Let's meet the 2024 WIC Global Youth Leaders!
Global Youth Leadership Program
Since its inception in 2023, the World Internet Conference Global Youth Leadership Program has attracted an impressive array of applicants from a diverse range of countries and regions.
Over the past two years, a significant number of these applicants – who come from 85 different countries and regions – have demonstrated a deep-seated desire to seize the opportunity to represent the voice of youth at global platforms such as the WIC.
The recruitment and selection process for the 2024 Global Youth Leaders has recently been completed. This year, young individuals from 61 countries and regions submitted applications. Following thorough evaluation, 18 outstanding young people from 17 countries and regions, including Brazil, China, Egypt and the United Kingdom, were selected.
These young leaders are emerging talents in the realm of global internet development and governance. With their diverse cultural backgrounds and areas of expertise, they are all engaged in innovation and dedicated to ensuring that more individuals reap the benefits of the digital dividend through involvement in policy-making, engagement in industry practices, organizing charitable initiatives and conducting scientific research. In the coming decade, many of them are poised to become pivotal figures in shaping the digital future and propelling regional and global transformations.
Let us introduce our 2024 Global Youth Leaders (in no particular order):
Mariangel Calderón Martínez, a senior law student and assistant in the Directorate of Authorizations at the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL), has played a pivotal role in legal reviews of resolutions and reports. Additionally, she has supported the organization of significant regional telecommunications events, notably the 42nd meeting of the Permanent Consultative Committee of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (CITEL). Through the OAS internship program, she gained invaluable experience at CITEL, contributing to crucial regional projects. In 2022, Calderón Martínez proudly represented the Dominican Republic at two prestigious international forums: The Generation Connect Global Youth Summit and the World Telecommunication Development Conference held in Kigali, Rwanda. As a Generation Connect Youth Envoy for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in the Americas, she has been instrumental in projects aimed at fostering digital inclusion and showcasing the transformative power of technology on young communities.
Chern Choong Thum, a medical doctor by training, transitioned from clinical practice to policymaking and now serves as the special functions officer to Malaysia’s deputy minister of communications.
In this capacity, he plays a pivotal role in shaping national policies within the ministry, while also continuing his advocacy for health and welfare reforms. He is a firm believer that lasting societal change towards a healthier future is achieved through robust policy frameworks.
Chern Choong Thum also contributes thought-provoking columns to the Mandarin-language Sin Chew Daily and is proficient in Mandarin, English and Malay.
Rachida El Rhdioui, a cosmopolitan individual and a visionary young Amazigh woman, derives joy from empowering individuals to assume an active role in society through the development of sustainable, long-term projects and strategies.
Her passion is manifested in her work with citizens, governments, and organizations that have a proven history of engaging youth, promoting gender equality, enhancing governance, fostering digital inclusion, building peace and nurturing social entrepreneurship. With a multidisciplinary academic foundation, she has excelled in training, mentoring and leadership, leaving a lasting impact on over 2,000 individuals.
In 2022, Rachida represented her country as a delegate at the Internet Governance Forum in Ethiopia. Over the last year, she has served as a member of the CECA Digital Youth Council, collaborating closely with USAID to advocate for the protection of youth from digital harm. She was recently honored with the Emerging Leader Award by the Female Founders Global Initiative and selected as a GCYLP fellow by ITU and Huawei to fund and launch DigiFortify, a program aimed at enhancing digital literacy and safety in North Africa by educating vulnerable communities with essential skills and promoting digital inclusion.
The unwavering spirit and unyielding determination she witnessed in those striving for a better region deeply inspired Rachida, propelling her into activism within the digital realm and beyond.
Gabriel Karsan acts as the secretariat lead for the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG), where he spearheads the development of digital strategies aimed at bolstering policy dialogue and the network's influence throughout the continent. With over seven years of expertise in the field, Karsan has been instrumental in shaping discussions on internet governance, having co-organized and facilitated high-level forums such as the Africa Youth Internet Governance Forum and the Internet Governance Forum. An advocate for the convergence of technology and policy, Karsan concentrates on the impact of emerging technologies in promoting equity, accessibility, and democratic processes. As the founding director of the Emerging Youth Initiative, he spearheads initiatives to encourage the adoption of new technologies across various platforms, including the Dream Internet Voices podcast. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, is a certified Young and Emerging Leader, and is actively engaged in policy thought leadership across multiple languages, including English, German and Swahili. His work also encompasses publishing on the future of democracies in a digital world.
Xu Yuan, a Senior Engineer at CNCERT, boasts a wealth of experience in international cybersecurity cooperation. Currently, she holds a prominent position as a member of the steering committee for the Asia-Pacific Computer Emergency Response Team (APCERT) and leads the APCERT information sharing group. Additionally, she has previously served as the vice-chair of APCERT and convener of the Security and Prosperity Steering Group within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Telecommunications Working Group (APEC-TEL).
Xu Yuan has successfully formulated and implemented the "CNCERT International Partner" program, facilitating cross-border incident handling and information sharing. Her efforts were recognized in 2022 when the "CNCERT Cybersecurity Incident Handling Cooperation" was selected as a prestigious case for jointly constructing a community with a shared future in cyberspace.
She remains an active participant in the cybersecurity endeavors of various international organizations, including the United Nations, APEC, ITU, SCO, ASEAN and BRICS. Notably, she spearheaded and completed the APEC project titled "Guide on Policy and Technical Approaches against Botnet", which was subsequently published on the APEC website. Furthermore, she drafted the "China-ASEAN National Computer Emergency Response Organization Cooperation Mechanism", garnering the endorsement of the China-ASEAN Telecommunications Ministers' Meeting.
Diana Alvarez is a leader in the field of international development, with expertise as a program and policy manager.
She leverages technology and partnerships to address global challenges. Her extensive experience includes working at the European Parliament, the United Nations, global health NGOs, in management consulting, and with the World Economic Forum. Diana has spearheaded initiatives related to migration, food security, global health, philanthropy and business sustainability. At the UN, Diana focused on migration policy and governance, collaborating with national governments and improving global healthcare access through digital health projects. At the World Economic Forum, she led the Young Global Leaders (YGL) Community of Latin America, promoting sustainable practices among business leaders and advocating for the inclusion of youth in policymaking. Diana holds a master’s degree in international and European Studies from SciencesPo, with additional studies in migration, communication, and sustainability from Oxford, Harvard, and Cambridge. Her goal is to utilize information and communication technologies to advance the UN SDGs, with a particular focus on financial inclusion, smart agriculture, telemedicine and education.
Aytan Aliyeva, a graduate of Azerbaijan State University of Languages with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in International Relations and Regional Studies (with a focus on Europe), is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Political Science at Vienna Doctoral School of Social Science.
Her research, titled "The EU-China Connectivity on Transportation and the Role of the South Caucasus", delves into the political implications of connectivity projects between the two powers and the geopolitical significance of the South Caucasus. Aliyeva is actively engaged in global youth initiatives and has extensive experience as a trainer, facilitator and project coordinator. She has held various positions within the "Great Silk Way" International Youth Union, an international non-profit organization, and currently serves as president, working with 33 youth organizations across Asia, Africa and Europe.
Her work focuses on promoting intercultural dialogue, fostering cooperation and advocating for the active role of youth in sustainable development within the Silk Road nations.
Anastasiia Saveleva leads the project office and serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Infocommunication Systems at the Bonch-Bruevich Saint Petersburg State University of Telecommunications.
She is a member of the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ Youth Council, the curator of the Russian School on Internet Governance, and oversees a special course for youth within the Russian Internet Governance Forum (RIGF). Saveleva works with more than 300 young individuals annually, helping them to immerse themselves in contemporary issues of internet governance and digital collaboration on both global and regional scales.
As a PhD candidate, her research focuses on enhancing data availability and network connectivity through the advancement of storage systems and data centers. Her contributions have been acknowledged through multiple state-level awards and grants from Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development.
Keith Fabre Macedo is a student of Control and Automation Engineering at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, where she conducts research on IoT and data science within the context of real-world smart farming applications at LabNet, a laboratory dedicated to tackling public and social issues using IoT and Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, she works as a software developer in the industry, where she is currently developing her graduation project on applying machine learning technologies to combat forest fires. During the 2023 CESAR institute summer internship, Macedo served as the data scientist for her team and contributed to the conceptualization and production of a visual gesture recognition system for emergency signals, designed to improve crime detection in urban environments. She has also conducted research on data fusion for smart cities and IIoT devices. Selected for the Brazilian Youth Initiative in both 2022 and 2024, organized by the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br), she has participated in national and Latin American internet governance events and was a speaker at the 2024 Brazil Internet Forum, presenting on the topics of IoT and ecological preservation.
Mohamed Zaky Ghozl, the visionary founder and managing director of Nature Eye Labs, a youth-driven endeavor pioneering AI-powered solutions to confront environmental crises and bolster sustainability, harnesses groundbreaking technology to translate policies and proposals into tangible outcomes, thereby advancing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in crucial domains like climate action and digital transformation. Driven by a profound passion to empower youth to harness technology for societal benefit, Ghozl, in collaboration with his team, orchestrates capacity-building programs that empower young leaders with the proficiency to catalyze positive change through innovative technological interventions.
His dedication to digital sustainability has garnered recognition, and he has been a prominent participant in esteemed initiatives such as the ITU's Generation Connect Young Leadership Program. As a mechanical engineer, educated at Ain Shams University, and an SDG Ambassador for the Egyptian Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Ghozl seamlessly intertwines his technical prowess with a steadfast commitment to societal impact. His extensive portfolio encompasses renewable energy projects to policy-oriented technological solutions, solidifying his position as a staunch advocate for leveraging technology to forge a sustainable and equitable future.
Doctor Kai Chen serves as a full professor at the Institute of Information Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
His research has been deeply rooted in the domains of software testing and artificial intelligence safety. With a focus on the forefront of technological innovation and practical application requirements, Chen is committed to protecting user privacy in the age of global network connectivity and AI proliferation. His contributions encompass the creation of an efficient technique for precisely identifying unknown malicious programs within a vast array of software applications, alongside addressing safety and privacy issues related to AI models. He has garnered several distinguished awards, such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences Young Scientist Award, the CCF-IEEE CS Young Computer Scientist Award, and the Beijing Science and Technology Award - Outstanding Youth ZhongGuanCun Award. Chen has published over 150 scholarly papers in leading international journals and conferences, with many of his research outcomes being adopted and applied by industry leaders.
Beyond academia, he is also dedicated to societal contributions, including the promotion of science education in primary and secondary schools.
Taekyung Kim is currently engaged in a doctoral program at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), where she specializes in digital literacy within the context of aging societies. Her research pursuits encompass the promotion of digital literacy, as well as the ramifications of ageism in an increasingly elderly world. Prior to embarking on her doctoral journey, she amassed substantial experience at a reputable public research institute, where she delved into policy research and acted as a national delegate support for the OECD Committee for Science and Technology Policy.
Yasmine Abdu, an esteemed award-winning entrepreneur, leads CarbonTrac, a pioneering venture that endeavors to simplify and incentivize sustainable grocery choices. Driven by her profound passion for technology and sustainability, she strives to diminish carbon footprints and revolutionize the supply chain by steering consumers towards environmentally conscious shopping practices, leveraging data-driven insights and artificial intelligence. Her exceptional leadership has garnered widespread acclaim, as evidenced by her prestigious accolades. She has been honored with the London Mayor's Entrepreneur Technology award, a fellowship at the United Nations International Telecommunication Union, and inclusion in Huawei's Generation Connect Youth Leadership Program. She has also been named a finalist for the UN SDG Digital Game-changer award, recognized as a Moonshot Young Leader, and appointed as a Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Ambassador.
Abdu relentlessly pursues her mission to propel global sustainability initiatives, envisioning a community deeply committed to sustainability, where every decision contributes to fostering a healthier planet.
Alex Choi is an information technology expert born and raised in Macao, China, whose career has been distinguished by breakthroughs and innovation.
Upon completing his undergraduate degree in Information Technology at the Macao University of Science and Technology, Choi pursued a Master’s degree in Public Administration (E-Government) at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. As the co-founder and director of MTEL Telecom Co, the second-largest fixed-line telecom operator in Macao, Choi has been instrumental in the company's establishment and growth. He is responsible for the company’s strategic planning and market expansion, leading his team to establish the first fully optical fiber communication network in Macau. This innovation not only enhanced the quality of internet fiber optic services but also provided consumers with more choices and affordable options. The development of MTEL Telecom’s business has aided Macau’s digital transformation, injecting new vitality and competitiveness into the local small and medium-sized enterprise sector, earning recognition and acclaim from both the industry and wider society.
James Thomas Terhemba, a seasoned engineer with expertise in electrical and electronics, serves as the CEO of TED Innovative Solutions Limited. This company is dedicated to addressing the electricity access challenges faced by rural communities in Nigeria through the provision of cost-effective renewable energy solutions. TED Innovative Solutions employs an innovative strategy that incorporates digital technology to offer a flexible payment system, thereby eliminating financial barriers for rural residents. This model not only enhances equitable access to electricity but also supports the local green economy, encourages the adoption of internet-driven digital technologies in rural areas, and facilitates the shift from conventional energy sources to renewable options.
Poornima Meegammana, a prominent Sri Lankan social entrepreneur, is deeply committed to empowering girls and women in the realm of technology. She is the founder of the prestigious Nextgen Girls in Technology initiative, a groundbreaking endeavor aimed at bolstering the participation of girls and women in technology career paths. Throughout the past decade, Meegammana has tirelessly devoted herself to the advancement of technology education and development, with a particular emphasis on young people.
Her unwavering dedication in this field has garnered her numerous prestigious global accolades, including the esteemed UNESCO Prize for Girls and Women's Education in 2020, recognition on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2022, the prestigious Champion award from the International Telecommunication Union's WSIS Prizes in 2020, and the Internet Society's 25 Under 25 Award in 2017, among others. Furthermore, she was honored as Sri Lanka's Social Entrepreneur of the Year by WIM in 2022.
Currently, Meegammana holds the position of director of youth development at the Shilpa Sayura Foundation, where she spearheads the implementation of the innovative Nextgen Skills program. This program has already made a significant impact, reaching more than 3000 school and university students this year alone.
Nuriddin Samatov, a research assistant and ICT specialist at the Research Institute of Environment and Nature Conservation Technologies, which falls under the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, excels in the fields of climate risk assessment and crop/hydrological modeling. In the year 2023, he had the opportunity to serve as a visiting scholar at the prestigious Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, through its Global Young Talents Program. As a finalist and key team member of the Global Call, a component of the AgriTech4Uzbekistan Innovation Challenge, Nuriddin played a pivotal role in the development of 'IWater', an innovative and groundbreaking water management system. Out of 579 submissions, 'IWater' secured a top 10 ranking, testament to the ingenuity and prowess of Samatov's team.
In addition, he was a finalist at the Moonshot Young Leaders Camp and is a fellow of the Generation Connect Young Leadership Programme (GCYLP), a prestigious initiative organized by ITU in collaboration with Huawei.
Farah Gul Rahuja, hailing from Dadu, Sindh, Pakistan, holds a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology from COMSATS University Islamabad. With over four years of experience in the development of AI and ML projects, she co-founded PakGPT, a chatbot designed to empower citizens with access to essential information. She introduced this platform in her village, aiding individuals in enhancing their skills, accessing family planning resources and addressing unemployment issues. Currently, Farah is engaged with PakAngels on Hacktheon, a hackathon focused on GenAI and LLM that aims to promote regional development within Pakistan's startup ecosystem. Additionally, she serves as a Generative AI Trainer at Utech Dubai, where she mentors students in developing skills and boosting their earning potential.
Driven by a passion for practical AI solutions and cybersecurity, Farah leverages her expertise in natural language processing, computer vision, and AI to empower communities and inspire the next generation to pursue STEM education.
WIC will continue to orchestrate an array of youth-oriented initiatives aimed at empowering young individuals to effectively propel the advancement and governance of the global internet landscape. Collaboratively, we strive to forge a harmonious cyberspace community, united in pursuit of a shared future.
Click the "read more" button at the end of article to learn more about the WIC GYLP
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