The Cuomo Foundation-funded researcher appointed as a 'One Young World' Ambassador

The annual 'One Young World' summit, which took place in Belfast from October 2nd to 5th, has been recognized as the world's biggest and most impactful youth leadership summit.

Thousands of young leaders from over 190 countries came together to discuss and find solutions for the major global issues affecting humanity. Renowned speakers such as Mary Robinson, H M Queen Rania of Jordan, Sir Bob Geldof, Professor Muhammad Yunus and Juan Manuel Santos addressed the delegates. The summit included speeches, workshops, and networking sessions guided by influential leaders. Upon completion of the summit, the delegates become One Young World Ambassadors, empowered to make a difference in their respective workplaces and communities. One Young World Ambassador projects have had a positive impact on the lives of over 41.56 million people since 2010.

One of the showcased initiatives was led by Dr. Pedro Fernandez, an agricultural engineer from Argentina, who has received support from the Cuomo Foundation since 2019 for various projects and has also been a recipient of the IPCC Scholarship programme, which was funded by the Cuomo Foundation in partnership with the Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

Below, you will find a testimony by Dr. Pedro Fernandez :

"I am delighted to be featured in the monthly spotlight of One Young World for Europe Zone 1, discussing my current work in the Conservation Biogeography Lab at Humboldt University - Berlin and with the organisation Terratio, 

Alongside an exceptional group of colleagues at the university, we are working to comprehend the impacts of land use on biodiversity in tropical dry forests and strategize on mitigating trade-offs. At Terratio, our objective is to assist farmers in digitizing their production processes, enhancing production efficiency, and improving environmental performance, especially in key dimensions like carbon sequestration.

Thanks to the Cuomo Foundation for being a supporter at the beginning of my developmental journey!

I had the privilege of participating in numerous inspiring and diverse discussions addressing the most pressing challenges we face on Earth. I felt both inspired and privileged to be part of a mentoring session on climate leadership with Paul Polman, a prominent global leader advocating for the business transition to commit to essential sustainable development goals. His humble and approachable manner in engaging with young individuals left a lasting impression.

The entire One Young World Summit in Belfast received support from Foundation Prince Albert II of Monaco and involved an extraordinary team of Re.Generation Leaders, including Anne-Sophie Roux, Federico Perez, Gunjan Menon, Sabrine Chennaoui, and Imogen Napper. This program is exclusively designed to assist the next generation of young leaders, providing development tools, and helping us make an impact on the most complex environmental issues. Today, I can confidently say that we are not just a community but supportive friends helping each other navigate paths that are not easy to travel.

I am now happier than ever to stand at the intersection of science and business in nature-based solutions ecosystems. I am completely convinced that there are significant opportunities to scale sustainable or regenerative practices in tropical dry forests if these two worlds collaborate more closely!

Thanks also to the Cuomo Foundation for being a supporter at the beginning of my developmental journey!"