UCL master’s student appointed as UN Youth Ambassador

UCL student Aliza Ayaz has been appointed as a UN Youth Ambassador for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for her work on climate action. Aliza, who is currently studying for an MSc in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, has had success as an  advocate for action on climate change, as well as a number of other SDGs. In 2018, then a second year Population Health student, Aliza founded the Students' Union UCL Climate Action Society, a network of almost 300 students, staff and alumni, which has helped organize nationwide action to encourage universities and corporations to move to carbon neutral business models. A former spokesperson for Youth and Environment at the UK Parliament, Aliza is currently the House of Lords' student representative on 'Health & Environment', and recently featured on a British Council webinar panel on the SDGs. She also spoke at the UN's World Urban Forum in 2019. Aliza will join ambassadors from around the world to work with the Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres , and through UN Habitat, UNEP and UNDP, which aim to foster youth leadership youth at a national, regional, and global level, including through exploring mechanisms for young people's participation in political and economic processes. The group is also tasked with providing perspectives, ideas and solutions that will help the UN to scale up climate action.