Changemakers of Tomorrow: Individuals Shaping a More Just World

The Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards is a signature programme of the UN SDG Action Campaign, a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, hosted by the Executive Office of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The campaign aims to engage and catalyze positive change towards the Sustainable Development Goals, while advocating for rethinking, recalibrating and reimagining economies and societies to better serve people and the planet. The Heroes of Tomorrow awards specifically highlight and celebrate heroes of tomorrow who represent scalable solutions to accelerate progress on the world’s most pressing challenges such as climate resilience, gender equality, and inclusive economic growth. This year, judges reviewed over 5,500 applications and nominations from 190 countries, highlighting the continued global effort to advance progress.

This year’s awards span three categories: the Creativity Award, Resilience Award, and Changemaker Award. The Changemaker Award spotlights specific individuals that work to advance justice, equality, and peace through grassroots action, and systems change. The finalists this year include Julienne Lusenge, Shiori Ito, and Jîn Dawod.

Building Peace in the DRC

Julienne Lusenge is the founder of Solidarité Féminine pour la Paix et le Développement Intégral (SOFEPADI) and the Executive Director of the Fund for Congolese Women (FFC). She has dedicated her life to ending sexual violence and advocating for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She has provided holistic care to over 7,500 survivors and mobilized more than $3 million in grants, empowering more than 250 grassroots women-led groups across 14 provinces. Her efforts have led to war criminals being brought before the International Criminal Court, earning her a spot in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People. She continues to work tirelessly to build peace from the ground up, proving that women are not just victims of war but are the architects of peace.

Confronting Sexual Violence: Giving Voices to Survivors

Shiori Ito is a storyteller who ignited a movement, empowering survivors to speak out and challenge cultural silences around sexual violence. As a survivor herself, she has been championing women’s voices, bringing survivors’ experiences to the European Parliament, the United Nations, and the European Commission. Shiori continues to prove that survivor-led advocacy can dismantle stigma, influence policy at the highest levels, and build a world with dignity, safety, and justice for all.

Healing Trauma, Rebuilding Hope

Jîn Dawod’s journey began when she fled Raqqa, Syria to Türkiye as a teenager. As a Syrian refugee, she faced PTSD but lacked access to therapy in her language. In a world where 122.6 million people are forcibly displaced, these services critically needed yet overlooked. To bridge this gap, she has pioneered a model that blends refugee leadership, digital innovation, and mental health equity. She became a Peace Therapist, connecting people to therapy in Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish, and English, using AI-powered psychologist matching, crisis support, and a network of 150 psychologists.

These finalists are examples of how heroes everywhere bring meaningful impact around the world. The Awards Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, 29 October in Rome, Italy. These three changemakers embody the courage, compassion, and innovation that the Heroes of Tomorrow Awards were created to celebrate — reminding us that every act of hope can ripple outward to transform communities and inspire the world.

Read more on the UN SDG Action Awards finalists here.