The Adopt a Negotiator project is proud to announce our Rio+20 Fellows. This talented group of young people were selected to join the AaN team in Rio de Janeiro to publicly track their country’s roles and profile some of the brightest ideas at the Rio+20 Earth Summit:
Chris Wright - Australia
Chris is a climate researcher, activist and an award-winning slam poet from Australia. To join our delegation in Rio de Janeiro, he is taking a break from a 2 year research project in Borneo, where he is investigating the impacts and political dynamics surrounding REDD+ in Malaysia and Indonesia. Chris’ work as a journalist tracking climate issues in Australia and beyond has been featured in national Australian publication like The Drum and Online Opinion, and his poetry has been featured in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Daily Telegraph and Mx Magazine.
Chris is a climate researcher, activist and an award-winning slam poet from Australia. To join our delegation in Rio de Janeiro, he is taking a break from a 2 year research project in Borneo, where he is investigating the impacts and political dynamics surrounding REDD+ in Malaysia and Indonesia. Chris’ work as a journalist tracking climate issues in Australia and beyond has been featured in national Australian publication like The Drum and Online Opinion, and his poetry has been featured in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Daily Telegraph and Mx Magazine.
Hanna Thomas - United Kingdom
Hanna is a green jobs and climate campaigner living in the United Kingdom. She was central to the co-ordination of the first ever UK Youth Delegation to a UN climate change conference, in Poland; and has since participated in a number of UNFCCC negotiations. She’s worked as a policy analyst, researcher, writer, editor; and now serves as lead organizer for the East London Green Jobs Alliance and Green Jobs Director for the Otesha Project.
Hanna is a green jobs and climate campaigner living in the United Kingdom. She was central to the co-ordination of the first ever UK Youth Delegation to a UN climate change conference, in Poland; and has since participated in a number of UNFCCC negotiations. She’s worked as a policy analyst, researcher, writer, editor; and now serves as lead organizer for the East London Green Jobs Alliance and Green Jobs Director for the Otesha Project.
Diêgo Lôbo - Brazil
Diego is a human rights & climate activist and writer based in Brazil. He is the founder and editor-in-chief E esse tal Meio Ambiente?, a network of young Brazilian bloggers focused on environmental issues. He is a contributor for the European Journalism Center’s ThinkBrigade, an online magazine showcasing best practices in reporting. Diego will take a brief leave of absence from his job as a communications and fundraising specialist at CESE - a Brazilian human rights organization - to join our Rio team.
Diego is a human rights & climate activist and writer based in Brazil. He is the founder and editor-in-chief E esse tal Meio Ambiente?, a network of young Brazilian bloggers focused on environmental issues. He is a contributor for the European Journalism Center’s ThinkBrigade, an online magazine showcasing best practices in reporting. Diego will take a brief leave of absence from his job as a communications and fundraising specialist at CESE - a Brazilian human rights organization - to join our Rio team.
Sébastien Duyck - France
Sébastien - originally from France - is a young climate activist, writer, researcher and Doctoral student studying environmental law at the University of Lapland in Finland. He helped create the first official youth constituency, YOUNGO, at the UNFCCC; he is a member of Civil Socity Advisory Group on International Environmental Governance at UNEP; and a board member and active contributor to Rio+Twenties, which aims to contribute to the capacity building and the empowerment of young people at Rio+20.
Sébastien - originally from France - is a young climate activist, writer, researcher and Doctoral student studying environmental law at the University of Lapland in Finland. He helped create the first official youth constituency, YOUNGO, at the UNFCCC; he is a member of Civil Socity Advisory Group on International Environmental Governance at UNEP; and a board member and active contributor to Rio+Twenties, which aims to contribute to the capacity building and the empowerment of young people at Rio+20.
Ruth Nyambura - Kenya
Ruth is a trained journalist and social justice activist from Kenya. She is the Communications and Advocacy Manager for the Forum for Young Women Politicians, a feminist organization in Kenya; co-Director of a youth empowerment project in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and she runs a mentorship program for Keynan youth. Ruth brings to our project a deep understanding Ruth brings to our project a deep understanding of Africa and especially issues most pertinent to the youth in Africa.
Ruth is a trained journalist and social justice activist from Kenya. She is the Communications and Advocacy Manager for the Forum for Young Women Politicians, a feminist organization in Kenya; co-Director of a youth empowerment project in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and she runs a mentorship program for Keynan youth. Ruth brings to our project a deep understanding Ruth brings to our project a deep understanding of Africa and especially issues most pertinent to the youth in Africa.
Sumita Ghosh - United States
Sumita is a US and Indian national, who spent much of the last 10 years living and working as a sustainable development practitioner in Asia. She is Manager and Leader of one of China’s largest youth organizations, Youth Entrepreneurship for Society; Deputy Director Emerita of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy; and she served as the Director of Culture at the USA National Pavilion during The Shanghai World Expo. Sumita brings her passion for sustainability and a strong comparative understanding of entrepreneurship and foreign policy in China, India, and the United States.
Sumita is a US and Indian national, who spent much of the last 10 years living and working as a sustainable development practitioner in Asia. She is Manager and Leader of one of China’s largest youth organizations, Youth Entrepreneurship for Society; Deputy Director Emerita of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy; and she served as the Director of Culture at the USA National Pavilion during The Shanghai World Expo. Sumita brings her passion for sustainability and a strong comparative understanding of entrepreneurship and foreign policy in China, India, and the United States.
Roli Mahajan - India
Roli is an editor, activist and journalist living in India. She has worked as videographer for the MacArther Foundation project, WAVE; a youth rapporteur at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna; she was an International Year of Youth Journalist at UNFCCC conferences in Cancun and Durban; and she recently represented the Major Group for Children and Youth at the Asia Pacific ESCAP meeting during the lead-up to Rio+20. Roli’s recent reporting on climate issues has been published in Alertnet and UNEARTH.
Roli is an editor, activist and journalist living in India. She has worked as videographer for the MacArther Foundation project, WAVE; a youth rapporteur at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna; she was an International Year of Youth Journalist at UNFCCC conferences in Cancun and Durban; and she recently represented the Major Group for Children and Youth at the Asia Pacific ESCAP meeting during the lead-up to Rio+20. Roli’s recent reporting on climate issues has been published in Alertnet and UNEARTH.
Andrea Arzaba - Mexico
Andrea is a trained journalist and activist focused on the environment, development, international affairs, and youth - based in Mexico City. Andrea founded a blogging platform on gender and women’s empowerment, called the Sunflower Post; she has tracked Mexico’s role at UNFCCC negotiations in Cancun and Durban for Adopt a Negotiator; and serves as a Youth Advisory Board Member on Sustainable Development for the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. Some of Andrea’s recent writing can be found at Global Voices Online, Think Brigade magazine, Equilibrio and National Geographic Traveler.
Andrea is a trained journalist and activist focused on the environment, development, international affairs, and youth - based in Mexico City. Andrea founded a blogging platform on gender and women’s empowerment, called the Sunflower Post; she has tracked Mexico’s role at UNFCCC negotiations in Cancun and Durban for Adopt a Negotiator; and serves as a Youth Advisory Board Member on Sustainable Development for the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. Some of Andrea’s recent writing can be found at Global Voices Online, Think Brigade magazine, Equilibrio and National Geographic Traveler.
Senel Wanniarachchi - Sri Lanka
Senel is a trained journalist, columnist, radio news reporter, editor, activist and student, pursuing a degree in International Relations and Affairs in Sri Lanka. He is founder of the RED Movement, a youth initiative aimed at ‘making the invisible visible and the unheard heard’; a founding member of Viru Daru, an organization that assists children of fallen war heroes, and those injured; and veteran of UN simulations in India, Vienna, Geneva and Germany, and Sri Lanka, including a youth simulation of Rio+20 called Colombo+20.
Senel is a trained journalist, columnist, radio news reporter, editor, activist and student, pursuing a degree in International Relations and Affairs in Sri Lanka. He is founder of the RED Movement, a youth initiative aimed at ‘making the invisible visible and the unheard heard’; a founding member of Viru Daru, an organization that assists children of fallen war heroes, and those injured; and veteran of UN simulations in India, Vienna, Geneva and Germany, and Sri Lanka, including a youth simulation of Rio+20 called Colombo+20.
Marvin Nala / 那拉荣泰 - China
Marvin is a recent diplomacy graduate, climate researcher and activist from China. He has worked as national manager for the HIV/AIDS project, and tracked China’s role in two major UNFCCC conferences for Adopt a Negotiator. Marvin joins our team in Rio after completing internships with UNDP China, the Tsinghua-Carnegie Center for Global Policy, and Greenpeace. In addition to his role as an Adopt a Negotiator Fellow at Rio+20, he will work with The Elders, helping lead a global debate with young leaders to find new ways of thinking on the most urgent issues facing the world today.
Marvin is a recent diplomacy graduate, climate researcher and activist from China. He has worked as national manager for the HIV/AIDS project, and tracked China’s role in two major UNFCCC conferences for Adopt a Negotiator. Marvin joins our team in Rio after completing internships with UNDP China, the Tsinghua-Carnegie Center for Global Policy, and Greenpeace. In addition to his role as an Adopt a Negotiator Fellow at Rio+20, he will work with The Elders, helping lead a global debate with young leaders to find new ways of thinking on the most urgent issues facing the world today.
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About the author
The Adopt a Negotiator Editorial team is made up of Global Call for Climate Action staff and lovely volunteers.
