Toronto, Canada — September 26, 2025 — Four exceptional young leaders were recognized with the inaugural Youth Champion in Environmental Action & Awareness Award, presented by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), in partnership with the International Peace Festival (IPF). Launched at the 2025 Thank You(th) Benefit event at Toronto’s historic St. Lawrence Great Hall, the awards celebrated youth driving meaningful impact in water security, climate action, and community engagement.
Established to recognize outstanding young Ontarians, the award honors leaders aged 15–24 who demonstrate exceptional dedication to advancing environmental issues through activism, research, innovation, or community engagement. Award recipients exemplify resilience, inclusivity, and the ability to mobilize others toward sustainable solutions, highlighting the vital role of youth in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and fostering peaceful, sustainable societies.
The 2025 awards celebrated Julia Baribeau, Jenna Elshurafa, Aimée Tai and Matthew Tyhurst for their innovation, dedication, and leadership in environmental stewardship and community engagement.
“We gather amid overlapping crises—climate disruption, water stress, biodiversity loss, and widening inequities,” said Dr. Rohit Ramchandani, UNU-INWEH's Innovation and Strategic Partnerships Officer, who presented the awards on behalf of the United Nations University. “Yet we also gather in a moment of great possibility. Today’s 1.8 billion youth aged 10–24—nearly 90% in low- and middle-income countries—represent the largest generation in history. Investing in their potential delivers a triple dividend: benefits today, into adulthood, and for the next generation. These four award recipients exemplify the creativity, courage, and compassion that youth bring to advancing just, inclusive, and resilient systems that sustain peace, protect ecosystems, and promote human health.”
2025 Award Recipients
Julia Baribeau (24, Kitchener–Waterloo, ON)
Applied Solutions Advisor, Enviro-Stewards | BASc in Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
For supporting communities through sustainable, locally led water initiatives—helping expand clean water access in the Global South and promoting sustainability innovation and intrapreneurship in Ontario
Julia Baribeau advances community-led water security through engineering and social entrepreneurship. With Safe Water Social Ventures, she implemented biosand filtration and water kiosk projects in Uganda and South Sudan, pairing clean water access with local income generation. At Enviro-Stewards, she helps Canadian industries reduce waste and improve efficiency. Her time with Barefoot College in India strengthened her commitment to Indigenous water sovereignty and equity-driven innovation.
Jenna Elshurafa (21, Toronto, ON)
Youth Fellow in Diplomacy and Sustainable Development, UNU-INWEH | Economics Student, University of Toronto
For uplifting youth voices through inclusive leadership, public outreach, and creative storytelling—elevating diverse perspectives to inspire action on water and climate challenges
Jenna Elshurafa bridges disciplines through storytelling, visual communication, and inclusive diplomacy. Through her advocacy and public engagement initiatives, Jenna has amplified awareness of urgent challenges such as water scarcity, plastic pollution, and climate resilience— making complex environmental and social justice issues more accessible. In Dubai, she helped launch a plastics-free campaign to replace bottled water in pilates studios. Her cross-disciplinary work embodies the belief that diversity of thought and voice is essential to global sustainability.
Aimée Tai (21, Richmond Hill, ON)
Founder, Neighbours for the Planet | Materials Science & Engineering Student, University of Toronto
For supporting water security and environmental sustainability through practical clean water solutions, inclusive design, and advocacy that engages communities locally and globally
Aimée Tai co-developed a rainwater harvesting and filtration system in the Philippines designed to combat water scarcity through low-cost, community-led maintenance. Locally, as the founder of Neighbours for the Planet, she fosters collective climate action through education and engagement. Her research optimizing desalination membrane synthesis using Bayesian methods showcased how innovation and environmental stewardship can work hand-in-hand.
Matthew Tyhurst (18, Halton Hills, ON)
Climate Motivator, United Church of Canada | Political Science & Legal Studies Student, University of Waterloo
For encouraging community action and policy awareness through youth activism, collaboration across generations, and leadership in environmental education and climate advocacy
A youth leader with the United Church of Canada and a public speaker on climate and democracy, Matthew Tyhurst has influenced local policy, including stopping a proposed gas plant expansion through youth-led mobilization. As a Vote16 Canada advocate, he promotes lowering the federal voting age and developed a municipal politics education program during a co-op with the Town of Halton Hills. He also served as Secondary Co-Chair of the Halton District School Board’s Environmental & Global Leadership Committee.
Aligned with the United Nations International Day of Peace, the celebration event emphasized youth engagement as peacebuilding—promoting inclusion, environmental justice, and intergenerational solidarity. “These awards highlight what’s possible when youth are empowered to lead,” said Professor Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH. “Each of these remarkable young people proves that environmental action is not limited by age—it’s driven by vision, courage, and purpose. Their leadership gives us hope that the next generation will not only inherit the planet, but actively reshape it for the better.”
About UNU-INWEH
The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) — headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada — is the academic and research arm of the United Nations focused on addressing critical global challenges at the intersection of water, environment, and health. Known as the UN’s “Think Tank on Water,” UNU-INWEH bridges the best evidence from the international academic community to the policy and capacity needs of the UN’s 193 Member States, working toward sustainable, science-informed solutions to improve human and environmental well-being worldwide.
About International Peace Festival
The International Peace Festival (IPF) promotes global harmony and community engagement through music, art, and education. Held annually in alignment with the UN International Day of Peace, the Festival provides a platform for intergenerational dialogue and collaborative action toward peace, equity, and sustainability.
