making Amazonian cities resilient and adaptive to climate change.
Kamil Oleszkiewicz
Poland
Kamil works with young people from underprivileged backgrounds at a local community centre. He is also an education specialist at NASK, the National Research Institute, and a member of the EuroPeers network, where he promotes opportunities for young people within the EU. Kamil’s work has been recognised by the EU agency SALTO and the National Agency for Erasmus+.
Khola Abdalla
Libya
Khola is a junior doctor and project co-ordinator for a local peacebuilding NGO. Khola is a passionate advocate for gender equality and a skilled debater and debate trainer. She has a background in civil society activism and expertise in collaborating with diverse NGOs.
Kristiāns Zaķēns
Latvia
Kristiāns is the President of his local youth council, running activities for young people. He also does volunteer work. He is a keen folk dancer and enjoys writing poetry.
Laman Alizadeh
Azerbaijan
Laman is a school teacher. She enjoys finding new opportunities to improve her teaching skills, including the British Council’s Learning Hub project, where she gained invaluable insights into innovative teaching methods.
Laura Sofie Tohver
Estonia
Laura studies politics and international relations in Manchester. In high school she founded a foreign politics podcast, which led to the creation of Unknotted Media. The NGO encourages young people to share their thoughts and opinions on global affairs. Laura is interested in research around security, energy, economics and relations between Eastern Europe and the rest of the world.
Lízbeth Díaz Cruz
Mexico
Lízbeth Díaz Cruz is an ecofeminist, human rights defender and environmental activist. She specialises in gender and youth perspectives for projects and public policies on climate justice and social dignity. She is currently as a youth adviser for the Climate Skills Programme in Chiapas.
Myron Dominick Zamora Manalastas
Philippines
Myron is a law student at Adamson University. He worked closely with the legal aid department to give legal advice and draft legal documents for cases to be heard in courts. He has represented clients at an NGO and handled labour cases for workers being exploited by large corporations. Myron is passionate about raising awareness of child abuse and promoting children’s rights.
Marina Zec
Serbia
Marina is the Editor-in-Chief of the Serbian online magazine Oblakoder, which focuses on culture and society. She is studying for a PhD in Media Management and is a lecturer at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, University of Arts in Belgrade. She is interested in how social media is changing contemporary journalism.
Mazin Mohamed Abdelrahman Mohamed
Sudan
Mazin is a journalist and travel filmmaker. He co-founded Visit Sudan, the largest tourism platform in the country, and is Director of Mazin Urso Creative Production, a media company championing peacebuilding and community development. Mazin has a Master’s in Media Practice for Development and Social Change from the University of Sussex.
Mehedi Hasan Bappy
Bangladesh
Mehedi leads the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition youth and adolescent programme in Bangladesh. He has steered impactful campaigns for climate action and safer food, and supports young people to meaningfully engage in sustainable development and policymaking. Mehedi is now working to achieve transformative change in food systems.
Mohammed Qajoum
Libya
Mohammed is a Political Science major with a background in humanitarian aid. Currently working as a researcher, he focuses on understanding global politics. Mohammed also enjoys competitive debating and was honoured to receive the Best Speaker Award at the International Universities Debating Championship in Arabic.
Mykhailo Bushtruk
Romania
Misha is a stand-up comedian who loves to make people laugh. He is the founder and owner of Stand-Up Club and previously worked as a tattoo artist and engineer. Misha currently volunteers with and organises events for Ukrainian refugees and young people.
Nada Ehab Ibrahim Mohamed Meghawry
Egypt
Nada is an assistant lecturer at Cairo University’s Faculty of Mass Communication. She has been involved in national and international community development programmes covering advocacy, gender issues, edutainment and youth empowerment.
Naresh Sharma Awasthi
Nepal
Naresh Sharma Awasthi is a social activist. He works with young community leaders, civil society organisations and policymakers on youth issues and engagement. Naresh has run training and leadership programmes for young people in Nepal, and has a background in good governance, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and climate change.
Neringa Garlaitė
Lithuania
Neringa is a social work student and volunteers for a local youth NGO. She is passionate about human rights, equality and sustainability. In her spare time, Neringa loves arts and crafts, especially bringing old clothes to life through embroidery.
Nichita Danilov
Romania
Nichita is currently enjoying his gap year. He volunteers with children and coaches them in table tennis. A sports enthusiast, he also loves travelling, being outdoors and reading about politics, society and climate change.
Oisín-Tomás Ó Raghallaigh
Northern Ireland
Oisín-Tomás is the former chair of the Northern Ireland Youth Forum. He has spent the past eight years fighting for young people to be heard on the issues that affect them. His advocacy efforts include advising on British Council youth programmes and speaking up for children at the United Nations.
Omar Ouarraq
England
Omar has Moroccan heritage but has lived most of his life in Italy. He now lives in England. He is interested in IT and enjoys gaming, martial arts and exercising in his spare time.
Oscar Abimael Hernández Pérez
Mexico
Abimael educates people about the environment, running workshops to help them live a more sustainable life. He is interested in climate change and young people’s perspective on it. Abimael lives in a diverse city and enjoys working with people of different cultures and backgrounds.
Öykü Tural
Cyprus
Öykü is a junior doctor at the Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust Emergency Department. She has participated in structured dialogue projects like Resolve: Peace Camps in London and attended the Youth Peace Camp in Strasbourg. Her interests lie in conflict resolution, gender equality and intercultural dialogue.
Pantelis Karamanis
Greece
Pantelis is Marketing Communications Manager at the Hellenic Organization of Cultural Resources Development. He has a background in adult education and career counselling. Pantelis volunteers as a mentor for postgraduate students of Leeds University Business School, and collaborates with the British Council on gender equality projects.
Rafeef Al-Shuwaykh
Iraq
Rafeef is a Research Associate for a business consulting firm. She’s working on a research project for the brand HALA Eco, testing their water station’s quality and detecting microplastics in sold bottled water. Rafeef volunteers with Chemists Without Borders and is interested in environmental research.
Ramin Sayadi
England / Afghanistan
Ramin is a UK-based journalist specialising in fostering international understanding and co-operation. Driven by a passion for improving relations between the EU and the UK, he has collaborated with organisations such as the British Council and Connects-UK. Ramin is dedicated to using online platforms to solve problems and address the challenges facing young people.
Resa Fahed Ali
Iraq
Resa is the secretary of the board of trustees of a public aid organisation. Resa is passionate about youth empowerment and enjoys travelling.
Rhia Aysha Danis
Wales
Rhia is a project co-ordinator for a restoration charity working with indigenous communities across Colombia, Uganda and India. She is a Board Member at Refugee Youth Service, a Climate.Cymru Ambassador, and was recently selected by UN Women to act as a delegate for the 67th Commission on the Status of Women. She has worked at grassroots and international NGOs including SolidariTEE, WWF-UK and the UN.
Rhiannon Muise
Northern Ireland
Rhiannon has a Master’s in Media and Broadcast Production from Queen’s University Belfast. She is currently studying for a journalism qualification with the National Council for the Training of Journalists. Rhiannon also works for the radio station U105.
Romanos Orfeas Tofis
Cyprus
Roman is a political science graduate with a strong interest in youth diplomacy and transparent governance. As a UN Youth Champion for Environment and Peace, he is committed to climate advocacy efforts at the local level. He currently works as a policy assistant at a policy think tank and has a podcast about international relations.
Rory Chapman
Scotland
Rory has a diverse political background with stints in both the UK’s House of Lords and House of Commons. As an External Affairs and Outreach Officer for the Health and Social Care Alliance, he focuses on building stronger connections between Europe and Scotland.
Rutaba Tariq
Pakistan
Rutaba is Regional Programme Co-ordinator at Faith For Our Planet where she leads initiatives such as the Youth Interfaith Leaders Fellowship on Climate Change at Duke University, USA. Since 2017, Rutaba has volunteered as Pakistan’s country co-ordinator for the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum, training 50,000 young people on politics, policy, and diplomacy.
Sam Bailey
England
Sam is a software development apprentice at a small waste management company. He is passionate about technology and took part in the British Council’s recent AI Hackathon, as well as a sustainability-themed trip to Bristol. Sam loves listening to and playing music.
Samuel Leivy Opa
Indonesia
Samuel is Education Division Adviser at Seasoldier Sulawesi Utara, focusing on environmental protection. He founded Manado Maritime Youth and launched the project Maritime Hero to educate coastal children in the Bahowo seaside village of Manado, North Sulawesi. Samuel also lectures in Marine Science at Esa Trinita Science and Technology Institute.
Sarani C Ranaweera
Sri Lanka
Sarani is a project co-ordinator for EarthLanka Youth Network and the hub leader for Sustainable Ocean Alliance Sri Lanka, leading reef and beach clean-ups, awareness workshops, mangrove plantings and coral conservation. She is a fellow of the Women Divers Hall of Fame and hopes to become a rescue diver.
Serafima Kolodkina
Estonia
Serafima is a ballerina, choreographer and theatre producer. With the community theatre in her hometown Narva, she has conducted more than 150 interviews and many projects with residents. She likes to promote Estonian culture and helps local children learn the Estonian language.
Shamim Ahmed Mridha
Bangladesh
Shamim is the founder and Executive Director of Eco-Network Global, a youth-led non-profit addressing climate change and environmental challenges. He has worked on many climate education programmes and campaigns, and represented young people at COP28 and other UN climate conferences. Shamim is a winner of the Princess Diana Legacy Award.
Sharon Browne-Peter
England
Sharon is Director of the UK-based social enterprise Cells of a Generation C.I.C. It runs a charitable arm in Nigeria to support people with sickle cell disease. Sharon is passionate about transforming complex medical information into accessible and engaging narratives through comic books. Her latest, The Crisis Saga, has recently been published.
Shreya KC
Nepal
Shreya is the former co-ordinator of Nepalese Youth for Climate Action. She now co-ordinates the advocacy working group in the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition. Shreya’s work has been recognised by the North American Association for Environmental Education and in two books: Stone Soup for a Sustainable World and 50 Girls Saving Our Planet.
Soumaya Sabry
France
Soumaya has a Master’s in Data Science and is now completing a PhD in Computer Science. Her research focuses on integrating empathy into virtual agents to enhance their human-like qualities and enable patient interaction. Soumaya also lectures on chatbot technology at a university in Paris. Her ambition is to use her expertise in computer science to help others, a passion that inspired her to become a teacher.
Stephen Amponsah Adinkra
Ghana
Stephen is the founder of an agribusiness that specialises in organic vegetable production and soilless media production. He focuses on developing sustainable methods to produce high-quality, affordable food that is environmentally friendly. Stephen trains young students and adults in vegetable farming and environmental conservation. He is also pursuing a Master’s in Horticulture.
Tamara Arsic
Serbia
Tamara is a project manager at Belgrade Open School, where she focuses on designing and running regranting programmes and strengthening civil society organisations and media in Serbia. Tamara has a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Master’s degrees in Criminology and International Security.
Tara Grace Connolly
Northern Ireland
Tara is Communications and Campaigns Officer at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. She was the first person from Northern Ireland to be appointed as Ireland’s UN Youth Delegate, representing 1.3 million Irish young people at the UN. In 2018 she co-founded Our Future, Our Choice NI, a youth-led pro-EU campaign.
Tiba Salah Khalifa
Libya
Tiba is a law student and debate coach who lives by the motto ‘be the change you want to see’. She created the radio show hewar2030 to support Libya to work towards the Sustainable Development Goals, and has led community building initiatives including an anti-bullying project and volunteer cleanups.
Tirsana Wendry Kailola
Indonesia
Tirsana is an educator and educational programme developer. She co-founded Pohon Sagoe Maluku Foundation, which creates safe and positive places for children and young people to grow and learn. She also began a teacher development programme to improve the quality of early childhood education in Maluku.
Tran Nguyen Hoang Long
Viet Nam
Tran Nguyen Hoang Long is an environmental major at Can Tho University. He has expertise in environmental management and climate change, and is currently working on two British Council-funded projects to reduce the effects of climate change in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta.
Trung Phan
Viet Nam
Trung is a senior researcher at Can Tho University’s Research Institute for Climate Change. His research interests include water hazards and climate change-induced social vulnerability of the marginalised community in the Lower Mekong River Basin.
Veronika Mishchuk
Ukraine
Nika is Executive Director of Volyn Youth Center. She has launched two pilot programmes with the British Council: a local ideathon and Youth Connect for Ukraine. Nika now works with the VіdNOVA:UA exchange programme supporting young Ukrainians to participate in recovery processes.
Waleska dos Santos Queiroz
Brazil
Waleska is a researcher and master’s student in Smart and Sustainable Cities at Nove de Julho University. Her focus is on climate justice. As a 21st-Century Climate Leader for Youth Climate Leaders, she presides over Rede Jandyras and co-ordinates the COP das Baixadas Coalition, addressing race, climate, gender, cities and advocacy.
Yasmine Sherif Talaat
Egypt
Yasmine is the founder of WNL, a social initiative focused on gender and stereotypes. Its aim is to raise awareness of gender-based violence and how to prevent it. Yasmine is studying Mass Communication at Cairo University and has experience in PR. As well as advocating for women’s rights, she is passionate about fashion and filmmaking and enjoys singing at Cairo Opera House.
Zenani Gbadume Josephine
Nigeria
Zenani is a successful entrepreneur and changemaker. She works on initiatives to promote girls’ rights and human development, and is passionate about making a difference in her community and inspiring young women to build a better world.
Through online and face-to-face learning activities and study visits to all four nations of the UK, these young people developed trust, connections and networks that will enable them to build a fairer and more resilient world.
We welcomed 20 of our Youth Voices to Cardiff, Wales. Welsh poet Mari Mathias commemorated the visit with a special poem inspired by centuries-old Welsh poetic traditions that breathe life into forgotten tales and celebrate change. It highlights the Welsh language, yr iaith Gymraeg, as a vital component of modern Welsh identity – a linguistic bridge connecting past, present and future.
90 Youth Voices is part of our global youth leadership programme, Youth Connect.
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