THE Commonwealth Youth Awards has announced 20 regional finalists for the 2025 edition, recognising young leaders working in areas including social entrepreneurship, climate action, and community health.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 12 March 2025, hosted by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.
The awards received over 800 applications, with a panel of 54 adjudicators shortlisting 31 candidates before selecting 20 finalists from across the Commonwealth.
The ceremony will be held at Marlborough House in London and streamed live on YouTube and Facebook.
The event will be part of Commonwealth Day celebrations on 10 March, observed across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Americas, the Pacific, and Europe.
Finalists
Africa- Comfort Peace Ayikoru (Uganda)
- Faith Kuya (Tanzania)
- Fredrick Kioko Kilonzo (Kenya)
- Stanley Anigbogu (Nigeria)
- Keyaan Shah (India)
- Murad Ansary (Bangladesh)
- Putri Humairah Binti Monashofian Putra (Malaysia)
- Smriti Bhaya (India)
- Joshua Andall (Grenada)
- Kache Hanna (The Bahamas)
- Nicholas Kee (Jamaica)
- Romario Simpson (Jamaica)
- Christopher Lee (Canada)
- Justin Langan (Canada)
- Rateb Ajamieh (Canada)
- Zubair Junjunia (United Kingdom)
- Bethalyn Kelly (Solomon Islands)
- Jack Anderson (Australia)
- Malaki Tito (Samoa)
- Ruby Riethmuller (Australia)
The Commonwealth Foundation will provide up to £30,000 in funding to support the awards. The Khalili Foundation will also recognise five individuals with the PEACE Awards, awarding £2,000 each for contributions to peace and equity.
PEACE Award Winners:- Abongdoh Maluyane Titu (Cameroon)
- Daphine Namagembe (Uganda)
- Emmanuel Cosmas Msoka (Tanzania)
- Fakhar Jabran (Pakistan)
- Hafsah Muheed (Sri Lanka)
An aerial view of the British Steel Scunthorpe site on September 13, 2024. (Photo: Getty Images)
Mehakdeep Singh,Sehajpal Singh
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows British Steel's Scunthorpe plant, in Scunthorpe, northern England, Britain, March 31, 2025. REUTERS/Dominic Lipinski