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WA’s 2017 Young Australian of the Year joins Royal Family

  • 9 July 2020

On the 1st July 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, President and Vice President of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, joined a zoom panel with young leaders of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust around the world to discuss concepts of justice, equality and fairness; important values that are being recognised as part of an ongoing series of youth-led discussion.

A member of Auspire’s Inspiring Australians network, Abdullahi Alim was a part of the panel, where he spoke of his personal interest for exploring the science behind social justice movements and what makes causes successful. Abdullahi, was recognised as WA’s 2017 Young Australian of the Year for co-founding an innovation lab to solve issues of contemporary concern. At the time of his Award, his focus was to promote social impact and youth entrepreneurship. He developed MYHACK, a hackathon involving young Australians to create cutting-edge digital solutions to undermine the influence and pervasive appeal of violent extremist propaganda.

Arriving in Australia as a Somali refugee at the age of five, Abdullahi went on to graduate with honours from UWA and pursue further studies through Stanford University.

Abdullahi, who is fondly known to our Auspire community as Alim, now lives in Geneva and works with the World Economic Forum as Community Manager, for the Global Shapers Community. Global Shapers is an initiative of about 10,000 young people from around the world and Alim leads the African and Middle Eastern Chapters.

The panel discussion had a strong emphasis on the Black Lives Matter movement, with contributors expressing the need to stand in solidarity, but also address the issues of race and racism by harnessing the raw emotions of grief and rage and turning them into an energy that can be used for positive, sustainable action.

The Duke of Sussex passionately commended the panel. “You are the next generation of leadership, which this world clearly needs as part of a healing process.” he said.

You can watch the full panel discussion here.

Nominations for the Australian of the year is now open and we encourage everyone to look among your networks to identify and nominate those who inspire you; those who could be role models for us all. Nominations close 31 July.

Visit https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/nominate/ and nominate someone you now today.

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