Student

I am 19 years old and I live in the Eastern part of Slovakia. I am a student in my last year of high school and I am planning on studying journalism. I have been in the YRE program for 6 years. I participated in international YRE workshop in Sweden, in Portugal and the last amazing experience was the International climate conference COP23 in Germany. I started to work like a reporter on our local television. Sometimes I write articles on environmental issues.

Student

I am an undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia studying nutrition within the context of food security and environmental sustainability. I first participated in the YRE program in 2015 with an article on my school's waste management solutions. Thanks to YRE, I most recently had the opportunity to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference as a young journalist last November 2017.

PHD candidate/Researcher

My name is Anastasia and I live in Athens. I am a Phd Candidate in International Law and Environmental Governance at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences. I used to work as a journalist. I am a SDG enthusiast, thus, I believe that they are a breakthrough on how people around the world, can understand the concept of sustainable development. I have created an awareness campaign #Citizens4GlobalGoals for Organization Earth, a Greek NGO, after my participation at COP21 in Paris. Since 2016 I am a researcher at European Center of Environmental Research and Training in the field of 2030 Agenda.

Student

I am a 24 years-old French student at the Centre de Formation des Journalistes, a school of journalism based in Paris. I got graduated from a Bachelor in law and I lived in Mexico for a year thanks to a student exchange program. There I have been an intern in a local TV and in a newspaper. I am willing to work as a correspondent in Latin America and I am quite interested in this region, politics and sustainable issues.

Trainer

I have been pursuing my studies at the National University of Mongolia, writing my thesis on ecological education and I want to write my PhD in the field of education for sustainable development. My passion is to increase awareness among secondary school students towards low carbon emission lifestyle. This is the reason why I want to become a part of the YRE in Mongolia. YRE have a responsibility to youth by not just informing them, but also giving them a chance to talk about real issues that affect them about sustainability.

Artist

In 2012, I was able to go to Copenhagen to collaborate with other youth on environmental efforts and in 2014, I attended the conference in Nagoya Japan on ESD as a Young Reporter for the Environment. Looking forward to digging deeper into this community.

Physics Teacher, trainer and volunteer

I have worked as a trainer and a volunteer in Golden Orange Youth Club since 2015 in Turkey. GOYC works using non-formal education methods in youth projects on environmental and social issues.

Quality, Safety and Environment Technician

I am 34 years old and I live with my husband and daugther in a quiet village near Lisbon. I studied Environment and Health and my career has developed in the environment/safety construction area. I have made a post-graduation in Sustainable Management two years ago.

Coordinator

I am a young professional working in business and social organizations. Throughout my work in different organizations, I emphasize the importance of youth participation in decision making processes connected to global agendas and its implementation on local, national and international level. My engagement in YRE program started while I was in high school. In 2013 we won the national YRE contest in the category "Young reporters stories".

Student

I am Toronto-based designer who enjoys using digital media to create graphic images. I am currently a third year student, working my way towards a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration. The incredible opportunities given as an YRE Alumni has inspired me to continue to advocate sustainability through my work.

Youth Advocate

I am a Global Youth Power leader working under the #YouthPower campaign initiated by Restless Development, a Youth-led organization based in UK to empower young people to make leaders accountable to the SDGs. I am a film maker who produce videos for advocacy purposes to engage young people on different issues. I am currently serving on YRE Ghana youth board as the social media and communication officer.

Journalist

I'm 23 years old and I live in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I joined the YRE program in 2019 when I took a series of environmental journalism workshops with the Organization for a Sustainable Environment (OPAS). Thanks to those workshops I wrote an article about coastal erosion and its relations to climate change and human intervention. The article won third place internationally and, shortly after that, I was able to participate as an observer at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid, Spain. At COP25 I wrote and recorded interviews on climate change, gender, and indigenous communities. All these experiences motivated me to become even more interested in our environment and the role we humans have in it. Recently, I completed a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Comparative Literature at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. And now, I work as a Puerto Rican journalist in Global Press Journal, a news organization that trains and employs women to produce high-quality local news coverage that elevates awareness and ignites social change.

Student

I have always loved writing. One evening, I was looking through the Young Scot website and found a competition whereby it was to write a report on an environmental issue. I decided to write about air pollution. I was chosen as the winner for the competition - The Young Reporters Scotland award for the Year of Young People 2018.

Student

I am deeply concerned about environmental issues and have an unbridled passion for the sea and the life that there exists. The adventure as a YRE began in 2011 when a teacher of mine introduced me to the programme. At first, I was taken aback since I had never dreamt to be a journalist, though my love for the environment and nature made me become interested in discovering the project. Since then I have participated in several missions, seminars, contests, workshops, and conferences, and I am eager to continue to be a part of it since it has just got me fond memories, loads of good friends, knowledge and the opportunity to develop new skills.

Student

I am from Rotorua, New Zealand. I am a first year University of Waikato student. While I was in high school at John Paul College in Rotorua I was involved in many environmentally focused sustainability projects including YRE, winning the 2016 NZ YRE film competition in the 15-18 year old category through Keep New Zealand Beautiful.

Student

I was first introduced to photography during secondary 2 when my teacher was looking for a photographer for a school event. It was from that day onward I was involved in more events and from there I was able to improve my skill in photography. I was privileged to be able to part of the photography team for the eco conference. I was also introduced to WWF during one of the workshops that ITE and my lecturers were conducting. That in turn opened my eyes to another world.

Educator, Environmental Activist and Zoologist

My first participation with the YRE programme was back in 2014 when I had been given the opportunity to join the Litter Less mission in Sweden. Since then, I have attended conferences representing YRE such as the YRE-UNESCO Youth Forum in Portugal, COP24 in Poland, and La Nuit des Idées in France. In this network, I have learned that the biggest advantage comes through team work and collective action, as individuals, like me, could unlock skills with others to make impact they may have never imagined.

Currently, I am pursuing a career that combines my greatest passions - education, conservation and wildlife. These interests of mine have led me to create a platform I have branded as “The Sassy Zoologist”, which focuses on wildlife education and travel experiences. As of now, “The Sassy Zoologist” can be found on Youtube and Instagram.

Chef/ Student

In 2016, I embarked on a 10-week expedition volunteering with Raleigh International in Borneo, Malaysia. Whilst abroad I worked on local sustainable development projects. I also witnessed the effects of deforestation from the palm oil industry and illegal logging. This firsthand experience has heightened my awareness of the importance of creating a more sustainable future.

Journalist

I am a freshly graduated 27 years old journalist from France. I have worked as a intern-reporter in China, the USA, Cambodia and India, which grew my interest for international and environmental issues. Last year, I won one of the French YRE award for my report on sustainable scuba diving in Marseille, and I was really thrilled about it!

Student

I am a student at the University of Toronto in Canada studying Economics. I have been involved with many different environmental and leadership initiatives since high school and I enjoy learning about sustainability and various environmental initiatives. In 2014, I was given the opportunity to travel to Sweden to participate in an international YRE workshop and learn more about the environment in a global perspective alongside other youth reporters and journalists.

Student

I am currently in my second year at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, part of the University of Lisbon. I have been enrolled in the YRE programme for 5 years so far, and I have taken part in two national missions in Portugal and three abroad. In November 2017, I was selected to represent YRE at COP23.

Tour guide

I'm a Basque girl living in Portugal since 2012. I studied environmental sciences at the University of the Basque Country, and Master degree in Ecology and Territory at the University of Porto. I did an investigation with plants in the herbarium of Vila Real and worked in a company of environmental impact assessment. Recently concerned about waste issues, I'm very interested in the Zero Waste movement. The YRE Youth Forum in 2018 was my first experience with YRE.

Student

I decided to be a journalist because I think that social media has the greatest impact on people. So, I could use my voice to make good changes. Those changes also include bigger ecological awareness and implementing sustainable development in my country. Right now, I am writing for one of Serbias newspapers and my goal so far is to introduce and expand the importance of environmental and ecological state in our country.

Journalist

After graduating in Journalism, I started to work in environmental protection as an intern at ABAE in 2011. I did my Master's thesis on environment NGOs. During my internship I participated in my first YRE mission. Being a journalism student, I feel it is crucial to teach and learn about the value of their role in a society in which environmental awareness is increasingly important. Nowadays, I am part of the communication team at ABAE, which allows me to be aware of the progress of environmental awareness in Portugal.

Student

I completed my Communication degree at the University of Lisbon and I intend to do a Master’s degree in environmental journalism with the purpose of promoting eco-citizenship through my work. I exchanged feedback and experiences with talented minds and passionate hearts at the World Conference of Science Journalists 2017, in San Francisco. I was one of the 22 journalism students at the WCSJ on a travel fellowship and had the opportunity to be part of an incredible multicultural student newsroom and to learn from scientists and science writers alike.

Student

When I started with the articles and photos for YRE, I was only 15 and it helped me discover what I like to do and what I am good at. Now, photography and writing are not only my passions: I work using them. YRE has been an opportunity to see myself in another way and this brought me more confidence and helped me to be more open.

Student

22 years old French girl, studying journalism. I was born in Paris but I feel more like a girl from the world, who loves playing with clichés, and keeps an open mind. The YRE Youth Forum in Portugal was my first expereince with YRE.

Dental Technologist/ Explainer at a Science Museum

Hi! I am a 23 year old Young Reporter, and my love for the environment through YRE has now been going strong for around 7 years. YRE has been an absolute blessing, and a goldmine of opportunities. Before 2013, I was a very shy and socially awkward teenager... and YRE changed that! I attended my first workshop in Sweden back in 2014 - where I met many peers with whom I'm still in contact today.

I participated in the UNESCO/ YRE Young Leaders Workshop in Portugal in 2018, which was a tremendously enriching experience, and together with two fellow YREs, I had the privilege of reporting during COP24 in 2018 - for sure, the absolute highlight of my career! I recently attended and reported on YouthMundus Festival 2019 and, as always, it was quite a journey. In between these international workshops/conferences, I've had the pleasure of presenting and helping during the YRE Teachers' Workshop and multiple YRE Annual Awards events in Malta. YRE has brought out my full potential, and it has ameliorated both with my professional and personal lives - I will be forever grateful. Once a YRE, always a YRE!

PR & Marketing Manager

I am a storyteller, born in Kotor (Montenegro) in 1990. I claim that everything is about the words and the way you treat them. I worked as a journalist/editor/TV host for several years and then turned to hospitality industry. While being a high-school student, I won the national YRE competition.

Student

I am an open minded young individual, constantly looking for opportunities to make a positive change - YRE has been one of those opportunities. I have been making videos about environmental issues since 2012 and have participated in YRE workshop in Cascais, Portugal 2014.

Student

I am 18 years old and currently I am studying at secondary school of printing and publishing as graphic designer. My dream is to make films. Also I love YRE program and I am proud of the fact that I can be part of this program. Last year I was on YRE mission in Portugal which was great.

3D Instructor

I am the president of iNovum, a non government organization for development the IT technology in Macedonia. I am also an instructor of 3D and game design.
From the conference, I hope to connect with more people, learn how to have more influence over our society because of my position as education center and instructor.

Student

I am 21 years old and I am from Škofja Loka, where I study at the Faculty for Organizational Sciences. From a young age I have felt a deep connection with the environment so in middle school my passion led me to pursue different projects like responsible food handling and usage of local food, waste separation and recycling. My faculty gave me the opportunity to be a part of the YRE.
I hope I can improve my communication skills, broaden my horizons in the field of leadership and networking. I also yearn for the opportunity to meet new people, so we can make global connections and possibly cooperate in global projects in the future.

I'm Qiyun, an Environmental Studies graduate from the National University of Singapore and a local climate activist. I make graphics on Instagram (@theweirdandwild) to raise awareness of sustainability issues, hoping to break down complex concepts into digestible, readable and shareable content. I am no artist, but I believe art is what makes a movement irresistible. I am constantly finding new cool ways to strategize and progress the cause in ways that are meaningful and impactful. I am a lover of all things purposeful, colourful and creatively disruptive.

Student

I have been involved in many organizations and campaigns around environmental and humanitarian issues and have become confident in my ability to contribute productively to advocacy around complex issues. I was invited to be a part of the YRE-jury in Sweden last year. It was an honor and through that mission I got to know all about YRE.

Student

I am a Senior in high school at the San Diego Jewish Academy and was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. After living in a minimally environmentally conscious place, I seek not only to inspire others to love the earth as much as I do, but to give that which cannot talk a voice. I am a member of the Keep America Beautiful Youth Advisory Council, which inspired me to become the founder and president of the Eco Club at my school. I don’t have any prior experience with YRE but am so excited to get involved!

Student

I have been a Young Reporter for the Environment for four years and I can see this experience as a way to learn but also to share knowledge, to enrich ourselves and to build the feeling of being responsible for something that belongs to everyone: the Planet Earth. I had the opportunity to make part of several YRE missions and workshops.

Soldier

I come from Israel and i am 20 years old. Since third grade I am part of the youth movement "Maccabi tzahir" where I worked with at risk students and I was instructor team coordinator for the branch in the city. In high school I studied ecology and I participated in the YRE competition in 2015, I won the first place in Israel and the third in the world. As a result of my winning I participated in a workshop of YRE in Portugal. Today I am a soldier in the Israeli forces at the Education Corps, which deals with environmental issues and education.

Student

I am 22 years old and I am a law student in Cluj - Napoca, Romania. I would describe myself as an open-minded person before anything else. I always find myself looking for opportunities to learn not only about myself and other people, but also about the world. In 2013 my article for the Litter Less Campaign and won the first place in the 15-18 age category In 2014 I participated at the International Workshop for Litter Less winners which took place in Sweden.

Student

I am a junior of School of Journalism and Communication, Nanjing University. Participating in YRE with my schoolmates initiated me into environmental preservation. We were divided into teams and took turns removing white pollutants from the coast on weekends. In addition, we wrote reports about coastal environmental situation to arouse local residents’ awareness about the ripple effects of seaside contamination. Recently, I have become a volunteer of Nanjing River Protection environmental program. Besides volunteer work, as an undergraduate student, I have my own academic interest in environmental communication. Furthermore, as a teaching assistant of Cornell Civic Ecology Lab's Environmental Education courses, I have always been searching for new pathways of digital skills for global environmental communication and fostering citizens' pro-environmental behaviours.

Student

I will be attending law school this year. Understanding the framework that undergirds our society brings me one step closer to knowing how to bring about the environmentally sustainable change I want to see in the world! Some topics that I am especially passionate about include ethical consumerism, global environmental justice and the creation of sustainable communities through smart urban planning.