AHMAD SAID AYAD
Jordan Ahmad Ayyad is an Electrical Engineer graduate from the University of Jordan. Since he was a kid, he had a mission to change a world into a better place. Therefore, he began to volunteer in many places such as being a Google Student ambassador in his university and an IEEE Student Branch chair where he carried out many well-attended technology events in Jordan, finally he started TechnoEcho to empower youth through education and training to help them create technological innovations. In 2013 he won the social entrepreneurship prize in Jordan for the positive impact he had left in his community. Currently he’s expanding TechnoEcho Activities aiming to have a larger sustained impact 
ASMA ABOUALI
Morocco Asma from Agadir, Morocco. Student at ENCG Business School, preparing Master’s Degree in Marketing and Sales Operations. Has a strong knowledge and background in Marketing, entrepreneurship and project management through both academic and professional internship programs. Besides, I am the President of Student Ambassadors for Peace - Agadir chapter. The organization aims to represent and empower students locally and make their voice be heard globally thanks to our international network. We organized educational workshops for children and other community members, hosted well experienced people to share their passions and knowledge with us, partnered with local organizations, and we aim to initiate other events and campaigns targeting issues including Children's Education, Health Care, Women's rights, and many more. 
AYAZ SHALAL HASSAN
Iraq/Syria Ayaz Shelal Hassan is Kurdish, Iraqi, Syrian. He is a business major student from the American University of Iraq – Slemani (AUI-S). He is studying two minors as well which are International studies and journalism. He is currently working as a project manager at (Asuda Organization) a Non-Profit Organization in the city of Slemani. Ayaz is an alumni of the SUSI (Study of the U.S. Institutes) 2014 program in the United States. He is also a fellow of Amends program in Koc University in Istanbul. Ayaz is a peer educator trainer at UNFPA and the founder of Social Awareness organization (SAO) at AUIS. He is a consultant for (WE) Women Empowerment Project for Yazidi girls in Mosul. He is a writer in AUI-S voice newspaper and the Freedom Writer news paper. He is currently writing a book about homosexuality in Iraq. He also wrote several articles about Love, God, Religion, Women Rights, Honor killing, and Child abuse. He believes in liberty, love, equality, and peace. He believes in "If I want to be happy I want to make others happy as well." To fulfill this, he is working with Asuda organization to bring in gender equality in the region as a first step toward his journey to change the world. 
DANIEL BAREKET
Israel Daniel Baraket is a social entrepreneur currently work at the Israeli office of Ashoka, innovators for the public, as a program manager, consulting social entrepreneurs in different stages. Daniel founded Ashoka's Israeli media channel "Kikar Ashoka" - (www.kikarashoka.org.il) which presents news and articles about social innovation in Israel and abroad and is one of the co-founders of Wize - a movement that have organized over 300 lectures in pubs across Israel for the past three years in order to bring quality knowledge into the nightlife, and today operate on 7 cities by 30 volunteers. Daniel is currently working on a startup in the field of social activism: a mobile app that will break down large scale social problems into small actions that can be done anytime anywhere by anyone - thus reducing barriers and bringing more people into being involved. 
EMAN HAMDAN
Palestine Eman Hamdan holds a Bachelor degree of Business Administration from Birziet University in 2012. She began her youth work from being volunteer and team leader along with other team members at Esnad the Palestinian Initiative for Supporting Students, ESNAD, provides access to education and encourages academic excellence by offering university scholarships to students to ultimately break the cycle of poverty in underprivileged Palestinian communities. The grassroots approach is to foster a culture of volunteerism and civic engagement among students, while also financially supporting their educational careers. During this year she was selected by UNESCO to participate in the World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development proud to present Palestine as one of the youth delegate to come up with youth recommendation toward suitable development, also selected to be youth ambassador by the Arab Thought Foundation for the year 2014-2015. MOHAMED GIBRIL
Libya Mohamed Gibril is the co-founder of the Libyan Climate Change Group, Member of International Climate Champions, and a member of the Global Change Makers initiative. Mohamed received his B.S in Political Science from Garyounis University-Benghazi, M.A in Global Politics and Intercultural Studies Swansea University- Wales. He is currently doing his MPA in HR and nonprofit leadership. |
AMIR BEN AMEUR
Tunisia Amir Ben Ameur is a young Tunisian social activist, who advocates for youth development and democracy. Amir currently studies Economics and Political Science at the American University in Cairo as Middle-East Partnership Initiative tomorrow's leaders fellow. He has been involved in social activism since 2009 and is an alumnus of the English Access Microscholarship Program and the Youth Leadership Program for Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia. In March 2012 Amir founded WeYouth, a non-governmental organization that promotes youth participation in decision making, leadership, education, and civic engagement. He aspires to help young people build leadership skills in order to become change agents in their communities. He has directed several projects within his organization on gender advocacy, government transparency, and political accountability, and delivered trainings on leadership and youth development. Amir is currently the chairman of a national campaigns which aim to provide information and raise awareness about the 2014 electoral process, targeting citizens located in neglected areas in rural areas of Tunisia, which were funded by UNDP and MEPI. Amir also was nominated to be a member of World Learning INC Global Advisory Board.He has attended several national and international conferences and trainings on international relations, women empowerment, and social entrepreneurship in Turkey, Jordan, USA, France, Egypt and Italy. 
BAKHSHEEN TAHA SOLAEE BABARASOOL
Iraq Bakhsheen Babarasool has always said that she has to study something that she loves, because that’s the only way to both enjoy and serve through her career. That’s how she ended up studying environmental engineering. She’s now a sophomore student, since the early days of her college life she started working actively in environmental related issues, she established her first group of environment after two weeks of college life. She has been awarded four medals through her activities for peace making. In 2008 she earned a bronze medal from YUNEPO call for love and peace in Turkey. In 2010 she earned two bronze medals and one silver medal, those were via the international Turkish Olympics in which she had read poems, represented her nation and presented a presentation about education and culture. She was awarded by the minister of education of KRG for her activities. Among 1100 applied students she was the head of the chosen 15 delegates to go and meet the Turkish head of Parliament, prime minister and all the other ministers. She has represented her country through global media. She is also an IYLEP participant. She never misses a chance that facilitates her way for a better action. She believes that through environmental actions; lands will be kept clean, women can be put to work and domestic products can be more established. Her goal is to remind people to stand for what they’re standing on, to know that no matter how different they are in their beliefs and backgrounds, they will never be able express themselves if they didn’t know how to coexist together and protect their environment. 
FARHA ABDELHAQ
Saudi Arabia Farha Abdelhaqq is a third-culture kid (TCK) from Hejaz, S.Arabia. She is a journalist, digital producer, health advocate and a gender mainstreaming consultant. Farhaa has a professional and academic background in Media, International Development and finance. As a business journalist, she has covered almost all major business stories and events of Saudi Arabia in the last few years. She's the only KSA candidate certified in "Caring Economy Community Advocates Program. 
SAMIRA S. ABDELHAQ
Saudi Arabia Samira is a TCK (third culture kid) born and raised in the region of Hijaz in Arabia. She is an entrepreneur, an e-patient and an advocate for health and violence against women. Samira is a BSc in International Business, passionate about global public health and aspires to further her studies in that field after completing her current studies in MBA Islamic Banking and Finance. She is also certified in independent subjects of global health, public health, healthcare quality and violence (against women). Samira’s interest in healthcare came when she was repeatedly and confidently misdiagnosed and treated with wrong medicines, which led her to become what she calls ‘an empowered patient™.’ Trying to improve her country’s healthcare system, she created the first independent forum on ‘Optimal Well-Being™’ to show how much can be done with a grass-root, bottom-up and cross-cultural approach for a responsive and responsible healthcare system. 
HANAN ABDULHADI
USA Hanan is currently the Civil Society Partnerships program associate at the Project on Middle East Democracy in Washington, DC, where she works with civil society organizations in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Yemen. Before joining POMED, she served as Scholarships & Exchange Programs Director at AMIDEAST in Abu Dhabi, where she managed the Fulbright Scholarship program for the UAE. Hanan has extensive experience in the Middle East, where she lived and studied for twenty years. Hanan holds a Master’s of Public Policy with a focus on international development and advanced policy analysis from American University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a focus on Middle East politics and development economics from Davidson College. |
AMINA GUERRICHE
Algeria Amina Guerriche is a master student specializing in cross cultural studies at Abou bekr Belkaid University tlemcen, Algeria. She is a Georgetown MEPI alumna who has been working to promote citizenship and youth involvement in the society through different initiatives. Amina is an enthusiastic and versatile person willing to broaden her background and widen her perspectives through being engaged in a wide range of events, trainings, forums and associations both as a participant and organizer. She is a multilingual activist who served as a translator, editor, guide and teacher in many events and has been trained in different fields besides her academic one. she is also the founder of a youth empowerment club at her University aiming at building a cross cultural youth platform for exchange and collaboration. 
JESSICA ROHAN
USA Jessica Rohan is a freelance writer and researcher in Philadelphia. She is an Associate Editor at Warscapes, an online magazine which publishes alternative narratives of people and places in conflict. Jessica also works in marketing for a travel company. She is interested in public art for social change and global media. Her current work aims to challenge dominant perceptions of Arabs and Muslims in U.S. and European media. 
MOHAMED AMINE BELARBI
Morocco/United Arab Emirates Entrepreneur, Blogger, and Public Speaker, Mohamed Amine Belarbi is a student with grand professional endeavors. At the age of 17, Mohamed started his first regional NGO with 6 branches in the MENA region (Arab Institute for Youth Policy Making), then a year later he started his Foundation for social and entrepreneurial support for Moroccan students. At the age of 19 he co-founds a Marketing and Design startup (Studinov Marketing Strategies) with clients in 3 continents and across industries. Mohamed studies at New York University Abu Dhabi, works as an independent consultant for several startups and companies and operates 5 enterprises, his latest being Gulf Elite Magazine with a wide readership among Gulf and US millennials. Mohamed also has ventures in the Humanitarian field and in the Engineering sector. His ventures are recognized by organizations such as the UNHCR, Siemens Corp, Khalifa Fund and Clinton Global Initiative University Network. 
MOHAMMAD OMAR
Egypt Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, he received a bachelor of Biotechnology in 2012, and then he started his career with Soliya. He is a person who believes that nations can only reach their full potential when they seek knowledge in every action they take, so in addition to his passion for Science he is very much involved in other two different fields; Community Development and Conflict Resolution. Besides, he has nine years of experience in volunteer work with several Non-Governmental Organizations, and he is deeply committed to youth empowerment. Mohammad is a Cofounder of a youth led initiative ‘’EYouth’’, a State Department Alumni, an IIE Fellow, a Soliya Fellow, and an iEARNer. He has participated in many activities and campaigns towards a better society with sustainable development. Through these activities, he realized his interest in photography. It’s not about capturing a photo but rather about capturing the moment, and these moments are what made him genuinely interested in the diversity of societies and cultures. Consequently, social media has been a vital tool in satisfying his passion for connecting people worldwide. 
MOHAMMED SALEM BAWAZIR
Yemen Mohammed is a 20 year old young man from Hadhramout, Yemen. Currently pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science at KFUPM, KSA. He is one of the founders of the (Talents Of Hadhramout) initiative, which is an incubator for talented youth to foster and develop their talents. He lead the initiative for one year, during which the team has grown ten folds and implemented over 5 talent-based projects. He became an influential community activists as an advocate for youth causes, education, peace and human rights. One achievement in this field is being one of the organizers, and actors, of a silent acting protest against US-Drone strikes, assassinations and extrajudicial killings that are happening in Yemen. Mohammed was selected for his accomplishments as a leader and his extraordinary community engagement to participate in the MEPI Student Leaders Program 2013 and the UNAOC-EF Summer School 2014 in the United States. 
SAMER KHAN
Oman Mr. Khan Director of Operation at CHRDS (www.chrds.org) also works at the Applied Research Department at Mewar University (India). He has had the privilege to work with various international organizations such as Sohar University (Oman) over Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology, he was former Local Committee President for the AIESEC Expansion in Sohar, Oman. He is co-founder of an ongoing startup Keynovations, which has been showcased during the Eleventh FaF youth Assembly at United Nations. Furthermore he was dignified by the Governments of France and Costa Rica soliciting him for his eminent attendance at the United Nations Environmental Sustainability Thematic Consultation Meeting held in Costa Rica. Mr.Khan also moderated online discussion forums run by the United Nations over role of private sectors in environmental sustainability. Recently he was elected as MENA Region Coordinating Ambassador at OYW and is recipient of various international recognitions. 
TOURIA BENLAFQIH
Morocco Touria Benlafqih is the new Program Director of Enactus Morocco, an international non-profit organization in the field of social entrepreneurship. Before joigning Enactus, Touria was the administrative and financial assistant of project conducted by the United Nations Development Program, related to Climate Change Adaptation in Oasis Areas in Morocco. Passionate about working with NGOs, Touria is an active member of many national and international organizations, she is board member of the Rabat Chapter of the Junior Chamber International, an organization that provides development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change, she's also vice president of the Mediterranean Forum for Youth, a Moroccan international organization working with youth from both sides of the mediterranean to enhance intercultural dialogue and encouraging youth participation in public affairs management. Touria has a bachelor in Finance, and a Masters in Business and Personal Coaching. She interested in youth empowerment to conduct positive change. |
HASHEM ABUSHAMA
Palestine Hashem Abushama is an undergraduate student at Earlham College, where he is double majoring in Peace and Global Studies, and Economics. At Earlham, Hashem served as the convener of Student Organizations’ Council and the convener of Students for Peace and Justice in Palestine. He is the newly elected president of the Earlham student body. Hashem grew up in Arroub Refugee Camp in the West Bank, where he founded the project “Trash the Occupation, Not Our Land”. He has been involved with many international organizations including: Seeds of Peace, Encounter Organization and the Pollination Project. Last summer, Hashem was selected as the Youth Ambassador of Palestine Refugees at the UN Summit on Israeli Violations of Human Rights. He is also the representative of the State of Palestine for the ECOSOC Youth Forum in the UN Headquarters in New York. Hashem has spoken at different platforms including the Seeds of Peace Annual Fundraising Gala and Encounter Panel on NextGen of Palestinian Leadership. 
MOHAMMAD SAJID
Afghanistan Mohammad Sajid is a documentary filmmaker, social activist, photographer and one of many peacemakers in Afghanistan. He is currently working as a Program Coordinator at Solace for The Children. He graduated from high school in 2012, and has been involved in various social activities since 2009. He has been strongly involved in organizing peace, human rights and women’s day campaigns with Pax Populi (People to People peacemaking) since 2012. He was the country representative and social activist at the Afghan Sponsorship Foundation in 2013. He also worked as a Public Relations Manager at Afghanistan’s New Generation Organization from 2012 until 2014. He was additionally selected for a three months volunteering program with VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) in Tajikistan in 2013. Here, along with fellow British and Tajik volunteers, he worked to help improve the development of ten local businesses run by women. He recently organized a clothes-driving project through which warm clothes were provided to around 3500 people. 
MOHAMMED HUSSEIN ALI
Sudan A Sudanese medical student at the University of Khartoum, Mohammed was born in Saudi Arabia and raised in Kuwait, Sudan and Uganda. He joined the Medical Students’ International Network-Sudan and the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations in 2011, where he developed a passion for non-formal education, human rights and peace, holding several leadership positions throughout that period. He coordinates a project called Water the World and he represented Sudan at conferences in Kenya, Tanzania, India, Chile, Ethiopia and Azerbaijan. Mohammed is a Trainer on Non-Formal Education, conducting more than 150 hours of capacity-building training for medical students all over the world. Mohammed is a Learner at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Learners’ Voice Program 2014/2015 which is an initiative of Qatar Foundation that brings the views of students to the issue of rethinking education and prepares them to take on leading roles in their fields and in the world of education. 
NADER ABDELKADER FAHIM
Egypt Nader is a researcher in the field of techno-economic development and strategic management. He is currently a graduate student at Nile University's technology management program conducting research about energy crisis management. He is a youth and students empowerment activist with a previous experience in leading two student organizations, one research student union, and many events and awareness activities. Nader is originally an engineer and all his learning and career steps are to integrate economic and political knowledge with his technical and managerial background to have a comprehensive vision about development in the MENA region. He's now helping in the foundation of Meshka which is a non-profit that organizes collaborative learning activities and events. In Meshka, he is responsible for the planning and strategy formulation. After finishing his graduate studies, he will pursue another graduate degree in the US through a Fulbright grant. 
SAMIA AYYASH
USA Samia Ayyash is a Palestinian-American activist and popular education practitioner. A graduate of the University of Michigan, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern & North African Studies. She currently resides in Amman, Jordan, where she is a guest lecturer at Petra University and the American University of Madaba teaching Creativity and Social Innovation. Outside of the university setting, Samia works with a group of girls in the Baqaa’ Refugee Camp through a non-organization organization that she founded and directs called the Baqaa’ Sisterhood. The Baqaa’ Sisterhood employs an entirely original curriculum which Samia has designed that self-empowers young girls through a combination of experiential learning and asset-based community development. Through this program, Samia addresses the greater problems affecting Palestinian communities: lack of just educational opportunities, disunity, and the absence of fruitful youth programming. The liberation of minds will lead to the liberation of Palestinian and oppressed communities everywhere. 
SANWAL MUNEER
Pakistan Sanwal Muneer is an Electrical Engineer by Profession and an Entrepreneur by Passion. He is working on the pain points of the world especially the Energy Crisis and air Pollution. He has been recognized among the young Innovators and Entrepreneur by many Prestigious International Organizations. Starting from his bachelors he always took part in may national and international challenges to expand his limits. He is the only Pakistani which has been endorsed by UK Trade & Investment to set up his Green energy startup in UK through Sirius Program. At the age of 21 He has already received many prestigious awards i.e. UN Clean Energy Award, Shell Young Entrepreneur Award and IEEE Innovation Award. Recently he was also selected among top 50 young researchers from all over the world in Berlin. He believes there nothing in this world which is impossible. |
