Istanbul, Turkey. August 2010.

I was lucky enough to meet amazing people as a young journalist at Peace Child´s World Youth Congress 2010. Everywhere I went, whoever I talked to - whether it was on my way to the dorm, inside the elevator or sitting in the bus - every person had a story to tell. And this is why I decided to write this article for TH!NK 3!

Here I mention five people I had the chance to meet, to learn from them and to get inspired. Now it is my duty to give these young leaders a voice:

VIETNAM

Name: Nguyen Thuy Duong
Age: 23
Occupation:  President of 350Vietnam.org

“350vietnam.org started from the international campaign 350.org. This is a very important number since it comes from the safe CO2 limit we need to keep in an atmosphere. Right now our limit is 390 and we have global warming and climate change.

My idea is think globally, act locally. The best thing we can do is act from the grassroots. In the end is not the government, it is all about us”.

GHANA

Name: Mohammed Sani
Age: 27
Occupation:  Volunteer and media

“As a youth activist I do research, monitoring and evaluation of challenges that affect young people in my country by using the radio. In my program we focus about successes and confrontations of youth, and we bring them together to the attention of policy makers. In this way, we create a change”.

You can listen to Mohammed’s program on Internet at www.myradiogoldlive.com every Sunday at 13:00 GMT

SCOTLAND

Name: Kate Finlay
Age: 19
Occupation:  Youth engagement worker

“I work with various organizations in Scotland such as roars and whispers: empowering young people. We give a training and facilitation skills to youth, so it is easier for them to act and start their own action projects in their communities.
If you give young people the skills they requiere, they will get spread. This is how I got involved with the organization I work for. What I learn is what I want to share”.

PUERTO RICO

Name: Gercef Toribio
Age: 20
Occupation:  ‘Overnight service agent’ (but in reality a student).

“I work for a firm of houses with children that have being abandoned by their parents, or that lived in a violent environment. What I do is giving workshops on empowering their own self-esteem building and in that way preventing them from repeating the same mistakes their parents did in the past”.

BANGLADESH

Name: Samia Shamim
Age: 26
Occupation:  Student

“I study economics. It is interesting because a lot of issues in my country are yet to be addressed and with this, I get a better understanding. It is important for individuals to participate because not only government has the power of change, we do as well.

Every congress participant here is a conscious being. Our mission is to create awareness and make this world a better place for us to live”.

(Andrea Arzaba, August 2010)