Meet the 2022 Messengers of Peace Heroes!
Today, World Scouting is proud to honour 14 incredible young people spearheading 12 global projects with this year’s Messengers of Peace Heroes Award for their outstanding service and contributions towards building peace and promoting sustainable development in their communities.
Messengers of Peace connects young peacebuilders in a global network and inspires them to take on leadership roles to become active citizens in their communities. Among the youth-led service projects being recognised this year are those promoting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, creating more inclusive communities in Chile, championing environmental action in the State of Palestine, and coordinating humanitarian response and relief in Ukraine.
Since 2010, the Messengers of Peace initiative has involved nearly all 173 National Scout Organizations and empowered Scouts to lead community development projects and deliver over 2.7 billion hours of service towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Messengers of Peace Heroes Award was created in 2012 to recognise exceptional Scouts and volunteers who are creating a better world. The award acknowledges and recognises the extraordinary service of young people and their contributions towards community development, the promotion of dialogue and peace, and relief in times of need. Each year, Messengers of Peace Heroes are honoured with this award at a ceremony designed to inspire other young people worldwide to pursue community service with lasting and sustainable impact.
Join us in recognising the recipients of the 2022 Messengers of Peace Heroes Award:
Carolina Arrieta - Costa Rica
Carolina is contributing to community-wide efforts to clean up a local river by reducing contamination and enhancing biodiversity. The river is a vital source of livelihood and well-being for people in the community of Concepción.
Johnlhoid Narag - Philippines
Johnlhoid initiated a well pump project that collects clean water for ten communities, and is supporting local Indigenous groups by teaching them how to plant vegetable gardens and build small businesses in partnership with government agencies.
Karnav Rastogi - India
A young champion for climate action, Karnav wrote a series of books about reducing household waste to raise awareness about ocean pollution. The books were distributed with seeds to plant into trees, and have inspired young people to change their behaviours and live more sustainability.
Kouakou Clavaire Arnold Koffi - Côte d'Ivoire
Kouakou established a series of environment clubs in his community to promote healthy and sustainable living, and to campaign for environmental protection through plastic reuse and tree planting projects.
Mohamad Hammoud - Libya
Mohamad has led multiple projects in his community including coordinating a campaign to plant trees in the Arab Region, participating in blood donation drives, raising health awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic, and supporting people displaced by conflict in the city of Derna.
Mona Abushaban - State of Palestine
As a champion for sustainable development in her community, Mona campaigned to preserve aquatic life in the Wadi Gaza Nature Reserve, and rebuild the seashore that has been impacted by climate change.
Muhammad Rifai Sahida - Indonesia
As a leader in his community, Rifai initiated a project to reduce single-use plastics by mobilising 200 students to organise waste management groups in 23 local schools. He also led a social entrepreneurship project to empower female inmates and ex-inmates to make and sell products from reusable waste.
Mykyta Rohutskyi - Ukraine
Mykyta has supported his community by providing food and activities for children impacted by war in Ukraine. At day camps, he offers games, outdoor activities, and support to improve the physical and mental health of young people in Kyiv.
Paul Alexandru Pop - Romania
As a first responder at the Romanian-Ukraine border in the days after war broke out in Ukraine, Paul acted as a translator and guide to help thousands of refugees find hotels and organise transport to relocate to other communities in Romania and neighbouring countries.
Proyecto Migrantes (Migrants Project) - Chile
This service project, led by a refugee from Venezuela who now lives in Chile, engages young people in Scouting and promotes a culture of peace and inclusion. Through educational activities, young people learn about cultural differences and how to welcome migrants into new communities.
Stéphane Mangi Nduba - Democratic Republic of the Congo
Through peace building and dialogue activities, Stéphane has created opportunities for more than 800 members of the Katangese and Kasaiene communities to connect in shared spaces and live more peacefully together.
Aurora and Miguel Rojo - Mexico
Aurora and Miguel Rojo started the Un Libro, Un Sueño (A Book, A Dream) project, they have helped more than 1,500 students in low-income households by establishing libraries in local public schools that promote education and literacy among young people. Meanwhile, a book written by the two community leaders is inspiring others to achieve their dreams.
Content and images with thanks to: The World Organization of the Scout Movement.