Our Speakers

My name is Adina Nivukoski, I am 23-year old education and womens rights activist, currently in the board of OECD youthwise. I have a long history in education policy first in Finland in student organizations, and later in Unesco nationally and internationally. I have taken part in the Unesco education comission for two consecutive years, and have also done work as a woman rights activist by participating in the European Law Students association delegation to the UN delegation on discrimination against women. Most important themes for me are how women's rights, education and the economy are intertwined. This is also the focus of my work in different organizations as well as as a columnist for different medias.

Giulia R. Barão is a consultant in the Young People on Transforming Education Project (YPTEP) at UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC), where she conducts research and communication activities and networking and collaboration among youth, supporting the project's evidence-based and youth-centered approach. With over ten years of experience in academia, government, and international cooperation, she has specialized in the internationalization of public policies and regional and multilateral cooperation in the areas of communication, education, and culture, exploring the interconnections between these fields in the advancement of sustainable development. Prior to joining IESALC, Giulia has been a public servant at the Brazilian Institute for National Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN), acting within multilevel cooperation initiatives and specializing in intangible cultural heritage. Throughout her career, she has also worked in Spain, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. Giulia holds a bachelor's degree in International Relations from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), and is a specialist in International Cultural Relations (CAEU/OEI). She has a master's degree in Culture of Peace, Education and Human Rights from the University of Cádiz (UCA) and a master's degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Salamanca (USAL). Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in Social Sciences - Comparative Studies on the Americas at the University of Brasília (UnB) with a Cotutelle agreement with the University of Salamanca, being an active member of the Latin American Studies Group at the University of Brasilia and the Regionalism Observatory (ODR), a network of researchers hosted by Unesp/ Unicamp and PUC-SP.

Sofia is a young education advocate from Argentina passionate about education and youth empowerment. Her advocacy focuses on youth mobilization, amplifying young people's voices and ensuring access to education for all. In 2022 she was recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Young People of the Province of Salta, Argentina (JCI TOYP) in the category "Contributions to children, world peace and human rights". Currently, she works at Education for Sharing; she is a Representative of the UNESCO SDG4Youth Network, Future Generations Global Ambassador by the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and Youth Ambassador for the UNESCO Chair in Education for Sustainable Development at Okayama University (Japan).

Musheer Alsharabi is an expert and a member of the Arab Youth Sustainable Development Network (AYSDN). An Education Specialist at AYSDN and SDF organizations in Yemen. A highly skilled and motivated individual with a Master's Degree from IIUM University, Malaysia and holding extensive experience as a Managerial Director at AYSDN, as well as Education Officer at SDF. Possess passion as a climate change activist and with the leadership role in the OML-MENA Fellowship program as well as demonstrate commitment to addressing critical global challenges. Possess strong analytical skills, excellent communication abilities, and a proven track record of success in managing complex projects and leading cross-functional teams.

Prof. Murata started to work at UNDP in 1981. He assumed various positions at UNDP representative offices in Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, China, Mongolia, and the Philippines, before serving as a UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator in Bhutan from April 1999. In 2002, he was appointed to become a Professor for School of Policy Studies, Kwansei Gakuin University. Also, in 2004, he held another position as a Director/Faculty Chair, Research Centre for International Human Development at the university. He is specialised in conflict issues and related aid policies in developing countries. In November 2006, he returned to UNDP to become a Director/Representative of UNDP Tokyo Office, before serving as a Deputy Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in July 2011. Upon completion of UNDP and UN/ESCAP assignments, he returned to Kwansei Gakuin University in the fall semester, 2015 and served as a Special Visiting Professor, School of Policy Studies, before taking his current positions as a Professor for School of Policy Studies and Dean of the UN and Foreign Affairs Studies Programme at the university from April 2016. REFERENCE International Labour Organization. (n.d.). Expectations for the ILO in the 100th anniversary. Referenced from https://www.ilo.org/tokyo/about-ilo/WCMS_712964/lang--en/index.htm

Mayada Adil is a Sudanese medical doctor, fashion designer, women’s rights advocate for health equity and a refugee rights activist. Based in France, Mayada has worked on campaigns focused on ending gender-based violence, specifically against female genital mutilation in Sudan and Mali. Mayada was selected by the French Foreign Ministry to represent Sudanese youth at the Paris Conference for Sudan in 2021, where she also addressed the French President Emmanuel Macron and emphasized the important role of the youth in facilitating a democratic transition and enacting political and economic change. Mayada has also represented Sudanese women at the Generation Equality Forum, where she addressed the importance of integrating refugee women in societies and communities across France. Mayada co-founded the LaLoupeCreative artistic platform, which aims to outreach to refugee artists around the world to provide them with an opportunity to participate in a training programme that can help develop their skills and create “art clinics”. She is also recognized as a climate advocate and creative champion of the We!Are campaign by Crtve Development — a pan-African social agency that champions change on the African continent through storytelling and campaigning on key issues, including climate justice, food security, gender equality, health equity, migration, and peace. REFERENCE United Nations. (n.d.). Mayada Adil. Referenced from https://www.un.org/youthenvoy/mayada-adil/

Hanyuan (Karen) Wang is a climate entrepreneur with a data science background from China. Her goal is to build technologies to facilitate decision-making in order to combat climate change, especially in developing countries. Karen serves as the CEO and founder of Climind, a data-as-a-service platform that delivers actionable climate data infrastructure through AI technologies to facilitate mitigation and adaptation solutions. Karen is also a research assistant at Imperial College London’s Centre for Climate Finance and Investment, where her work centers on voluntary carbon markets, climate risks, and nature-based solutions with a particular focus on the Asian market. She was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 as a founding member of Carbonbase, a climate technology startup providing carbon accounting software to help institutions meet their net zero goals. In addition to her climate-focused pursuits, Karen has gained valuable experience in the data sector through her work with Merrill Lynch and Microsoft. She went to Hong Kong Baptist University, Imperial College London, and is a Schwarzman Scholar from Tsinghua University. With her Bai ethnic background Karen also dedicates her time to preserving the Bai dialect in China.

Carola Cantaluppi is a highly motivated master degree graduate in international cooperation and human rights. Her academic experiences deepened her knowledge and curiosity about cultures, international development, and human rights. Multiple volunteering experiences ignited a strong and sincere desire to contribute to the social transformation, that is why nowadays she is passionate about innovation aimed at reaching a positive social and environmental impact in our society. She is in charge of Public Affair within InnovUp, the Italian Association which unites and represents the Italian ecosystem of innovative entrepreneurship and collects around 500 members.

With a background in humanities, Cecilia gained her initial experience working with a Geneva-based NGO advocating for human rights. She later moved to Barcelona to work for a prominent consulting firm. Currently, Cecilia holds the position of Commercial Sustainability Manager at ClimatePartner, an international company headquartered in Munich supporting businesses throughout their entire climate action journey by assisting them in measuring and managing their carbon emissions.

Daniel Maselli holds an MSc in Biology and a PhD in Geography from Bern University. He is currently a Senior Policy Advisor for the Water Section and Focal Point for the water network at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC. Daniel has been pushing youth to the front stage by launching the Youth Climate Dialogues in 2015, creating the first dedicated youth space at the Climate Conference in Marrakech in 2016 (COP22), composing the world’s largest postcard with over 125’000 climate messages of youth exposed on a glacier in the Swiss Alps in 2018, initiating the ‘1 Million Youth Actions Challenge’ (1MYAC.com) in 2020, conceptualizing the youth space at the World Water Forum in Dakar in 2022 and most recently promoting the Global Youth Movement for Water through the ‘fill-up-the-glass’ campaign linked to the UN Water Conference in New York last March. Daniel is passionate to analyze, reflect and act upon root problems in development cooperation as he strives at finding effective entry points on how best to trigger systemic change and societal transformation by implementing durable solutions that will lead to true sustainable development and a decent life on Earth for future generations.

Cameron Camillo, a 27-year-old Frenchman, is a passionate individual who dedicates his path to sustainable development, aiming to bridge the gap between the scientific and diplomatic worlds. With a background in biology from Canada, Cameron has acquired a comprehensive understanding of sustainable development issues through many experiences. One notable endeavor was his study trip to India and Nepal, where he compared conservation methods between these countries and Canada, considering the influence of religion on the preservation of flora and fauna. This cross-cultural exploration expanded his global perspective on sustainable development. Cameron has gained international experience as a youth representative in the natural sciences, actively coordinating the implementation of the Youth UNESCO Climate Action Network (YoU-CAN) project. Additionally, he was a junior consultant for the SDG4Youth network, accompanying the project to the TES 2023 summit at the United Nations in New York. Simultaneously, Cameron remains engaged with Earth Charter International and is pursuing a double Master's in Sustainable Development and Environmental Sciences at Uppsala University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Currently, Cameron's first thesis is undergoing examination and validation. Focusing on the factors and preferences influencing seafood consumers, he surveyed participants from the nine Baltic Sea countries. Consumption and demand for seafood are partly responsible for the pressure on marine ecosystems and their fragility. Cameron focused on a more social dimension, emphasizing an understanding of the importance of sustainability and food tradition for consumers. His research adopted a holistic approach to consumption and underscored the significance of integrating and understanding people's eating habits into SDG12 and SDG14. Next autumn, his second thesis will focus on the variation/spatial patterns of perch (fish) and whether this could be explained according to different environmental pressures between the Swedish coasts of the Baltic Sea and Swedish lakes. Cameron's dedication to sustainable development, cross-cultural experiences, and academic pursuits showcase his commitment to fostering a more sustainable and environmentally conscious world.

Architect, artist, and researcher. His practice covers housing, institutional, and public building projects in Egypt and the Arab region, focusing on design within historic structures. Particular emphasis is placed on the historical roots of traditional local architecture and its connection to modern society. In addition to practicing conceptual architecture, he is working between Alexandria and Marseille as an independent cultural consultant for Mediterranean collaborations in academic and cultural institutions. His area of expertise varies between conducting field research, and designing, developing, and implementing urban heritage and social strategy projects. This includes teaching about shared cultural heritage and conducting action-oriented workshops and courses.

Dr. Huhua Cao is currently a cross-appointed professor between the Department of Geography and the School of International Development & Global Studies at the University of Ottawa. He specializes in urban studies, particularly on topics related to city, population, mobility and environment, from an international perspective with the use of advanced geospatial and statistical analysis. Professor Cao has directed various national and international transdisciplinary research and training projects that have received external funding from Canada, European Union, China, and Cameroon. He has also written numerous books, articles, chapters and reports while collaborating with academics, professionals, and politicians all over the world. Since 2015, as the founding co-president, Dr. Cao has led a joint initiative with The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat): The International Conference on Canadian, Chinese and African Sustainable Urbanization (ICCCASU). ICCCASU is an international think-tank for exchange and cooperation on issues relating to sustainable urban development, focusing on Canada, China and Africa. Moving beyond the conventional practice of North-South or South-South cooperation, ICCCASU fosters a triangular dialogue that altogether accounts for more than 30 percent of the world’s urban population.

Michael Ojo is an architect, an SDSN Local Pathways Fellow (2021 Cohorts), and a research student in the Master of Science in Urban Strategies program at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. He is passionate about contributing solutions to environmental sustainability and societal inclusion at the intersection of economics, ecology, technology, and politics. Founder of "Let’s Build for Humanity Initiative". Global Hack for Earth Competition winner, Human Rights Category. An SDG Catalyst Global Member. Michael is currently exploring the dynamics of a socially inclusive and sustainable future in cities and communities. He is from Nigeria.

Keren Asaba is a Geoscientist and a Certified Drone Pilot. She works as a drone flight operator at TOA Custodian Nigeria LTD where she uses drone and data technology to monitor changes in vegetation along oil and gas pipeline rights-of-way. She also supports the international scaling up of UNICEF’s African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA); where she was part of the inaugural graduating class. Additionally, she supports Green Yoma which is a Youth Market Agency that focuses on the social, environmental, and employment needs of young people. These initiatives are dedicated to supporting youth in their journey from learning to earning. Furthermore, Keren is also an active member of a vibrant network, Women in Geographical Information Systems (WiGIS) Uganda. She serves on their Innovations Taskforce and uses her position to empower fellow WiGIS members by sharing her expertise and knowledge in the field of data science.

Currently working as the Head of Partnership and UN Liaison at UNESCO IESALC, Ms. Bosen Lily Liu has been leading consensus-making among multi-stakeholder to promote transforming education, establishing partnerships to support increasing access and quality of higher education, leading South-South Cooperation on strategic higher education planning and financing. At the same time, she also leads the Young People Transforming Education Project, organizing a Global Mapping exercise and Intergenerational Dialogues with youths and for youths to promote student-led innovative solutions in education. Prior to taking on management responsibilities, she has worked for UNESCO since 2020 as a Policy Analyst on higher education with a focus on innovation, in 2018 as the technical focal point of UNESCO to Namibia’s Ministry of Education to provide support on Namibia’s National ICT Policy revision and Implementation Plan, and in 2015 as a publication intern at UNESCO HQ on Open Educational Resources and Mobile Learning, Higher Education Convention, and Education Assessment for MDGs. In parallel with her roles at UNESCO, she has also been an Expert Group Leader, leading 28 experts, for the “Focus Group on Environmental Efficiency for Artificial Intelligence and other Emerging Technologies (FG-AI4EE)” at International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies since 2020 and successfully launched the Technical Report on “Guidelines on the implementation of eco-friendly criterias for AI and other emerging technologies.”

Emmanuel Ganse works within civil society for transparent, peaceful and inclusive elections and for the inclusion of youth online through capacity building on digital opportunities, risks and threats online. He is a also member of the steering committee for electoral platforms and network of more than 250 civil society organizations. In 2021, Emmanuel founded the Tonafa Institute whose mission is to educate youth on non-violence, the culture of dialogue and conflict mediation techniques. Through his organization, Emmanuel also works to equip women on political mobilization techniques to ensure better representativeness in elections. Emmanuel is also leading communications for the Benin Bloggers Association through which he has coordinated several campaigns with United Nations agencies in Benin, including UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF to create positive change for the protection of the environment and the promotion of youth and women’s rights. In 2022, Emmanuel was one of eleven young leaders selected from around the world by the European Commission to participate in the European Development Days where he advocated for the importance of civic tech for the promotion of peace and civic behavior.

Mayra Gómez is currently studying towards a bachelor's degree in international relations at the Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico City. She has always been passionate about UN Models, and has taken part in local ones as well international ones in countries like Indonesia, Peru and Venezuela. She has also become very interested in the topic of sustainability, especially the SDG and 2030 agenda, topics for which she organised the first SDG Inter institutional Latin American Congress "Youth Leads". She has been a speaker in international events and received multiple awards such as the Bernardo Quintana Rioja on leadership.

Eddie Mandhry is a Senior Fellow at Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic venture co-founded by the former CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt & Wendy Schmidt. He is presently building the Virtual Center for Advanced Potential, a global network of researchers and practitioners working to advance the field of talent discovery and development with the aim of connecting individuals from traditionally underrepresented groups worldwide with opportunities within the innovation economy, and facilitating their contributions to scientific advancement. He was most recently Director for Africa and the Middle East at Yale where he led the university president’s Africa Initiative, and led Yale’s bi-directional partnerships across Africa and the Middle East. His work was at the intersection of people, ideas, and institutions pursuing innovative solutions to urgent global challenges through cutting-edge research spanning the sciences, humanities, and arts. Prior to joining Yale, he was the Associate Director of NYU Africa House, and the NYU Abu Dhabi Center for Technology & Economic Development supporting collaborative research networks focused on economic theory, global labor markets, migration, and the impact of technology on development. Previous to that he was the Washington D.C. Director of Global Kids Inc. He is a Carnegie New Leader and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. Eddie holds an MSc. in International Relations from the London School of Economics, and a BA in Political Science/African Studies from Hampshire College. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Nudhara Yusuf is a Research Assistant with the Global Governance, Justice & Security Program where she coordinates the Global Governance Innovation Network (GGIN). Prior to Stimson, Nudhara worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s SDG Integration Team and the UNDP Regional Bureau for the Asia Pacific’s Strategic Foresight Unit. Previously, she worked on Education and Training with the World Federation of United Nations Associations and supported the British Shadow Secretary of State for Justice in the UK’s Parliament. A Dean’s List graduate of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from University College London, Nudhara is the founder and trustee of several grassroots NGOs and CSOs across India and the UK. Her research primarily focuses on governance of and with future generations, the role of globalization and development in the shifting multilateral architecture, and engaging youth and civil society in governance and multilateral institutions. In addition to her role at Stimson, Nudhara also serves as Coordinator of the Global Futures Forum, Global Youth Coordinator at the Coalition for the UN We Need (C4UN), was formerly a fellow with UN University’s Center for Policy Research to support the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Advisory Board for Effective Multilateralism, and an honorary advisor to the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY.

Ala Mustafa is a member of the Youth Platform for Peacebuilding in Yemen, a youth-led platform that works to promote Yemeni youth participation in Peacebuilding. Currently serving as the Programs Manager at AYSDN, he possesses expertise in engaging young individuals to actively participate in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Ala's role as the Global Ambassador for Yemen at Youth4Nature demonstrates his unwavering commitment to environmental protection and his tireless efforts to educate the youth about the intersection of Climate Action and Peacebuilding. His work has allowed him to influence and inspire young people in Yemen to become advocates for the environment.

Daniele Guadagnolo, born on 5 May 1993 in Arona, Piedmont, currently works as a Strategic Communications and Digital Marketing Specialist at international organizations and private sector companies. Graduated in economics from the University of Milan Bicocca, he specialized in marketing, strategic communication and climate diplomacy. He is the co-founder and active member of various non-profit organizations and networks present in Italy and internationally, including Change For Planet and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Youth Action Hub of Italy. In addition, the European Commission has named him European Climate Pact Ambassadors, and he is co-founder of Modus Foresight: a consultancy firm based in London. He participated in the last four Conference Of Parties (COP) as an Observer and represented Italy at the last Youth4Climate Summit: a global initiative aimed at presenting concrete ideas and proposals on some of the most pressing issues on the climate agenda. His goal is to create concrete projects and initiatives that can inspire anyone to live a more sustainable life.

Faye Ying's passion for public engagement has inspired her to explore a wide range of professions in the Canadian parliament, the University of British Columbia, venture capital, and the United Nations. This cross-sectoral global working experience has endowed her with a global understanding for local engagement, an entrepreneurship mind-set, cultural sensitivity and experiences in task-oriented leadership. Faye received her B.A. from UBC and an M.A. from Harvard University. She is a proud mother who is constantly juggling the responsibilities of family, work, and community services.

Enthusiast Real Estate Development Manager. Mr. Andrea has +15 years of experience in asset management and advisory companies. During most recent experience managing more than 2Bn of alternative residential assets (student housing, BTR, urban regeneration areas), from inception to development, as Head of Living first then Head of Urban Regeneration managing teams of up to 10 direct reports and coordinating complex projects involving dozens of stakeholders. Holds a degree in Finance and an executive master's in Real Estate, attended a series of ad-hoc courses on town planning, structuring, and fiscal aspects, currently enrolled in a project management executive master.

FULL PROFESSOR Proxy to Sustainability and Social Responsibility. IULM University Professor at the Department of Business, Law, Economics and Consumption Faculty of Communication.

After a degree in Law, Roberta Bonacossa, a climate activist, specialized with a Master's in International Cooperation with a thesis on climate change, human rights, and development in Madrid. In 2019 she co-organized the first Local Conference Of Youth on Climate Change (LCOY) in Italy, an event supported by the United Nations. In 2020 she became President and co-founder of Change For Planet, a non-profit association that pursues the goal of accelerating sustainable development by aiming to increase climate literacy to have a real impact on local communities. In 2021, she will participate as a delegate at COP26 in Glasgow. She is currently the Project Manager of Soleterre ONLUS.

Stefanos Fotiou is an international expert on environment and sustainable development with over 25 years of experience in the United Nations system, private sector and research organizations. He currently serves as Director in the Office of Sustainable Development Goals in FAO as well as Head of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub hosted by FAO. In these roles, Stefanos provides strategic leadership and oversees implementation mechanism to support countries developing and implementing SDs based agrifood transformations. Prior to joining FAO, Stefanos served16 years in the UN Secretariat including6years as Director in the Environment and Development Division of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific as well as 10 years in the UNEP leading global and regional work on green economy and sustainable consumption and production.

Beth Eden is the Chief Executive Officer of QS ImpACT, a global charity recognizing young people for their positive impact on society, regardless of their background or upbringing. She believes every young person has the power to create change through community impact to transform society toward the SDGs and a regenerative future. She has been working on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, previously the Millennium Development Goals for over a decade (attending the UN at the young age of 13). She was recognized as one of Canada's 30 under 30 Sustainability Leaders with Corporate Knights and a 25 under 25 Environmentalist with Starfish Canada in 2020 for her work with Climate Action, the SDGs and Community Mobilization in Canada. Beth also uses her experience in environmental studies from her degree at the University of Waterloo and her experiences in community mobilization in her role as Impact Producer for documentary films to reshape narratives and participation in global environmental issues.

Aashna Shah is the Community Engagement Manager of QS ImpACT, a global charity recognizing young people for their positive impact on society, regardless of their background or upbringing. She believes that young people have the power to mobilize their community to drive change. She has been an advocate for accessible climate education for all for the past decade. Knowledge can help youth and kids to transform societies towards achieving the SDGs and a regenerative future. She got her Environment and Business degree from the University of Waterloo which has spearheaded her drive to get young people to be changemakers.