Leonardo Pereira

All three candidates nominated by the Campus Fryslân were equally deserving, which gave the jury a very difficult task. They eventually chose Leonardo, because he gave the best pitch, in which he clearly demonstrated his commitment and motivation to promote sustainability. He also showed how he combines this a wider view of bringing about sustainability in practice, both at political and individual company level. Internships at the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and at Datamaran in Leeuwarden helped him to arrive at this insight.

Leonardo is now a third-year student of ‘Global Responsibility & Leadership’ (GRL). In his first year, he won a prestigious grant from the German ‘Heinrich Böll Stiftung’, for which he also organized workshops and attended seminars on social and economic sustainability. He is the editor-in-chief and host of the ‘UNnachhaltigkeit’ podcast series, broadcast by the United Nations Association of Germany (DGVN e.V.). Within the DGVN, he is also a member of the working group on youth participation. In connection with this, he attended the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York, where young people from all around the world gather to discuss climate politics, governance, and young people’s participation in multilateral institutions. Within his faculty, he is also actively involved with the ‘Nobis Cura Futuri‘ study association, as chair of the audit committee and a member of the sports committee. In addition, he is a member of the Faculty Council, where he serves as vice-chair and has helped to restructure the Faculty and introduce a good research strategy.

Leonardo is an active, engaged student, who not only focuses on his own personal development, but is also keen to give something back to society.