August 12th was UN International Youth Day. This year’s theme is “Building a better world, partnering with youth”. To celebrate this special day, WYA’s launched a campaign featuring one member per region that is doing his/her part in helping build a better world. Click here to meet Adriana (Lebanon), Christin (USA), Joanna (Poland) Pauline (Kenya), Steven (Costa Rica) and Trina (Philippines).
We are proud of our region’s member, Adriana from Lebanon!
Throughout my university years and till now I volunteered in several non-governmental organizations. I started from my university, where I co-founded the Human Rights Club and the Peace Building Committee. Through both student bodies I helped fellow students become aware of the importance of the human dignity of the person and understanding others and that reflects on their rights. Moreover, I was a core volunteer in a project aiming at helping individuals transform inter-personal conflicts through activities. In this project, I organized a community action in my university, where I was also responsible for facilitating sessions on conflict, dialogue, communication skills and negotiations. Moving from university to a wider community, I also work on inter-religious dialogue in Lebanon. I am an active member in Dialogue for Life and Reconciliation, an organization working on interfaith dialogue in the country. Through this organization, I help my community understand the – other person – coming from another community and religion, as this is very important for a country that witnessed a bloody civil war. Apart from my volunteering, my job focuses on policy development at The Youth Economic Forum, a local NGO that aims at empowering youth and that acts as a platform between them and policy makers. On the policy level, I co-authored a policy brief on Establishing a Bus Transportation Network in Lebanon aimed at make the citizen’s daily life easier. As Ghandi said: “Be the change you wish to see in the world”, I try my best to make my country a better place, through small steps that project change.
