The New Zealand National Commission works with a team of young people aged between 18 and 25 called the UNESCO Aotearoa Youth Leaders. Group members primarily serve as advisors, negotiating inclusive ways for young people to be engaged and empowered in the National Commission’s programme areas.

As UNESCO ambassadors and change agents, the youth leaders work to build UNESCO’s profile and identify where they can drive, support and collaborate with organisations, networks and initiatives that align with UNESCO’s target areas.

UNESCO Aotearoa Youth Leaders. Photo credit: Stephen A’Court.

There are currently 10 members:

Shahin Najak (Chair)

Brodie Cross

Bella Simpson

Anne-Sophie Page

Blair Kapa-Peters

Naheed Saeid

Raiyan Azmi

Ethan Jerome-Leota

Sabrina Manū

Sondos Quraan

In October of 2019, we ran the Youth Diversity Forum in Christchurch in response to the March 15 mosque attacks. During the forum youth leaders collaborated on a series of messages and calls for action to help end racism in Aotearoa: Future New Zealand Race Relations.