Maria Orejas-Chantelot

OLBIOS Correspondent, BELGIUM & EU

Maria Orejas-Chantelot is the Director of Policy & Programmes and a member of the Leadership Team at the European Foundation Centre. The EFC is a Brussels-based international platform representing over 200 institutional foundations and corporate funders with a focus on Europe and an eye towards improving the global philanthropic landscape. Maria has held senior positions at international associations for more than a decade. At the EFC she currently manages a team of 10 and leads policies and programmes helping to increase the impact of member foundations and institutional funders through networking, best practice sharing and the provision of expert input into EU public policy-making. Maria has designed and implemented programmes addressing a variety of pressing social needs and societal issues, from vulnerable populations such as disabled people or Roma to environmental issues and scientific research. Maria is currently Board Member of Social Economy Europe, the voice of social business in the EU, Member of the Steering Committee of Community Living for Europe: Structural Funds Watch and Advisory Board Member of Belgium Play 4 Peace, an award-winning NGO. Maria started her career as a practising lawyer and is a Member of Madrid’s Bar. She graduated with a Law degree from the University of Oviedo (Spain) and the University of Aberystwyth (UK) in 1997, and she completed post graduate studies in European business law at the University of Paris – Assas II (France) in 1999. She is fluent in French, English and Spanish.

Vivien Gyuris

OLBIOS Correspondent, HUNGARY

Vivien has over 15 years of experience with the World Bank and other international development organizations, including UN/FAO, UNDP, CoE, and NGOs, including OSF, Roma Education Fund, HUNIDA, Milestone Institute, IHLET that focus on social change, especially concerning the young and the socially vulnerable. She has accumulated extensive knowledge and experience in designing and managing comprehensive social development programs for NGOs and international development organizations. Her specialties include institutional development of non-governmental organizations, strategic planning, program and project management, impact assessment of international development programs, fundraising for development (including donor coordination and reporting), strategic communications (C4D), and monitoring and evaluation of social inclusion and youth development (education, talent management) programs. Vivien is a certified evaluator of development programs and member of IDEAS, EPDET and the Hungarian Network of Human Rights Educators.

Roland Wiederkehr

OLBIOS Correspondent, SWITZERLAND

Roland Wiederkehr was the CEO of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) from 1968-1987 and as such Co-Founder of various institutions in the field of Environment, Culture and Peace. He is the Founder of World Green Cross, who merged with the initiative of the Russian President Mikhail S. Gorbachev to Green Cross International. He was also the Founder and President of the organization “Aid for Families of Traffic Victims” and President of RoadCross Switzerland. He also worked as an independent consultant of various NGOs and private institutions and was a Member of the Advisory Commission on Foreign Cooperation and Development to the Swiss Government as well as a Member of the Swiss Parliament and Member of the Foreign Affairs Commission, Security Commission, Energy and Environment Commission and Commission for Economy. He is also the Founder of www.CareCross.org / www.CareTech.blog International Foundation for Health and Environment and the Initiator and President of exCHANGE FOR PEACE – an international exchange program for future decision makers of war torn countries

Flora Donsimoni

OLBIOS Correspondent, FRANCE

Since September 2013 Flora Donsimoni is Porticus Regional Director for France. In this position she is leading the development of the French desk and its strategy in Education and Social Justice portfolios. Porticus is the international organisation that manages and develops the philanthropic programmes of charitable entities established by Brenninkmeijer family entrepreneurs. Flora holds a BA in Philosophy, an MA in Political Sciences (Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris) and an MA in Business (ESCP Business School). At the start of her career she worked with CCFD (Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development), after which she joined Ernst & Young for several years as senior auditor where she performed audit missions for non-profit entities and midcaps enterprises. After having worked for the AXA Research Fund, she was in charge of setting-up an interdisciplinary research centre in life sciences and higher education for the Bettencourt-Schueller Foundation. She then worked for the Aga Khan Foundation in the United Kingdom, where she was involved in education and health programmes notably through the expansion of the Aga Khan University in East-Africa.

Martin Ringenbach

OLBIOS Correspondent, GERMANY

Martin Ringenbach is the Executive Director of Pass the Crayon, a nonprofit organization that fosters self-expression for refugee youth in Berlin through art workshops. Martin has previously worked within the Berlin tech scene with companies such as Zalando and Apple. As an adult, he still views the world through a child’s gaze, which is what ultimately brought him to start Pass the Crayon as a co-founder. A self-made creative, Martin has also worked as an art seller for a Parisian art gallery, a shoemaker, and Assistant Photographer for the Louvre.

Bryant Heng

OLBIOS Correspondent, THE NETHERLANDS

Bryant Heng, a Dutch national, has a passion for projects that give access to education and training skills to underprivileged and impoverished young people. His own social enterprise initiative, Well-Being Networks, aims to facilitate a peer to peer knowledge exchange community for organizations working with vulnerable youth, with a special focus on sheltered workplaces in the Netherlands. Bryant is also active as Youth Ambassador for the ONE Campaign in the Netherlands and serves as volunteer board member at United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY), an NGO based in the Hague and the Gifted Adults Foundation (IHBV) in Delft. He obtained his BSc. in International Business Administration, and Masters MSc. specializations in Strategic Management and Finance & Investments from the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in the Netherlands and is a Harvard Kennedy School executive education alumni.

Mihai Vladimirescu

OLBIOS Correspondent, ROMANIA

Mihai Valentin Vladimirescu was born in Craiova, Romania and has studied Theology and Humanities in Romania (University of Craiova, University A. I. Cuza of Iasi), Israel (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Switzerland (University of Fribourg), Italy (Pontifical Biblical Institute) and Greek culture and civilization in Greece (University of Patras and Aegean University). He is full professor at the Faculty of Letters of the University of Craiova. He is the winner of the prestigious Global Prize Doha International Award for Interfaith Dialogue 2014 and President of the Center for Promoting Intercultural Dialogue. He has an extensive expertise in research, writing and speaking, conducting training seminars and workshops: 17 author books, 5 coordinated volumes, 5 books translated, many participations in international conferences and congresses (Osaka, Atlanta, Montreal, Moskow, Stockholm, Geneva, Sankt Petersburg, New Delhi, Bremen, Dresden, Damasc, Doha, Lahti, Las Vegas, Rio de Janeiro, Doha, Dubai, New Orleans, Wien, Jerusalem, Gottenheim, Rome, Tel-Aviv, Graz, London, Amsterdam, Pavia, Dublin, Baku, Seoul, Beijing). Besides the basic didactic activity, he is also a renowned expert in several public institutions, national and international (European Commission, European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of Czech Republic, Ministry of Education, Universities and Research of Italy, Romanian National Council of Scientific Research in Higher Education). He has extensive experience in educational management and in the implementation of European funded projects. Apart of some editorial responsabilities for severval magazines he is also Romania coordinator for Liaison Network of Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, USA. His interests focus on religious studied, cultural diplomacy, higher education systems, civil society projects.

Roman Oeshger

OLBIOS Correspondent, SWITZERLAND & CZECH REPUBLIC

Roman Oeschger was born and currently lives in Switzerland but has lived almost 10 years in East-Central Europe. He obtained his BA and MA in International Relations & Diplomacy at the Anglo-American University in Prague/ Czech Republic. He worked as a research assistant at the Institute of International Relations Prague. At present, besides being a business agent and local politician, Roman Oeschger is a founder and head of a NGO, which is actively engaged in promoting European integration from an East-Central and Southeast European perspective.

María Garai Díaz

OLBIOS Correspondent, SWITZERLAND

María Garai Díaz de Lezana is a basque young professional working in Geneva, Switzerland. She started her internship at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in August 2017, where she worked first with the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and after, with the Petitions and Inquiries Section. Since February 2017 she works as a fellow in the EU Delegation Office in Geneva. Maria studied Law at Deusto University (Spain) and KU Leuven University (Belgium), specializing in Economics and International Law. After an enriching experience as a volunteer in the slums of Kolkata (India), she decided to develop a career in human rights. She graduated from the European MA in Human Rights and Democratisation (E.MA). The program took place in the beautiful city of Venice (Italy) and in the vibrant city of Maastricht (the Netherlands). Her master´s thesis was about Extraterritorial Obligations for the realization of the Human Right to Science. She has been collaborating with the Special Rapporteur of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for the advancement of a General Comment on this Human Right. Moreover, she has recently started to collaborate with the online platform United Explanations, where she writes about politics, international relations and human rights issues. She gave her first conference on human rights protection mechanisms in December 2017 in Sevilla. Her long standing interests include sustainable development, global governance, international politics, private-public cooperation and business and Human Rights, among others.

Suddha Chakravartti

OLBIOS Correspondent, SWITZERLAND

Dr. Suddha Chakravartti is Head of Research, and Lecturer in International Relations and Law, at EU Business School, Switzerland and visiting faculty at the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations. His areas of interest in consulting, research and teaching broadly include global governance, geopolitics/geo-economics, rise of new powers, resource security issues, risk assessment, international development and poverty reduction.An Indian citizen, he holds a B.A., LL.B (Hons) degree from the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR), University of Law, India, and a Master of International Relations (MIR) and Doctor of International Relations (DIR) from the Geneva School of Diplomacy, specializing in energy poverty in India. Dr. Chakravartti has previously worked as a researcher for Commonwealth Secretariat project in Geneva, and at CUTS, Geneva Resource Centre, focusing on international trade, development, governance and security issues.

Piotr Pietrzak

OLBIOS Correspondent, POLAND

Piotr Pietrzak is Editor in Chief of the In Statu Nascendi Journal of Political Philosophy and International Relations. He is also a Ph.D. Candidate at the “St. Kliment Ohridiski” Sofia University in Bulgaria. He holds an MA in International Politics & International Relations from the University of Manchester, UK, and an MA in Politics from the University of Warmia and Mazury, Poland. Piotr was also awarded an Erasmus Scholarship from the University of Cyprus in 2007. He specializes in the politics of the Middle East, the Islamic world, with a focus on the theory of international relations, geopolitics, conflict resolution strategies, and international law, especially matters related to WWI and WWII, and Cold War superpower rivalry. Piotr is also interested in conflicts in Cyprus, Chechnya, the Former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Georgia, Libya, Syria, Mali, Yemen, and Ukraine.

Niels Lap

OLBIOS Correspondent, THE NETHERLANDS

Five years ago Niels Lap started a branding agency at age nineteen. After a long travel through Central America, he decided to change course. After returning from the trip he devoted his time and energy solely to social initiatives. He believes that every organization with impact deserves a story with impact. However, it is often difficult to draw a clear and convincing portrait, even when that story is vital for accelerating impact. With this in mind, Niels helps social initiatives by giving strategic advice, designing a visual identity or developing a website. Today, the agency has grown into a network of seven professionals in five countries that supports social initiatives in their effort to push the transition towards fair, inclusive and sustainable societies.

Marta Burgos

OLBIOS Correspondent, SPAIN

Marta Burgos has a degree in Sociology and Political Science, an MA on migration management and an MA on marketing for the creative industry. She has experience as a social researcher, coordinator of European projects and fundraiser for non-profit organizations in the cultural sector. Currently she is a PhD candidate in History and is interested in the MENA area, social change and the collaborative economy.

Valentin Kehayov

OLBIOS Correspondent, BULGARIA

As coordinator of projects I have experience in managing events, creating programs and action plans, coordinating communication between the team members and international partners. I’m actively involved as a youth leader and head of groups of young people in a number of training courses and youth exchanges, organized by peer organizations at national and international level. I’m responsible for writing proposals, planning, and implementing the approved project activities under the “Human Resources” Operational Programme. I’ve also participated in a number of youth exchanges and training courses. I have also taken some courses of farming, because my business idea is based on agricultural products. I want to sell local natural souvenirs and to produce them in our own organization. I welcome leadership opportunities and have taken part in a number of financing activities and funding proposals as a key participator. I welcome the opportunity to work with other people on projects that present me with new challenges.

Larry Gardiner

OLBIOS Correspondent, UK

I have been a father and a son, a brother and breadwinner, a lover and a partner; I have given respect and I have given nurture. I am defined more by these aspects of my personhood than by roles, responsibilities, achievements and honours. In 1972 I helped to convert an abandoned farmhouse on the estate of the Canevero Family in Certaldo near Firenze. We built a respite and refuge and an orphanage for children who lost their parents in the cholera outbreak in Napoli. This was the first assignment with Caritas as a volunteer. I stayed on after the children arrived and learned to be a caregiver. During the peaceful transition from Franco’s Falangist dictatorship to constitutional monarchy in 1975 I worked as a volunteer with Caritas again to build a residential community in Tangel near Alicante; this time we built a holiday respite for children waiting for their parents to be discharged from prison. In 1993 – 1995 I was a programme manager and country officer responsible for 27 capacity building, humanitarian and violence mitigation projects in South Africa during the transition from Apartheid to representative constitutional democracy. Some of my projects involved constitutional development funded by Olaf Palme Institute. Some of my projects involved voter recruitment, registration and education sponsored by Friederich Eburt Stiftung. Some of my institutional development projects were funded by UK Government in partnership with USAID. Some of my projects were local collaborations with South African National Civics Organisation, Save the Children and Coda International. In addition to governance, leadership and donor accountability, I contributed to building capacity with police forces, local government structures and utility providers. Among many other responsibilities I have been the post merger integration lead for the takeover of Compaq by Hewlett Packard to create the world’s biggest computer company. I have led major international projects for global businesses, transnational programmes for NATO, for Interpol, for the European Commission and for international NGOs. During the conversion from national currencies to the Euro, I managed outsourced services for major banks across Europe. During the Year 2000 remediation period I managed preparation programmes for all the associated companies in the London Insurance Exchange. Since my retirement this year I have taken some unremunerated posts, as a charity trustee, as Vice Chair of the service user network with the UK Healthcare Quality Improvement Programme (HQIP), as a member of the Health Foundation ‘Q’ Community and as a steering group member with the Social Care Institute for Excellence. In my spare time I assist at a residential Children’s Work Camp which I have helped to run twice a year for fifteen years. I teach Co-Counselling in Oxford where I live. I give public talks for Young Dementia UK and I volunteer with their monthly Supper Club. Currently I am trying to learn Hungarian and Norwegian with regular trips to help with projects in these countries. I have previously learned languages through projects in Germany, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

Ornella Nana

OLBIOS Correspondent, IRELAND

Ornella Nana is a young activist from Ireland, currently enrolled in a Master’s programme (International Relations) at the University of Dublin. At the age of 23, she is the founder, and Global Director of the movement ‘International Youth Empowerment’ seeking to inspire other youths to make a first step towards self-consciousness, generating a positive change from within and extending to their communities. As a public speaker and youth advocate, she voluntarily facilitates a series of workshops in various organisations, second and third level institutions, as well as reaching out to Government officials and policy makers to push forth discussions for a more sustainable and peaceful world. Her upbringing in different parts of the world (Cameroon, Norway, Ireland), has allowed her to acquire a very strong multicultural spirit, ease and adaptability in communicating and understanding people of various cultures. Ornella was recently appointed on the board of directors to represent the voice of young people at ECO-UNESCO in Ireland. She is a ONE youth ambassador and served as the Irish youth delegate to the 25th EEAC. She was chosen as a spokesperson to represent the voice of international youth delegate at the assembly. Finally, Ornella is passionate about learning and discovering new cultures, people and communities. She firmly believes that together we can make a difference in the world.

Bojan Pavlović

OLBIOS Correspondent, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Bojan Pavlović was born in Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a charming Bosnian town that is also the birthplace of Nobel prize winner Ivo Andrić. He is a social research and M&E specialist whose work focuses on the most vulnerable and deprived populations. After nearly 8 years in the field of social research, social inclusion, social protection as well as evaluating social projects, Bojan knows what truly drives the social sector. He has conducted and/or coordinated more than 25 researches, monitored more than 30 social projects, and evaluated more than 30 inter/national projects (USAID, EU and UN funded projects). He has been successful in achieving a broad range of goals, has broad experience in monitoring, evaluation and quantitative as well as qualitative research during many years of work within Civil Society Sector (e.g. UNICEF, UNDP, Catholic Relief Service, SOS Children’s Villages, Save the Children, TACSO, USAID, and Caritas) and has produced more than 20 social research and/or evaluation reports. Bojan holds a bachelor degree in Psychology from the University in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Stefan Wilhelm

OLBIOS Correspondent, GERMANY

Stefan Wilhelm is probably among the few young professionals who have sought a career in Social Entrepreneurship and Social Impact Business from the very beginning. Before joining the Bayer Foundations as Impact Manager, he was Head of Fundraising and project lead for Colombia and Mexico at discovering hands® as well as a Senior Consultant for CAF – Development Bank of Latin America in the framework of the “Manos QueSalvanVidas”pilot projects for discovering hands® in Cali, Colombia and Xalapa, Mexico. Stefan holds a diploma in Cultural and Business Studies from the Universities of Passau (Germany) and Salvador da Bahia (Brazil) as well as a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Humboldt University Berlin and Europa University Viadrina (Germany). He is LAJF scholar, Global Good Fund Fellow as well as Vodafone World of Difference Fellow and mentee of discovering hands®’ patron Barbara Steffens, former Health Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Stefan is fluent in German, English, Spanish and Portuguese. He has been closely involved in the construction of the discovering hands® start-up in Germany and co-developed the Social Franchise system. As an expert in Social Entrepreneurship, he had a key role in the management of the first implementation of the discovering hands® model outside Europe together with Ana Mercedes Botero, Director of Social Innovation at CAF. Before his engagement with discovering hands®, Stefan worked as a Business Development, Legal Affairs and Project Manager for Dialogue Social Enterprise, a leading global Social Enterprise working on the inclusion of blind and deaf people in Hamburg, Vienna, Geneva, London and Seoul. Asked why he does what he does by Nicole Winchell from the social impact community platform tbd*, Stefan has a straightforward response: “Trying to effectuate positive change in society is never easy and mostly frustrating. Keeping at it, going full throttle while taking existential risks – and feeling blessed while doing so. That makes me a Changer.”

Admir Berbiu

OLBIOS Correspondent, ALBANIA & POLAND

Admir’s vision is focused on the connection between technology, business and social impact. He has international experienced in venture capital funding, investing in startups and innovation. Admir is the founder and co-founder in various startups in IT and entertainment. He was born in Albania and works with an Albanian, Balkan, CEE, worldwide network of entrepreneurs and investors. He holds a M.Sc. in Electronic Engineering (Warsaw University of Technology), and is at the moment enrolled in Accounting and Finance postgraduate studies. Admir is interested in science, entrepreneurship, and education.

Kristina Gogić

OLBIOS Correspondent, CROATIA

Kristina Gogić, mag.iur/LLM is a Croatian lawyer, lecturer and author. She is an expert in Human Rights, European and International Law and Benefit Cost Analysis. During her long career she has participated and lectured in numerous seminars, roundtables, conferences, meetings and workshops in Croatia and abroad. She has written articles on the subject of Human Rights judicial and administrative procedure, lustration, croatian migrants, communities and social activities and on croatian politics and cultural heritage, Benefit Cost Analysis, and European Union Investments. She is a member of The Society of the Benefit Cost Analysis, European Lawyers Association, Croatian Lawyers Association, Matica Hrvatska, Croatian Mediation Association,Croatia Society of Victimology and The Rule of Law Association.

Jana Papcunova

OLBIOS Correspondent, SLOVAKIA

Jana Papcunova is a psychologist with more than ten years of international experience in the field of mental health. Currently based in Slovakia, she treats both Slovak and English speaking clients and specializes in mood and anxiety disorders, cultural adaptation and counseling. She graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy, Presov University in 2004, with an MA in Psychology, following which she worked for two years in Boston, USA, in the “Traumatic brain injury in children and adolescents” project using DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) principles. In 2007 she moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where she worked in the “Clearwater house” therapeutic community. There she provided treatment primarily for people with severe and longstanding emotional problems through the use of principles such as empowerment, democratic dialogue, social inclusion and the establishment of a safe environment. She successfully completed a portfolio of theories, “Psychoanalytic Theories and Therapeutic Communities, Individual and Group Therapy”, drawing on works by David Kennard, Melanie Klein, Wilfred Bion and Irving Yalom. In 2013 she moved back to her home country, Slovakia. Jana is an executive director of the nonprofit organization Center Mokosha, which provides individual and group psychological counseling, family and couple counseling, consultation for parents, partners and loved ones of people with mental illness. She also takes part in lectures, seminars and workshops in the context of prevention programs. Some of her clients come from refugee background with severe emotional problems due to trauma.

Aleksandar Tashkovski

OLBIOS Correspondent, R. MACEDONIA (FYROM)

Aleksandar Tashkovski was born in Bitola, R. Macedonia and is studying International Law and relations and Law of the European Union at the Faculty of Law of the “Iustinianus Primus”, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. He has been working as an academic researcher, journalist, demonstrator for First Aid and Law intern. He is also part of many social initiatives as well as the student movement- the Students Plenum. He has been actively involved in many non- government organizations from Macedonia and abroad since elementary school. Aleksandar has taken part in many conferences, seminars, training sessions and was part of the drafting of International Resolution against corruption under the patronage of H.H. Dalai Lama on the International Student Festival in Trondheim, Norway. He is also a licensed PIER Educator and has organized dozens of trainings for peers. Aleksandar has also been a Red Cross volunteer for 11 years, is currently Honorable Consul of the Macedonian Red Cross for the US and a participant in the pro bono legal clinic at his Faculty.

Lahcene Mehennaoui

OLBIOS Correspondent, CZECH REPUBLIC

Lahcene is a very active in the fields of human rights and positive social change. His sense of communication, friendliness, behavioural flexibility and enthusiasm have allowed him to work successfully at a multinational level. He is a member of Amnesty International since 2007, former Campaigns coordinator, project manager, founder of Amnesty International Lithuania Group and founder of the International Students Association in Lithuania. Lahcene was born in Algeria, where he obtained a BA in Law, and a BA in English language and literature. He was a very active member in Amnesty Algeria, assumed several responsibilities and coordinated several global campaigns. He then lived for almost 4 years in Lithuania where he studied Social work. In mid-2015 he settled in Brno, the Czech Republic. Lahcene loves Algeria, but he considers himself a citizen of the world. He likes helping and connecting people, travelling, intercultural exchanges and advocates for social justice.

Stefania Romano

OLBIOS Correspondent, ITALY

With a Public Policy background Stefania Romano has worked for more than ten years for the Italian Ministry of the Environment. Seconded by her government to an international organization, the Regional Environmental Center, Stefania has been the Director of the Italian Fund, targeting specific environmental programs and channeling government funds throughout several geographical regions, such as Central Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey, and the MENA region. In this institutional framework she has developed the Sustainable Development Academy – an educational, capacity building program for senior officials and businessmen – and established the CEO Platform for Green Growth in the MENA region, a program mobilizing actions for green solutions across top-notch businessmen in the Arab region. Also, on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Environment, she has coordinated the bilateral environmental cooperation between the Brazilian and the Italian government, setting up the relevant institutional agreements and coordinating the Italian Pavilion at United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012 (Rio+20) for the Italian delegation. Recently, as Freelancer, she has been developing and leading a new project that combines art and environment, Hearth.

Matteo Tracchi

OLBIOS Correspondent, ITALY

Matteo is a PhD candidate in “Human Rights, Society and Multi-level Governance” at the Human Rights Centre of the University of Padova, Italy. His PhD research focuses on citizenship and human rights education in Italy and Croatia. Matteo holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in Human Rights from the University of Padova, Italy.  Prior to starting his PhD, Matteo worked for Amnesty International as Advocacy Assistant within the Global Human Rights Education Programme and as Individuals at Risk Campaigner on MENA, South Asia and South-East Asia, both posts based at the International Secretariat in London, UK. Matteo has extensive experience in conducting human rights research, as well as campaigning, policy, advocacy and capacity building activities with a variety of constituencies at local, national, regional and international level. He also worked in both formal and non-formal education settings with a focus on his main areas of interest, namely human rights education, education for democratic citizenship, children’s rights and youth participation.

Alberto M. Forte

OLBIOS Correspondent, SWITZERLAND

Alberto M. Forte was born in Rome, Italy. He lived in several countries and studied Medicine and Surgery at Einstein College of Yeshiva University in NYC and at Sapienza University in Rome, from which he obtained his MA. He then moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, where he won the NCCR Synapsy Prize to begin a PhD in Neuroscience. In Lausanne he became a psychiatrist, cognitive and behavioral psychotherapist and medical researcher. Alberto has travelled extensively. Because of his passion for anthropology and the richness of different cultures, he collaborated with various humanitarian organisations, including TReND in Africa for teaching Neuroscience in African countries, and medical start-ups such as SwissMedBank which helps migrants and expatriates with their medical backgrounds. He loves nature and is actively involved in environmental protection as a member of the Swiss Network of Ecopsychology. He holds a position as teacher in Ethnocultural psychiatry. Alberto is also a writer, illustrator and photographer. His scientific and artistic activities are centered on his main subject of interest, empathy, and how it influences human behaviour, biological and genetic evolution, and the relationship between the environment and living beings. Today, his work focuses on sustainable behaviour and he is developing an innovative center of eco-development and therapy.

Christoph von Toggenburg

OLBIOS Correspondent, SWITZERLAND

Being a global citizen, Christoph has been working for the last two decades in various countries around the world. In recent years, he was at the World Economic Forum as Head of the Social Engagement Team and is a Global Leadership Fellow. He has 15 years of work experience in diverse fields including arts, media, social entrepreneurship and humanitarian management. He launched three international fundraising and awareness campaigns, including Alegría, a bicycle expedition across the Himalaya, Bike for Help, a bicycle expedition from India to Switzerland, and Run for Help, a 270km run across the Alps. He created and chairs the Colour the World Foundation taking care of leprosy patients and women with mental illness. He worked for the ICRC and the UN in conflict zones in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America. He holds MAs in Global Leadership from the World Economic Forum, International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, Fine Arts from Chelsea College of Art in London and a BA from Guildhall University in Communications. For the last 20 years he has photographed and filmed social issues all over the world. For his visual work, public talks and his humanitarian efforts he has received numerous international awards. He was decorated with the Commanders Cross and was a TEDx speaker.

Tarek Hassan

OLBIOS Correspondent, GERMANY

Tarek is a technosocial innovation designer and entrepreneur. As a HPI D.School trained Design Thinking coach and a German UNESCO trained facilitator, Tarek holds trisector experience with a focus on entrepreneurship, innovation and development cooperation. With strong networks in the Middle East and East Asia, Tarek is passionate to facilitate transcultural and transdisciplinary learning journeys and idea labs. Exploring the human side of emerging technologies such as Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things, he goes beyond the hype to design sustainable systems that leverage tech for a reason: To create a more just and inclusive world for all.

Niels de Fraguier

OLBIOS Correspondent, FRANCE & HUNGARY

I am currently enrolled in the final year of my BA in Sport Management in Budapest. I am also involved in different European projects related to social inclusion and development. After an internship with the French Olympic Committee in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games in 2016, I took part in more inclusive programs, including European projects promoting social inclusion. I collaborated with European projects related to human rights and the refugee situation in order to inform younger generations about the reality in Greece, Turkey but also all over the world. I have a strong interest in social inclusion and in January 2018 I did an internship with a Greek Non-Governmental Organisation where I created a mentorship program for young refugees (18-24 years old). This program allows refugees to have a Greek student as a mentor and learn about the local culture, make friends but also visit new places and museums. This experience helps me understand the reality that refugees face in Greece and Europe and the urgency to find solutions allowing people to live in decent conditions.

Indi Deol

OLBIOS Correspondent, UK

Indi is the Founding Director of the multi award winning British Asian online magazine DESIblitz and lead on advertising and strategic business growth. He also runs Aidem Digital CIC which is a Social Enterprise and digital media agency focused on delivering projects that produce a positive social return. Indi is Visiting Industrial Fellow of Aston Business School and thrives on utilizing digital tools to solve marketing and business problems. His education and background include a strong emphasis on fashion design, and over the last 8 years he has been immerse in online media, sales and content marketing. In 2013 he successfully completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 businesses programme and in 2015 he went on to be selected as a finalist for the Ernst and Young Midlands Entrepreneur of the year award. Outside of work he enjoys visiting new places, listening to music and cinema.

Rosie van den Bosch

OLBIOS Correspondent, UK

Rosie’s academic career began with a Bachelor’s degree in Drama and Theatre Practice where she focused her dissertation on the relationship between human rights and theatre. Her passion for social change ignited, Rosie began a Master’s in Human Rights and Democratisation from the European Inter University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC) graduating in September 2017. She was luckily enough to study in Venice and Budapest during this time. She wrote her Master’s thesis on the role of international organisations in Kosovo post the 1999 war and visited the country on numerous field trips to interview a wide range of people from the Minister of Justice to the Head of UN Women. She has taught abroad in Vietnam and the U.K. has worked for NGOs with focuses on children’s rights and has volunteered with refugees and asylum seekers supporting their re-settlement in the U.K.

Loris Conte

OLBIOS Correspondent, ITALY & CROATIA

I have worked abroad several times (Spain, Croatia) so I have learnt by experience to speak a few foreign languages and to cope with complicated problems without difficulty or fear. I am studying political science at Milan University and at Pompeu Fabra of Barcelona (Erasmus+). The main aspects of my academic training are studies in the social, economic and legal environment witch I have managed to combine with my experience abroad, full of the desire to achieve and learn, to have new experiences and eager to further develop my skills. I am president of the association Positiva Milano: an apolitical and non-profit association. The Association works with public and private entities, either Italian and European (for example with Pozitiva Samobor, our Croatian twin association). This NGO is an association for sustainable development and socio-cultural promotion which makes use of Erasmus+ fund of European Union as an instrument to support youth growth. It implements primarily Youth Exchanges within Erasmus+. The Erasmus programme creates awareness and makes it possible to strengthen ties between people of different nations, breaking down cultural barriers more than any common market or single currency policies can do. This
is what has led me to establish Positiva Milano, and that’s what pushes me forward: change the lives of young Italians and create an European generation, proud of their roots but ready to learn about other cultures and to build a better world.

Juan Antonio Pavon

OLBIOS Correspondent, SPAIN

Juan Antonio Pavon is from Seville, Spain and is a strategic communication and political analysis consultant. He holds an MA in Political and Institutional Communication from the Pompeu Fabra University and an MA in European Public Affairs from the University of Maastricht. He is director of the www.euronautas.com online platform for training, communication and public policies. With experience in European Funding Projects, he enjoys providing policy insights in several columns and blogs for El Pais, El Huffington Post, or La Voz Del Sur. Juan has been international policy assistant at the European Commission and is currently contributing member of OPEX at the Fundación Alternativas think tank.

Diogo Gonçalves

OLBIOS Correspondent, PORTUGAL

Diogo Gonçalves works with private and public institutions, helping them to apply behavioral science to improve their social and economic outcomes. He is the Founder of There are Free Lunches Lectures, and Nudge Portugal initiatives. In parallel, he develops academic research in the areas of consumer behavior and behavioral economics. He writes regularly for Psychology Today, Huffington Post (both U.S.), Behavioraleconomics.com (U.S.),  economiacomportamental.org (Brazil). He has a Bsc. in Social Psychology from the Applied Psychology Insitute – ISPA (PT), Msc. in Data Analysis  applied to Consumer Behaviour from NOVA IMS (PT), and was a PhD student at TIBER – Tilburg Institute for Behavioral Economics Research at Tilburg University (NL). He will teach at the University (Universidade Europeia), starting in April.

Justyna Jarzabska

OLBIOS Correspondent, POLAND

Justyna’s academic background is in interdisciplinary studies on international relations. Starting from political science and human rights in Poland, she continued with her MA in Belgium at K.U.Leuven with European Studies: transnational and global perspectives and governance. Her favourite courses from the scholarship abroad were peace research and conflict management, strategy and global security studies, multilateral diplomacy and negotiation techniques or last but not least, development cooperation. She is now who she is thanks to experience gained as a coordinator of the AfriCO and Enter Your Future projects in AIESEC UW, co-founder of Model United Nations at K.U.Leuven, human rights and global education trainer in Europe or a manager of the development project on the women capacity building in Tanzania. Her professional experience varies from working in diplomacy to coordinate national parliamentary elections, cooperating with international organizations in Ethiopia as a trainer on conflict and violence for humanitarian workers from the South Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen and Somalia, through work as an analyst and strategic programs specialist in the National Center for Research and Development to communication and journalist works. Currently, she is dealing with multidimentional aspects of migration phenomena working in the Unit of European Migration Network and Combating Trafficking of Human Beings in the Ministry of Poland. She is also a migration expert of the European Migration Network of the European Commission and member of the CBSS Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings. Recently she joined the Council of Europe as an expert on Children’s Rights in the CAHENF-Safeguards group. Justyna is interested to support and becoming involved in development, humanitarian, peace-making, awareness-widening social actions and compaings that aim to bind humankind, to teach each other empathy and mutual understanding. She still believes we need more Mahatmas Gandhi, we need more non-violent direct actions to stop a vicious circle of the world blindness and indifference to human suffering. She is also convinced that today’s “Gandhi”s are already waiting for us just to take action. Justyna loves to think about what seems unthinkable, however she needs other people to suit the action to the word.

Fivos Tsaravopoulos

OLBIOS Correspondent, GREECE

Fivos Tsaravopoulos has been working through his Social Co-operative Enterprise “Paths of Greece” since 2010 to actively foster the implementation of walking trails across all of Greece. He has developed and promoted several path networks on the islands of Kythera, Serifos, Sifnos, Patmos, Kefalonia, as well as in Athens, the Peloponnese, Drama, Prespa Lakes and elsewhere. He has advised on trail projects internationally including a major trail project in China. Several Paths of Greece projects have introduced innovative ideas and have generated articles in the domestic and international press. Fivos is Treasurer at the World Trails Network.

Katia Stefanatou

OLBIOS Correspondent, GREECE

Katia Stefanatou is an Entrepreneur, NGO Strategy Consultant for NGOs and the Founder of Greece in the Box, an online monthly food subscription company based in Athens, Greece. Katia worked at UNICEF USA in New York for over seven years as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expert leading multi-million dollar partnerships with Fortune 500 companies focusing on airline and financial industries. She has lead CSR and awareness campaigns in India, Senegal and Turkey. She also served as Manager of the Community Mobilization team where she managed UNICEF’s national programs for domestic engagement and global citizenship in the United States. Katia is an alumna of the prestigious US Fund for UNICEF Global Citizenship Fellowship program, voted ProFellow’s 10 most popular fellowships of 2016. Katia has spoken on behalf of UNICEF at the United Nations, TEDxTeen, Universities, Civil Society Groups, and Faith Leaders convenings. She is the recipient of the Honorary President’s Call to Service Award in 2011 and Gold President’s Service Award in 2010, the President’s highest honor offered in recognition of civil service in the United States. As Founder of Greece in the Box since 2017, Katia has embarked on a journey to empower small Greek farmers and producers and support the local agro-economy through an online subscription platform. Katia holds a B.S. in Economics with a concentration on Socio-Economic Development from Paris XII University in Paris, France and a Certificate in Global Affairs from NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Uroš Delić

OLBIOS Correspondent, SERBIA

Uroš Delić is a Corporate Philanthropy Manager and an expert in Corporate fundraising, CSR, philanthropy development, project management, outreach and networking. Also, he is an Economic advisor active in entrepreneurship projects supporting development of small family businesses or agricultural households. He is working with the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation for the mast 7 years. His primary task was corporate fundraising; during years, he was able to establish contacts and develop cooperation with many companies, corporate foundations and also SMEs. Procter&Gamble, Saint-Gobain Initiative, NCR Foundation, Wiener Stadtische are among the biggest new donors and partners.

Uros Delic is also active in many other organizations, he is the Vice President of the UN Global Compact Network Serbia, board member of the Serbian Philanthropy Forum and also member of Association of Fundraising Professionals. He also worked on the EU Flood relief project (2014-2016) aimed to support families which income generating activities were severely damaged during the floods.

His main efforts at the moment are focused developing cooperation with local self-governments and corporate donors (public-private partnerships) with special focus of Divac Agricultural Funds and support to families in rural areas and youth interested to develop family households. Development of philanthropy and promotion of solidarity in Serbia and in the region remains as his main activities as well.

Domenico Maria Caprioli

OLBIOS Correspondent, ITALY

Domenico Maria Caprioli, PhD (Urban Anthropology) is a passionate researcher, focused on bottom-up processes and urban anthropology. Now he is a just as passionate business developer, especially interested in territory development and innovation management. As an expert in EU funding programmes, he tries to put any challenge into a strategic perspective, integrating several approaches and funding instruments, with the purpose of achieving the maximum impact. In the last two years he set up an international advisory for an Italian group. Currently, he is leading technology transfer projects in Southern Italy and takes part in a territorial development programme and a complementary R&D progress of European and American companies.

Ronan O Dalaigh

OLBIOS Correspondent, IRELAND

Ronan is from Dublin, Ireland and is a social entrepreneur. As a teenager he represented Ireland on the Irish Karate Squad, was Captain of his Gaelic football team and President of his student council. In November 2013 he was presented with the Irish Presidential Youth Award, a Gold Gaisce Medal. Ronan worked for Unilever as a Financial Business Partner and oversaw Unilever Ireland’s sales to the convenience sector, worth approximately €30m per annum. In 2014 he graduated top of his class with a degree in Business and Irish and was awarded the Dublin City University Chancellor’s Medal for Outstanding Achievements, specifically; Co-founding and chairing the Raising And Giving Society (subsequently Ireland’s fastest growing youth charity), a student society the aim of which is to empower students through volunteering, fundraising and social enterprise development. In its first year the RAG society was the largest society in DCU, won the award for Ireland’s Best New College Society and fundraised over €100,000. Being elected the chairperson of the DCU Student Union Council and successfully leading the campaign for DCU Students’ Union to re-‐affiliate to the national Union of Student’s in Ireland after a ten year absence. Helping to establish Na Gaeil .ga, Ireland’s first Irish language GAA club outside of a Gaeltacht. Ronan represented Ireland as the winner of the global Enactus competition for social enterprise in 2012 and has also represented the young people of Ireland as a delegate to the European Union, UNESCO, One Young World and the United Nations. In 2015 he was elected a Young Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum and is a member of ChangemakerXChange, the world’s largest social enterprise collaboration network for social entrepreneurs under thirty. Ronan is currently founding a new social enterprise, SEDCo, which is aiming to have a transformational impact on Irish society.

Charles Blass

OLBIOS Correspondent, SWITZERLAND

Charles Blass is an Advisory Board Member and Team Facilitator at the Climate Change and Consciousness conference, ccc19.org. Co-evolving a series of globally-distributed initiatives focused on collaboration and developing ideas and projects to co-create a better world, Charles is a passionate writer and editor, broadcaster, group facilitator, team-builder, global networker and movement-grower. He has experience managing multiple areas including community and communications, media archives, partnerships and advisors. Charles founded a New York State non-profit arts and education company; co-founded a Brooklyn music label network; and managed a Manhattan recording studio. He is specialized in English language production and optimization, quality assurance for publication, and coaching; mind-mapping and related ‘think-know tools’; sound engineering and production; producing and programming radio festivals.

Senad Hasanbašić

OLBIOS Correspondent, BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA & FRANCE

Senad Hasanbašić studied at the Institute of Political Studies of Lille and at the ESCP-Europe in Paris. He also holds a History degree from the Sorbonne. He has been working in International NGOs and the Red Cross Movement for over a decade on 4 continents and about 20 countries as Country Director and International Programmes Manager at Head Office level, from emergency contexts to developed countries. He is also participating in translation projects with the aim of making knowledge accessible to as many people as possible.

Sara Soltani

OLBIOS Correspondent, AUSTRIA

Sara Soltani was born to an Iranian family of musicians in Austria. Surrounded by classical music, she also played the flute at the conservatory, was a member of the Youth Symphony Orchestra and graduated at the music high school in Vorarlberg (Austria). She got her Bachelor’s degree in social and cultural anthropology and her first Master’s in political science at the University of Vienna. She completed a Master’s programme in human rights at the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC), where she studied in Venice for her first semester and in Copenhagen at the Danish Human Rights Institute for her second semester. She wrote her first master’s thesis about the political instrumentalisation of women’s rights in Iran and the second about human rights in the context of music. For her second thesis, she interviewed Maestro Barenboim on the promotion of human rights and equal treatment through music, the founder of the association United Heartbeat on the right to participate in cultural rights and the founders of Tehran Flute Choir and Bridge of Art on the freedom of musical expression in Iran. This master’s thesis got rewarded and will be published soon. By co-organising a cultural human rights festival in Venice in 2016, she was awarded with the E.MActivism Prize. Besides her studies, she also gained practical experience in the field of human rights and aid organisations. She worked at the Asylkoordination, Caritas and Nachhilfe Zuhause, where she gave German, French, Math and English lessons to unaccompanied refugee minors. Furthermore, she was an intern at the Austrian Commission for UNESCO. Since Sara was one of the best 15 graduates of her Master’s programme, an internship has been offered to her. She will be starting this internship at the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) by February 2018. Currently she supports the Tehran Flute Choir as an administrative assistant. Sara speaks German, English, French and Persian fluently and is currently improving her Italian skills.

Stefan Ubiparipović

OLBIOS Correspondent, SERBIA

Stefan Ubiparipović has a BA (Hons) in International Affairs from the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Political Sciences. As an undergraduate, he studied for a year at the University of Ghent in Belgium specializing in European Integration. Currently, Stefan is a student at the Joint Interdisciplinary Master’s Programme in South-Eastern European Studies, University of Belgrade, in the context of which he spent a semester at the University of Graz, Austria. He completed a traineeship program at the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia and completed a three-month internship within the Core Negotiating Team for the Accession of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union. Stefan also worked at the British Council Serbia as a Customer Care Officer and was a representative for the European Federation for Intercultural Learning, Brussels. He is a project assistant at the Belgrade Open School on “Civil Society as a Force for Change in the Serbia’s EU Accession Process“.

Darya Doronina

OLBIOS Correspondent, FRANCE & RUSSIA

A Communication Assistant and NeoSpheres intern, Darya Doronina planned and organised a range of events, including a salon with 300 international participants She has also mentored project progress and managed daily operations as a Project Assistant at volunteering Cinaps TV, coordinated participation in festivals and events focused on culture, including managing interviews in Russian, French and English (UNESCO events, Prix Langlois, cinematographic festivals) Communication. She was an Assistant at CDD Tandau Foundation, where she Acquired sponsors and partnerships – and assisted events manager and specialists in the implementation of strategies of social development in Central Asia. She has an MA in European Affairs (Paris-Sorbonne University, Paris IV) and a BA in Communication from Paris VIII university.

Blagota Marunović

OLBIOS Correspondent, MONTENEGRO

Blagota Marunovic has a BA and MA in French-American Institute IFAM in Paris, France, with a dissertation in the field of marketing. He works in parliamentary diplomacy in the Parliament of Montenegro as an advisor for international relations in the Committee on International Relations and Emigrants. He founded in 2013 the Center for multimedia production – CEZAM, today a respected and socially active NGO in Montenegro. Currently, he is executive director of CEZAM. Within his organization, he deals with production, marketing and works as a filmmaker. He is the creator and director of the Green Montenegro International Film Fest, the first and largest film festival in Montenegro based on ecology and sustainable development. The festival is co-produced with CEZAM. He also worked as director of marketing management at Montenegro Consulting Company, he was actively involved in several non-governmental organizations throughout years, attended many national and international seminars. He speaks Montenegrin, English and French.

Yulia Moshkovska

OLBIOS Correspondent, UKRAINE

Yulia has an MA from the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation. Her Major was in Human Rights and Democratisation, a degree jointly awarded by Ruhr-Universität Bochum, University of Hamburg, University of Deusto, University of Graz Thesis – University of Vienna. She has a BA from Kyiv National Economic University were she majored in Law Sciences with a specialization in Financial Law. Yulia is a creative director, organizer and PR manager of the European Cultural Academy, Venice, Italy where she organized weekly courses in contemporary art and photography. Yulia is also organizer and assistant curator at the European Cultural Centre, Venice, Italy and she has organized exhibitions of the Venice Art Biennale 2017 collateral events. She oversaw legal aspects of Nestle’s financial activities in the Ukraine and provided overall legal support for the company in Ukraine and Moldova.

Aigars Kaulins

OLBIOS Correspondent, LATVIA

Aigars Kaulins studied Business Administration in the Baltic International Academy and Operations Management at Stonebridge College. He has worked in journalism, marketing, sales, arts and organization of events. He was the General Manager of the Riga city exhibition hall, executive director of Latviesu sapnis, managing director of Ask Shop in Liverpool and general manager at Belezza Italiana. He is also a personal and spiritual growth coach. He began his personal and spiritual practice more than seven years ago and has been studying from teachers such as Bob Proctor, Prentice Mulford, Joel Osteen.

Doru Curoșu

OLBIOS Correspondent, MOLDOVA

Doru Curoșu is an international Trainer and Speaker, with a unique experience in volunteering, youth policy making, people development and sports. He is a trainer with an experience of 6 years, over 300 training sessions, at a national and international level. He is a Board Member of The European Youth Forum (YFJ), a platform of youth organisations in Europe representing 99 youth organisations, both National Youth Councils and International Non-Governmental Youth Organisations. With a extensive experience in Leadership, Team Management, Public Speaking, Human Resources and Volunteers Management, organizing and facilitating Team Buildings and Events, Doru currently develops his own Training and Team Building Company, and several educational youth projects. In 2016 he was nominated by Forbes 30 under 30.

Attila Mester

OLBIOS Correspondent, HUNGARY

Attila Mester is an expert in social innovation and community-based sustainable development. He has a background in cultural and visual anthropology, public policy, project management and community building with 15 years of experience in the civil sector, contributing to social, cultural, community, sustainability and Roma projects for several organizations. He is one of the founders of Profilantrop Association, which integrates environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainability in its projects, combined with real life practical solutions and technologies. One of the main successes of Profilantrop is a charity shop in Budapest called Filantrópia. It has multiple benefits, such as the reduction of waste and the creation of an opportunity for less wealthy people to buy products. It also serves as a meeting point for the community and in the future might even be in a position to finance the rural community projects of the Association. In his professional work, Attila prefers to co-create solutions together in a partnership with those who are affected by the problems, respecting and incorporating each others’ contribution, values, experiences, knowledge, cultural background and worldview. Diversity is an important concept for him, not only in the sense of natural or cultural diversity but also in terms of task variety such as facilitating community processes, building fuel-efficient stoves, teaching IT solutions, managing projects, organizing events, giving presentations and holding training sessions.

Yiota Nicolaidou

OLBIOS Correspondent, CYPRUS

Yiota Nicolaidou is on a mission to eliminate terrorist and information security attacks (both cyber and physical) on businesses, by demystifying security and simplifying protection for businesses. Yiota is a former Communications Affairs Attaché for the Cyprus government, a Safety Critical Infrastructures adviser and Director of an operations Regional Control Centre for the Cyprus Civil Defense, information security analyst & strategist for the CyCSO NPO and finally, the founder of Y. Secure World Vision, an international company enabling businesses to protect their valuable assets. Trained in Safety Critical Systems and Highly Classified Information, Yiota was mentored by Professor Dhiraj Pradhan, an ACM award winner and adviser, amongst others to NASA. Prof Pradhan identified Yiota as the best student he has ever seen in his career. Her academic qualifications include a degree in Hardware Design, a master’s in Advanced Microelectronic Systems Engineering with further specialisation in fault tolerance, hardware security, usable security & human brain functionality. Her expertise has been sought by top semiconductor companies, Boeing, the European Space Agency, Europol, and governmental agencies fighting cyber-terrorism. She has undertaken government-based “safety critical infrastructure” re-design related to public protection and the state. She also helps non-profit organisations by supplying them with the required technological tools. Yiota has been selected to be featured as an inspirational role model for women in Cyprus by the SHE EXPERTS initiative.

Jonathan Leighton

OLBIOS Correspondent, SWITZERLAND

Jonathan Leighton grew up in Montreal, Canada. After studying at Harvard University he moved to Switzerland, where he obtained a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Basel. Initially interested in improving wellbeing through biomedical research, he became increasingly attracted to the bigger question of how to create a gentler, more compassionate society. After several years in the fragrance industry in research and marketing, and then a stint at a Geneva-based communications agency working for the Gates Foundation and other clients in global health and biotech, he decided to embark on an independent path. His book The Battle for Compassion (2011) is a philosophical exploration of existence that methodically addresses the question “What matters?” He also produced a short film with the same name to communicate some of the book’s core ideas. Jonathan is the Executive Director of the Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering (OPIS), a Swiss think-and-do tank he founded in 2016, dedicated to making the prevention of suffering of sentient beings our highest ethical priority. Jonathan writes articles and gives public talks, and he is currently working on a new book that develops a more holistic ethical framework for society.

Ian Gauci

OLBIOS Correspondent, MALTA

Dr Ian Gauci is engaged primarily in technology law, fintech, regtech, electronic communications, information society, data protection and gaming/gambling, whilst also focusing on consumer law, competition law, broadcasting law, cyber law, e-commerce, m-commerce, e-health, e-payment, information technology, unfair commercial practices and misleading advertising. Dr Gauci also provides consultancy on legal matters related to blockchain technology, smart contracts, crypto-currencies and ICO/ITO. He is frequently invited to participate and speak in local and international conferences, seminars and events touching on these areas as well as Electronic Communications, Data Protection and Technology Law. He has assisted the Maltese Government amongst others on issues dealing E-Trust certification, the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) on its Ecommerce strategy as well as the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). He is also currently one of the strategic advisors appointed by Government on the National Blockchain Strategy Taskforce. Dr Gauci has co-authored the Maltese Electronic Communications Framework and lectures Legal Futures and Technology at the University of Malta.

Tom Barratt

OLBIOS Correspondent, UK

Tom is a social entrepreneur and charity leader. He has a passion for social change and experience in how to achieve it sustainability. He has an healthy mix of private sector, social enterprise and charity sector experience. He’s worked for marketing agencies – helping to build some of the UK’s most recognised brands and also worked in-house for charities, where he’s led the marketing communications, corporate relationships and commercial trading teams. He has run a grant-funded official Olympic Legacy programme for young people, where he transformed it into a new social enterprise. He then used that experience to launch his own enterprise development consultancy for charities: Frodas. Tom also leads a UK coalition of youth-serving organisations that are disrupting their own sector – using tech to enable young people to create the change that they want to see: Peace First UK Challenge

Anaïs Saegesser

OLBIOS Correspondent, SWITZERLAND

Anaïs holds a great love and care for humanity on this planet. She just loves stepping on new pathways and exploring the opportunities that different approaches provide, when designed to empower people to reconnect with themselves, connecting to others, nature and the universe. Having earned her PHD at the University of St.Gallen, HSG Anaïs integrates experience from business and economics (PhD) to social sciences, religious and Islamic studies, environmental sciences, coaching and yoga. She has worked in SMEs, large corporations, NGO, public sector and her own companies. Acknowledging that many societal challenges of our time are merely symptoms of our values, belief systems and aspirations, she is now mainly working through the theory of change of personal transformation. Having realized that to address the complexity of the challenges of our times we need a multitude of methods, she is also exploring different pathways of scaling all the good that is out there. The Olbios network provides one potential trajectory for this through providing visibility, resources and a community, which is why she is delighted of being able to contribute towards Olbios. In addition to being a co-founder of STRIDE- unSchool for Entrepreneurial Leadership, she also co-founded scaling4good, eccoscience.ch and MahaDevi Centre Switzerland associations, is Chair of the Board of Trustees at MahaDevi Yoga Centre UK and member of the WeAct Advisory Board.

Ernst von Kimakowitz

OLBIOS Correspondent, SWITZERLAND

Dr. Ernst von Kimakowitz is founding Director of the Humanistic Management Center, an independent think tank, learning institution and advisory firm on business ethics and sustainability. He is also the director of the executive education provider Ethics First. Ernst is a lecturer in leadership skills at the University of St Gallen, Switzerland and the University of Tübingen, Germany and was the 2016 visiting professor at Soka University’s Business Department in Tokyo, Japan. He holds several board member, editorial and reviewer positions and frequently gives talks to audiences ranging from student groups to senior executive teams around the globe. He holds a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics (LSE) and an award winning Ph.D. from the Institute for Business Ethics at the University of St Gallen. Prior to his doctoral studies he has worked in strategy consulting with a leading management consulting firm based in London, England. Εrnst is passionate about strengthening the positive impact of business towards a more equitable and more sustainable planet.

Deniz Bagriacik

OLBIOS Correspondent, FRANCE & TURKEY

Fırat Barçadurmus

OLBIOS Correspondent, POLAND & TURKEY

I was born in the city of Bingöl in 1992 and graduated from Political Science and Public administration in Cankiri Karatekin University in Turkey.  I am currenty living in Warsaw where I am studying towards my MA in Political Science at the University of Warsaw. I have been participant and team leader in many projects. I love to travel and meet new people I am interested in political theories, human rights, and sustainability.

Fiona McKeon

OLBIOS Correspondent, IRELAND

Fiona McKeon, CEO of Bizworld Ireland is a professional development lecturer and trainer. Entering the business world over a decade ago, her strong background in education ensures her methods of lecturing, mentoring and teaching are both informative and effective. Fiona has transferred her abilities as an educator to provide skills and advice to people of all ages in order to improve their professional standards and personal effectiveness through branding and mentoring. She counts many educational institutions, such as IBEC, Fás, DAA, Brown Thomas, Ernst & Young, Darley Flying Start, TV3 and TG4 as previous clients. She has also developed and delivered programmes for the Dublin Institute of Design and Froebel College of Education, Maynooth University. As CEO of Bizworld Ireland, Fiona is bridging the gap between education and business in order to create successful but financially responsible adults for the future. Bizworld is an initiative provided by both educators and the business community to empower and inspire Primary school children. It provides a platform for kids to learn about social enterprise, critical thinking and money management in a fun and creative way. The organisation’s mission is to challenge and engage children across the cultural and economic spectrum. This is executed through experiential learning programs that teach the basics of business, while also promoting teamwork and leadership in the classroom. Bizworld sow the seeds so these children can grow their future.

Rafael Masson Rocha

OLBIOS Correspondent, PORTUGAL

Rafael was born in the countryside of Brazil from a family of Italian immigrants with a passion for travel and helping others. By the time he finished his BA in International Relations in the border between Brazil and Uruguay he was in contact with several different social initiatives, including gender equality, human rights, and educational projects. Rafael was one of the founders of PAMPEANO, a project that helps young people achieve the goal of entering university through free preparatory classes. Rafael has experience in volunteering for NGOs in three continents, including the Nobel Peace Prize winner International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Mines Action Canada (MAC), and more recently Greek Carers Network (EPIONI). Currently, he is doing his MA in Strategic Communication in Portugal.

Danilo Mirabile

OLBIOS Correspondent, ITALY

Danilo Mirabile is a social entrepreneur, born in Catania, Italy. He studied computer engineering at the University of Catania and continued his career by founding several digital companies. Today he serves as CEO of Beentouch, a company that has produced the software of the same name, a video communications system that works in any network condition. He is a Business Development Manager for Startup Super School, an international organization that teaches entrepreneurial culture in schools and universities. He works alongside volunteer work that he carries out for some international organizations such as Youth Parliament Nepal and Theirworld. Danilo has been awarded as one of the world’s best entrepreneurs under 25 by the prestigious Kairos Society and AIESEC, the world’s largest student organisation. It is also part of SDSN Youth, the UN-supported organization and has been selected for the United Nations of Industrial Development (UNIDO) Entrepreneurs 4 Social Change programme.

María Rosón Sánchez

OLBIOS Correspondent, SPAIN

My name is María Rosón Sánchez, I am from Spain and it was while I was studying a double degree in Law and Political Sciences that I had the first contact with the field of social action, and decided that the protection of human rights was the path I wanted to take not only as a future profession but also as a philosophy of life. Following this vocation, during my years at University I started to collaborate with several NGOs in Spain working with migrant and refugee people’s rights, and I continued doing so when I finished my studies. Beyond these experiences, and moved by a desire of knowing other realities and cultures, I collaborated with several NGOs in Latin America, working with community development projects focused on children and women’s rights in the cities of Porto Alegre (Brazil) and Cusco (Peru). More recently I have finished a European master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratisation, having the chance to write my master’s thesis about intercultural dialogue and the inclusion of migrant and refugee people in Greece, where I could also collaborate with NGOs working on the refugee camps close to the city of Thessaloniki. Besides these experiences, I also spent a year studying in France at Sciences Po Bordeaux, and a semester cursing development studies in New Zealand. I am also very interested on music, dancing and in ecology and sustainable living. I am also passionate of travelling as much as I can and learning new languages, speaking fluently Spanish, English, Portuguese and French . Nowadays I am collaborating with a women’s rights NGO working on the eradication of gender based violence and any forms of discrimination towards women.

Francesco Trupia

OLBIOS Correspondent, BULGARIA & ITALY

Francesco Trupia is a PhD Candidate trained in Political Philosophy at the Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, where he also obtained his MA in Philosophy with a major in Intercultural Relations. Besides, he graduated at the University of Catania in Political Science and International Relations. After his sabbatical year in 2014, Francesco began to increase his interests in Eastern Europe by interning the NGO Focus in Bulgaria and the Refugee Project, working with vulnerable minorities. In 2016, he became one of the international fellows of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Resource Research Centre, exploring the links between minority issues and the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh after the last constitutional reforms in the post-Soviet Armenia. While attending numerous summer schools in Russia, Serbia, Germany, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Armenia and Kosovo, in 2017 Trupia joined the London-based think tank Institute for Islamic Strategic Affairs – IISA by contributing for the Refugee&Border Control Program. He is currently a Field Officer in HOLDS Foundation, where he conducts mapping surveys in the post-Balkan Route scenario. Trupia’s current interests include minority groups and migratory phenomena over Eastern European contested territories. Counting on his fieldworks, he has presented his research in Turkey, Netherlands, Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria. His monograph on “Migranthood & Self-Governing Rights: A New Paradigm for Eastern Europe” has been recently published by Lambert Academic Publishing.

Mariia Levchenko

OLBIOS Correspondent, UKRAINE

Dr. Mariia Levchenko is the Program Director and Founder of the NGO “Youth for Global Progress”. Within the NGO, she is responsible for implementing, monitoring and assessing strategic development, and assisting with advocacy meetings with local authorities. She is an Associate Professor at the Khmelnytskyi national university, where she obtained her Ph.D. in Economics, and MBA in International Relations. She is a graduate of “Community Leadership Institute” an Executive and Professional Education Program at George Mason University, having completed a Fellowship at River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, supported by IREX. She studied at Warsaw Euro-Atlantic Summer Academy (WEASA) at the College of Europe. Mariia works under the theme ‘Tolerance and Conflict Resolution’ with refugees and internally displaced persons.

Andrzej Kostek

OLBIOS Correspondent, POLAND

Andrzej Kostek is a project coordinator and youth worker. For over ten years he has been affiliated with the NGO sector and the implementation of international projects in the area of youth, democracy development and promotion of civic engagement. From 2017 he works with CIVICUS Global Alliance for Citizens Participation, where he coordinated an International Civil Society Week, a flagship CIVICUS’ event bringing together over 700 Civil Society activists, academia and governmental representatives. Before Joining CIVICUS, Andrzej was affiliated with the Community for Democracies Permanent Secretariat, initially coordinating and managing the Community’s LEND (Leaders Engaged in New Democracies) Network and currently as head of the Unit of Logistics, Events and Procurement. Prior to that he worked as Volunteers Venue Operations Coordinator for the UEFA Euro2012 European football tournament in Poland and Ukraine (2012) and the Polish Robert Schuman Foundation (2007-2011), and as an independent expert on development of youth programmes and voluntary Service in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region for SALTO EECA and the European Commission (since 2010). He holds an MA in International Relations with a specialization in Eastern European Affairs. Andrzej is voluntarily engaged in the creation and management of the first democratic football club in Poland AKS Zły (Alternative football club Zly). He is passionate about traditional photography, sailing, hiking, running, social entrepreneurship. He speaks Polish, English and Russian.

Nicolas Kulakowski

OLBIOS Correspondent, FRANCE

Nicolas Kulakowski is one of the founders of WeGive Technologies, the app where charities, consumers and businesses work together to improve the world of tomorrow.
Self-taught and entrepreneur, after having plunged into the world of finance he participated in the development of 2 start-ups. Addict to meditation and sport, he knows that every obstacle is an opportunity to improve. Its goal? Be the change he wants to see in the world! Like a chameleon he is versatile and idolatrous, like no one, Tim Ferris and Gandhi.

Maria Shirshova

OLBIOS Correspondent, GEORGIA

Maria Shirshova is a creative social conceptualist with experience in social awareness communication. Maria has produced creative campaigns for UNFPA Georgia, UN Women Georgia and NATO among others. She has received a number of awards for social advertising and her works have been exhibited in many countries worldwide. She is a co – founder and CMO of the “My sisters” social enterprise based in Georgia, Tbilisi, which was established to empower women – artisans from rural areas of Georgia and to connect them with global market. Also, she recently launched her own social enterprise, CREATECA and ART for RENT – online platform, which provides fine art rental services in Georgia. The project helps customers decorate spaces with art, while promoting and financially supporting young Georgian painters. As a social conceptualist, Maria cannot remain indifferent to complex global issues, particularly chauvinism, poverty, domestic violence and other forms of oppression and privilege. It is her goal to use creativity as a tool to build positive and meaningful social change.

Oluwatodimu Bankole

OLBIOS Correspondent, CYPRUS

Simon Mak

OLBIOS Correspondent, HONG KONG

Mr. Simon Mak is the founder and chief executive of Ascent Partners, a corporate valuation and advisory firm based in Hong Kong. He graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Science. Mr. Mak is a CFA charter holder, a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and a member of the Institute of Public Accountant (MIPA). He has extensive experience in financial valuation and sustainability reporting. Besides his professional work, he is committed to fulfill his social duty. He serves in a variety of not-for-profit organizations and charities. He is the founding chairman of IP Commercialization Alliance, founding director of Lions Club of Hong Kong IFC, governor and honorary treasurer of Friends of the Earth (HK), member of UN ESCAP ESBN and committee members in a variety of chamber of commerce and trade organizations.

Susy Dauselt-Katipana

OLBIOS Correspondent, INDONESIA

Ms. Susy Katipana has a keen understanding of community development processes with more than 30 years experience facilitating community development projects and supporting community organizations. Susy is the Founder, Owner and former head of Womintra Foundation/ Womintra Citra Mandiri Company for the past 17 years. Womintra is an NGO that coordinates the activities of various local/National/an International NGOs involved in development programs. She has been involved as a Community Participation Adviser on numerous International projects including the Integrated Health Planning Project (AusAID), the NTT Water Supply and Sanitation Project (AusAID), and the Community Empowerment Program (JICA). This experience has included implementing projects, completing activities to schedules, monitoring and evaluating activities and preparing and submitting reports. Susy is well qualified for the role of Community Participation Adviser and community empowerment, holds a Maternal and Child Health Care Degree with a minor specialization in Community Health and Development and a Doctorate of Community Development with Honours from Hawaii University. Susy has extensive experience in the training and support of Government of Indonesia staffs and community leaders at village levels in the participatory planning process.

Christian B. Gultia

OLBIOS Correspondent, PHILIPPINES

Christian earned his AB Legal Management degree from the University of the East in Manila. He is finishing his graduate studies, MA in Philippine Studies major in Development, at the University of the Philippines – Diliman. He served as President of UE’s highest study body, the University Student Council in 2013. He also participated as a Philippine delegate to the International Academy for Leadership: Strengthening Political Youth Organizations Program in Gummersbach, Germany. He is a young human rights advocate. He is the Founder and National Chairperson of the Philippine-based Youth for Human Rights and Democracy (Y4HRD). He worked as a Resource Development Officer in the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) which is a regional network of human rights organizations working on the issue of enforced or involuntary disappearance. He also provided support to AFAD’s function as the Focal Point of the International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearance (ICAED). Presently, he is the Policy Advocacy Officer of the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) where he works with lawmakers to ensure human rights legislation, particularly, the campaign for the enactment of the Human Rights Defenders Bill.

Mícheál Áristeía-Asír

OLBIOS Correspondent, USA

As an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, Mícheál Áristeía-Æsír experienced home-insecurity, which propelled him into a half-decade, multi-disciplinary investigation of its cause and solutions. With fluency in Mandarin and a creative generalist mind, Mícheál has built an eighteen-year career in branding and business development within emerging markets. With over a decade in international, diverse training in cross-cultural mental health, psychology, anthropology, architecture, linguistics, and education, Mícheál has dedicated his entire life to the elimination of homelessness within our lifetime. He is the Founder and Director of Destinato Rigore, a 501c3 nonprofit that seeks to eliminate homelessness through impact investment and holistic person care. They’ve created a drop-kit sustainable micro-home shelter/Section 8 housing design that restores dignity to the homeless in under 200 square feet. Their micro-home is dual registered as a shelter, (placement on Industrial land), or as a Section 8 house (placement on Residential, church ‘manse’, ADU, RV land even carparks) which do not require building permits, public NIMBY hearings, or planning permission procedures. Their units are 100% sustainable, requiring zero hookups, and can be built and removed within 24 hours with no footprint. They believe our model has solved the biggest problem facing homelessness – the lack of available land. 

Taiwo Bello

OLBIOS Correspondent, CANADA

Taiwo Bello works with the Canadian Red Cross as Emergency Response and Disaster Management Officer. He is the founder of SafeHealth Initiative, an organization that is committed to helping people living in poor communities across Nigeria fight cancer, especially girls and women, through community sensitization programs and distributions of free cancer-prevention kits. He is also the founder of ResearchLine for Africans, an initiative that distributes free learning and scholarship resources to Africans for the purpose of connecting them to world of opportunities beyond their environments. In addition, he is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of an international educational development firm, The Bookman Associates International, situated in the heart of Lagos State, Nigeria. In the past, Taiwo has worked with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), as a Gender and Climate Associate, Geneva, Switzerland. He had also worked as research assistant in different projects ranging from gender, climate change, natural resource management, conflict to security at the University of Saskatchewan. He holds a BA in History from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, a dual MA in International History and Politics (IHP), and International History (IH) from the Graduate Institute and University of Geneva, Switzerland, and an MA in Political Studies with distinction from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. He is currently a doctoral researcher at the University of Toronto, Canada where he is both a teaching fellow and Carmen Brock fellow. He also holds certificates in business and international organizations management from Columbia University, USA, the University of Virginia, USA, and the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Taiwo has participated in various conferences across the world, and has a number of research publications in prestigious journals on gender, conflict, security, migration, and climate change. He is a staunch believer in social change and has worked with different teams and organizations around the world to design and implement projects that have had a meaningful impact on the targeted groups.

Ashraf Siddique

OLBIOS Correspondent, BANGLADESH

Ashraf Siddique works for the development of governance function of organizations. A certified financial consultant, he has more than 13 years of experience in audit, investigation, risk management, accounts, finance, grants and partnership management, oversight and advisory services. Ashraf has an MA in Accounting and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism & Communication. He works with a number of local and international NGOs and donor agencies including USAID, EU, ECHO, CIDA, DANIDA, Cordaid, DFID, UN Agencies and numerous projects and programmes to make the world a better place.

Randy Caiquo

OLBIOS Correspondent, GHANA

Randy Caiquo was born in a village called Apam in the Central region of Ghana. He is the founder of Crowdfrica Organisation (crowdfrica.org), a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that enables anyone anywhere to donate to directly fund life-changing healthcare for people in need across Africa. Randy launched the organization in November 2016, after his brother died because his family could not afford to take him to the hospital. To date over 250 people have been funded and given access to life-changing healthcare on crowdfrica.org and 2000 people have been educated on community health issues and health insurance. Crowdfrica made it onto Ghana’s Startup Club 100 list for 2017  and was nominated for technology startup of the year award. His organization was also recently nominated for the World Summit Awards. Randy’s hope is to see everyone on the continent have access to the healthcare they need and all children have access to quality education.

Kingsley Kwaku Pinkrah

OLBIOS Correspondent, GHANA

Kingsley Kwaku Pinkrah is the Founding President and CEO for Community and Entrepreneurial Development Initiative, an NGO co-founded with university lecturers and top government officials that promote global development. He was the Project Manager for Centre for Tourism Research, Ghana, a graduate of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and a member of Global Shapers Community, Kumasi Hub of the World Economic Forum. Kingsley is a multi-award winning Social Entrepreneur, public speaker, community advocator and a researcher. He was awarded 2017 Africa’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year by Africa Youth Award, 40 Under 40 Most Influential and Outstanding Social Entrepreneur of the Year and Young Professional Role Model Award because of his exemplary leadership and outstanding contribution to global development. His NGO won the 2016 Middle East and Africa Business Award and was Africa Youth Award Civil Society of the Year Finalist. Last year Kingsley organized International Symposium for foreign diplomats, government ministers, academics and business experts which addressed unemployment in Ghana. He often discusses development issues both on television and radio.

Elie Broumana

OLBIOS Correspondent, LEBANON

Elie Broumana studied at the American University of Beirut. He holds a degree in Economics and a minor in Philosophy. He had enriching past experiences with international non-governmental organizations. He previously interned with AMIDEAST, Oxfam GB, and Human Rights Watch. Elie has also worked with International Rescue Committee and International Medical Corps. He has a strong interest in human rights and humanitarian issues. His passion to help, serve and assist others allows him to execute tasks with wholeheartedly commitment, motivation and dedication. Elie has developed extensive research, reporting and interviewing skills through his involvement with INGOs. He also possesses a keen interest in project implementation. Elie was exposed to different cultures and backgrounds. He completed his high school education in the United Arab Emirates which gave him the opportunity to interact with people of a different culture, background, and religion. Thereafter, he moved to Lebanon to pursue his higher education at the American University of Beirut where he was also exposed to a multi-cultural environment. Throughout his personal, education, and professional experience, he was constantly exposed to culture diversity. In addition to his, his enriching interactions with refugees enhanced his knowledge of cultural diversity.

Mai Odeh

OLBIOS Correspondent, PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

Mai Odeh was born in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem. Her parents were forced to escape from their origin village during the war 1948 and ended up in the Camp. She Obtained her BA in Business Administration from Bethlehem University and a joint Master of Arts degree in Pilgrimage and Tourism, from Bethlehem University, Joensuu University (Finland) and London Metropolitan University. She has accumulated extensive knowledge and experience in culture and development, as she served as a Programme coordinator for culture desk at UNESCO Ramallah Office. She also served as an event department officer for Al-Quds the capital of Arab Culture 2009, and in other local institutions. She believes that with passion and convictions the world will become better. She welcomes the opportunities to work on projects that present her with new challenges toward development.

Mousa Rimawi

OLBIOS Correspondent, PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

Mousa has worked as a correspondent, editor in many media outlets in Palestine and with some Arabic media outlets, focusing on various issues especially human rights. He is Chief editor of MADA’s magazine “MADA Al-Elam, ha participated in intensive local, regional and international meetings, workshops and conferences. Mousa is Global Goodwill Ambassador, Member of the Steering Committee of the World Forum of Media Development (GFMD), the Anna Lindh Foundations local network.

Nicky Wilkinson

OLBIOS Correspondent, SINGAPORE

Taís Siqueira

OLBIOS Correspondent, BRASIL & COLOMBIA

Daniel Quintero Olbios

OLBIOS Correspondent, COLOMBIA & BRAZIL

Karina Rangel Castilla

OLBIOS Correspondent, MEXICO

Olin Thakur

OLBIOS Correspondent, NEPAL

Nina Cambadelis

OLBIOS Correspondent, JAPAN

Alisa Chalakhyan

OLBIOS Correspondent, ARMENIA

Ramzi Bendebka

OLBIOS Correspondent, ALGERIA & NORTH AFRICA

Victor Ugo

OLBIOS Correspondent, NIGERIA

Erick Ombija

OLBIOS Correspondent, KENYA

Abubakr Minalla

OLBIOS Correspondent, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES & MALAYSIA

Dee Kyne

OLBIOS Correspondent, JAMAICA

Dee Kyne is an award winning serial social entrepreneur who has worked throughout the world in a number of sectors at leadership levels, including Health, the Environment and the Arts. She has held 5 CEO-ships and founded one movement and three social-change organisations. She is the Founder of the Earthrightswalker movement – walking to raise awareness of the law to end ecocide as well as the Co-Founder behind Pathfinder Health India, an enterprise that introduced first primary care clinics in India, facilitating the Indian government to invest 2 billion dollars into primary health care. She was the Lead at the structuring, financing and implementation of the first 12 micro social businesses in the UK and co-produced Service Redesign in primary health care in collaboration with Aetna UK, using the population health management approach – a national first. She also implemented and co-created the Experience Led Design methodology in collaboration with Oxford University and UCL. She led to significant changes in End of Life care in the UK and advised WHO on implementation of mental health Service Redesign pan Europe. She also founded the ‘In-Group’, a national sector cutting ‘Innovators Network’ developing product, people and ideas to investment an edgy and challenging Think to Do Tank. Finally, she became Earth Rights Walker four years ago and walked 4500 miles to support a Law to End Ecocide the fifth law against peace to be enshrined at the UN in the Rome Statute. In Jamaica Dee Kyne advised and created the future strategy for the Small Business Association. She instigated a piece of research using the ‘Discovery Framework’ methodology to ‘Uncover the Authentic Story of the Jamaican People.’ This research was shared across all development and governmental agencies. Dee founded “The One Love One Step Walk” 2 years ago crossing Jamaica through the Blue Mountains east to west with 14 local people. Her most recent walk in May ‘One Love One Step Walk 2: For the Oceans’ saw 20 community members walk the entire coastline of Jamaica while holding council on the road. The focus was plastic pollution and connecting the work of the 16 MPA’s. Dee Kyne is currently Chair of the Alligator Head Foundation.

Muhyadiin Yussuf Muhumed

OLBIOS Correspondent, SOMALIA

Muhyadiin is a Somali youth peace ambassador committed to promoting, advocating and strengthening Somali individuals and organizations dedicated to building peace centered on traditional reconciliation systems. The voices of these actors are calling for peace and yet these voices are not heard on a global level. Muhyadiin has experience working with NGO’s, multilateral organizations and government institutions focusing on private diplomacy as a vital instrument for preventing conflict, negotiating an end to conflict and managing non-violent change. So far, he has been working in the field of armed violence prevention for 10 years at a community and country level. Muhyadiin believes that conflicts cannot be resolved through violence and is concerned about the role of small arms as a human security threat. He is involved in initiatives for non-violent change in Somaliland and Somalia’s most violent regions. Muhyadiin has trained and engaged in capacity-building for many non-state institutions to promote their vital role in decision making, mediation and dialogue. He is currently pursuing a career in areas that includes designing a dialogue process with the aim of finding a common ground for opposing parties and the establishment of constructive relationships, including high-level dialogue between political parties, entities and clans.

Lemessa Negeri

OLBIOS Correspondent, ETHIOPIA

Lemessa Negeri is a Social and Economic Development Advisor on EU support to Sustainable Land Management programme at GIZ, The Deutsche GesellschaftfürInternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Germany’s leading provider of international cooperation services. He worked also as a Project Team Leader on Equine Welfare & Livelihood Project at Brooke Ethiopia, a UK based international NGO. Similarly, he has also worked as a country level Program director while acting as Executive director of Ethiopian Media Women Association/EMWA/-in Ethiopia, and Project consultant with Gurmu Development Association. He obtained a BSc (Land Resources Management and Environmental protection from Mekele University, Mekele, Ethiopia), BA(Sociology and Social Anthropology from Rift Valley University, Nekemte, Ethiopia), and MBA(Master’s of Business Administration Specialized in Non-Corporate Management from the International Institute of Church Management (IICM), Florida, USA, with Extension center in Ethiopia at Foundation for Academic Excellence Ministry (FAEM), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia). He has been working in different local and international NGOs and has taken part in training programmes in Facilitation and Community Animation, Project Cycle Management, Participatory Rural Appraisal, Role of Saving and Credit for Sustainable Income, Small Business Development, Gender & Communication, Monitoring and Evaluation, Practical skills for Ethiopian Social Accountability program two (ESAP2) Grants and Finance requirements, implementation of social accountability, Monitoring and Evaluation, among others. Lemessa has extensive experience with project management from the grassroots level to senior managerial position in coordinating development projects, including the World Bank assisted food security project, the DVV International IWEP projects, the EU funded projects on livelihoods, the Safety Net Program (e.g. the PSNP), Early warning and Disaster prevention projects, and women SHG/CLA of DVV International IWEP, and Water projects of DED (German Development Service). He has also worked in different organization including Expert, Project Coordinator, Area Program Manager , program officer ,Senior Community Development Officer , Program director, and Project Team Leader.

Chimwemwe John Paul Manyozo

OLBIOS Correspondent, MALAWI

Chimwemwe John Paul Manyozo is Changemaker; International Development, Media and Communication Specialist; and a writer. Chimwemwe has established two youth movements, Maphunziro265 and Youth to Youth Empowerment as Co-Founder and CEO, and Founding National Coordinator respectively. Maphunziro265 has reached over 10,000 young people and Youth to Youth Empowerment has reached over 20,000 youth through motivational talks, scholarships, book donations, and skills trainings. In 2016, Chimwemwe was granted distinction of Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society for commitment to promoting the values of the Commonwealth and working to improve the lives and prospects of commonwealth citizens. In 2017, he was appointed Zathu Influencer. Chimwemwe has written blogs and articles on development issues and policies that have been published by Chevening, the Institute of Development Studies(IDS), Yourcommonwealth, Say for Development, Allfrica, Zodiak Online, the Nation and Daily times. Chimwemwe has worked as Public Relations Officer for the Malawi Human Rights Commission and Producer/Presenter for Zodiak Broadcasting Station. Chimwemwe received a 2015/2016 Chevening Award to pursue a master’s in Development Studies at the University of Sussex. He did his BA Media for Development at Chancellor College.

Keke Sacré

OLBIOS Correspondent, IVORY COAST

Keke Sakré was born in Ivory Coast, Abidjan. After a master’s degree in Public Law at the Catholic University of West Africa, he joined several platforms for the defense and promotion of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire. At the same time, he is an online volunteer for the United Nations. His commitment to the defense of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire brings him to several central functions in the management and implementation of defense projects for the poorest people and in the context of community conflicts. He has worked with several Ivorian and international institutions on election observation, juvenile delinquency, indigenous and non-indigenous conflict in the south-east of the Ivory Coast, and improved conditions for detaining prisoners. In 2015, it creates a structure, whose mission is to carry and facilitate the administrative procedures of the various actors of agriculture, far from the capital and mostly illiterate. He has several articles in the Ivorian press and in international journals on various human rights topics. Currently working on a thesis at the University of Tours in France, Sakré is now working on the protection of personal data, always for the respect of human rights.

Maurice Magorane

OLBIOS Correspondent, RWANDA

Maurice Magorane is editor in chief, entrepreneur and founder of 5qmedias.com and 4zipcode.com. He started as a journalist at TV TANGO in Luxembourg in 2005 and then worked in Belgium as a journalist covering the Commission, Parliament and the Council of the European Union, including events such as the European summit, the G20 summit in London in 2009 and the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Maurice was French television correspondent in Rwanda, more specifically for France o, France 24, Tv5. His work as a journalist also appeared in Canal France International and more than 30 television channels around Africa. He was also correspondent for Voxafrica, Etv and chief editor of Radio and TV10. He then founded the 5qmedias.com news agency with the aim to showcase Africa on the move. He has also worked for several media outlets such Us Voice of America, Africanews (Euronews), Deutsche Welle, Canal Plus, Afp. Maurice founded 4zipcode.com, an international platform that helps people generate a zip code. In November 2017, Maurice was chosen among young Africans and was invited by the African Union through the AGA in Pretoria, South Africa by African Governance Architect (AGA) to discuss the reform of the African Union. He has also been selected for the International Visitor’s Leadership Program in the United States in 2018. During his visit he will meet leaders from top companies, including Facebook, CNN, the Associated Press, Amazon, and Twitter.