Young Changemakers of the Year Award

Founder, Rights and Minds

Founder of a student-led media platform making global news accessible across languages, borders, and abilities. By translating articles into over 20 languages and creating space for inclusive, youth-led dialogue, Rights and Minds breaks down language and access barriers in journalism.

Operating in 19+ countries with a team of 40+ young contributors, the platform focuses on underreported stories around human rights, humanitarian issues, and mental well-being, connecting readers with organizations that drive change. Through diverse perspectives and accessible formats, it fosters more balanced, inclusive news consumption and challenges polarization.

President, Conscript Union of Finland

Leading an independent, student-run organization, he represents thousands of young people undergoing military service in Finland. His work focuses on reforming the social and legal conditions of conscripts to make service fairer, more inclusive, and better supported, especially around financial hardship and mental health.

By advocating for increased daily allowances, mental health professionals in every garrison, and stronger political accountability, the Conscript Union ensures conscripts are heard at the highest levels of government. Through policy advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and direct engagement with garrisons, the initiative is building a more sustainable and motivated defense force.

EU Youth Delegate, Finland

Former EU Youth Delegate for Finland, Emilia now serves as the Vice-Chair of the Youth, Peace, and Security Network in Finland. 

During her time as the EU Youth Delegate, she was instrumental in ensuring youth perspectives were integrated into EU decision-making. Emilia transformed the role from a grassroots initiative into a key player in shaping EU policies, leveraging her voice, skills, and network to ensure young people had a seat at the table. 

Through her efforts, she successfully lobbied for youth representation in prominent committees and secured an additional €100,000 in funding for youth participation programs in Finland.

Chair, UN Youth of Finland

A passionate youth advocate working to bring international politics closer to young people across Finland. Through the UN Youth of Finland, she creates opportunities for youth to engage with diplomacy, the UN, and global affairs, especially those outside major cities.

By organizing Model UN events, youth summits, and accessible workshops, her work makes international policymaking tangible and inclusive. With a focus on reducing geographic and financial barriers, she ensures that young voices influence foreign policy and are meaningfully represented in global decision-making spaces.

Founder & Organizer, TEDxSYK Youth

Alisa founded TEDxSYK Youth to bridge the gap between youth and activism, creating a platform that brings together young changemakers and diverse speakers to explore topics like activism, leadership, and social impact. The event challenges the notion that activism is only for the few, inspiring young people to take action and see themselves as agents of change.

By fostering collaboration and featuring a range of voices, Alisa’s initiative has encouraged young people to engage in social issues and created new opportunities for youth-led activism, including spurring other TEDx Youth events.

Co-founder and Head of Communications, Operaatio Arktis 

Ellen is the co-founder and Head of Communications at Operaatio Arktis, a climate strategy agency committed to preserving the polar ice caps and preventing global tipping points. Their mission is to update society's climate strategies to align with evolving realities by integrating cutting-edge research and innovative climate interventions.

Through initiatives like Arctic Momentum, a global summit that unites scientists, policymakers, and indigenous voices, Ellen and her team at Operaatio Arktis are helping shape more inclusive climate policies, ensuring that the perspectives of youth and marginalized communities are front and center in critical climate discussions.

Founder, Olea Think

Olea Think is a think tank geared towards the youth, advocating a pro-market stance in addressing challenges related to economic, environmental, and social sustainability. The objective is to unite young experts and enable them to catalyze change by devising effective, free-market-driven solutions. This entails endorsing sustainability within established economic structures rather than advocating for a radical systemic overhaul.

Local Conference of the Youth (LCOY) Finland

"I organized a massive Youth Climate Summit that brought together hundreds of young people and dozens of organizations from across Finland together to discuss, learn and get our voices heard."

As an LCOY, this Summit contributed to the global network of LCOYs that culminated in the global Conference of the Youth (COY), right before the COP Climate Negotiations. As such, the LCOY gathered youth’s views and demands that were amplified nationally and further spread globally through COY and the Global Youth Statement, composed of inputs from LCOYs.

^{Photo by Loviisa Etto} 

Co-founder, Giggeli

Aaro aims to promote genital positivity and empower acceptance of natural diversity through his venture, Giggeli. Sparked by his early struggles with genital anxiety and its mental health impacts, Aaro is raising awareness of this overlooked, taboo issue affecting well-being across genders. His creative approach uses eye-catching penis candles modeled from real people to bring genitals into the public dialogue, tackling stigma to prevent anxiety. By boldly addressing topics considered unspeakable, Aaro aims to create openness surrounding genitals to counter shame.

HangFlow ry

Shahin is on a mission to amplify marginalized youth voices and stir grassroots activism through HangFlow, the pioneering Turku-based youth organization he co-founded. Sparked by seeing youth potential go untapped at another organization, Shahin built HangFlow around youth-led initiatives and open dialogue to drive impactful change. By fostering inclusive environments where young people feel respected and able to guide real projects, HangFlow aims to impart critical skills while empowering youth to shape society. 2020’s “Pioneer Against Prejudice" prize and the 2023 Nordic Pioneer Award validate HangFlow’s effective model for uplifting youth voices.

Radio Turku 

Noemie is harnessing the connective power of candid storytelling through her podcast, Radio Turku, to foster cultural integration and empower immigrant communities in Finland. Having directly experienced isolation as an outsider herself, Noemie built an accessible platform for organic intercultural dialogues that reveal common ground across diversity. By spotlighting unspoken divides through open exchanges between locals and immigrants, she aims to drive greater inclusion and social cohesion.

Board member, Suoma Sámi Nuorat – Finnish Sámi Youth,

Driven by injustice against the Sami people, Niila-Juhántirelessly advocates for indigenous rights through volunteer activism, targeting both policy change and public awareness. He organized the pioneering first Pride event for the marginalized Sami LGBTQ+ community while serving on the board of a national Sami youth organization. Looking ahead, Niila-Juhán aims to secure legal protections for Samiautonomy and self-determination within two years. His strategic efforts promote dignity for Sami people to embrace their identities and collectively determine their future.

Ihmisille

Adina is on a mission to advocate for victims of sexual violence in Finland's complex justice system. Sparked by the country's high rates of domestic abuse and failures to support victims, she aims to provide legal aid, helping them navigate the lengthy 2-3 year process until case resolution.

By expediting trial timelines down to 1-1.5 years and offering specialized support services, Adina strives to empower more people to come forward despite the stigma. Her goal is to drive concrete policy changes alongside cultural shifts tackling overlooked gender inequality issues affecting women.

Co-founder, Giggeli

Sparked by struggles he and his partner shared regarding anxiety over genital appearance, Isaac tackles this overlooked yet pressing mental health issue by using design to foster acceptance of natural variation. Showcasing penis candles modeled. , Giggeli aims to counter stigma and empower self-love by bringing genitals into public dialogue, real people's body positivity across genders. The first goal was to start a conversation. And now Isaac sees it has become so much more. The concept has reached a lot of media attention, sparked conversation, and the large number of people that have reached out to talk to them on social media has been encouraging. Isaac’s goal is to spread the initiative broader in Europe.