CONFERENCE MODERATOR
Ambassador Hatem Atallah (Tunisia)
Coming from a rich diplomatic background that encompassed over 35 years, Ambassador Atallah was the Tunisian Ambassador in several countries including the US, the UK, South Africa and Ethiopia, He was also the Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the Organization of American States, the African Union, the Economic Commission for Africa, UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), UN-Habitat, and the International Maritime Organization. He was appointed the Diplomatic Advisor to the Head of the Tunisian Government until February 2015. Ambassador Atallah participated in numerous summits, ministerial meetings and high level conferences of the African Union, the United Nations and the Union for the Mediterranean.
From March 2015 to December 2017 he served as Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures in the Euro-Mediterranean Region. Ambassador Atallah serves as Vice Président of the Euro-Med University (EMUNI) in Slovenia and member of the Senate. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the Gorée Institute in Sénégal and is a founding member of « AVASP » (Institute for Strategic Analysis and Prospective Studies – Tunis).
MAIN SPEAKERS
Piret Hartman, Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture
Piret Hartman is the Estonian minister of regional affairs and agriculture. The area of government of the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture is very wide. Minister is responsible for rural, agricultural and fisheries policy design and implementation; coordinates the activities related to animal and plant protection; develops farmers’ market orientation and works to ensure the sustainability of agricultural production; coordinates the Estonian Rural Policy and so much more. The area of government of the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture includes three governmental authorities, two administered state authorities and eight other legal persons – four public enterprises and four public foundations. Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture is one of the largest ministries in Estonia.
Helena Braun, Head of Political Team of the European Commission Representation in Estonia
Helena Braun is currently leading the political team at the European Commission Representation in Estonia. Between May 2017 and August 2023, Helena was a Member of the Cabinet of Frans Timmermans, the Executive Vice-President (EVP) of the European Commission leading the work on the European Green Deal, and until September 2024 a Member of the Cabinet of EVP Maroš Šefčovič who succeeded EVP Timmermans. Under the Green Deal, Helena was responsible for biodiversity, forest, circular economy and chemicals policy, and the climate mitigation and adaptation dimension of these Green Deal pillars. Before that, Helena was the sustainable development advisor of the First Vice-President Timmermans in the Juncker Commission. Prior to joining the European Commission, Helena held different positions in the Estonian Government, advised OECD on regulatory policy and good governance in several countries, and gave lectures on EU Law at Tartu University.
Elva Rakel Jónsdóttir, Managing Director of Festa – Center for Sustainability Experience (Iceland)
Elva Rakel Jónsdóttir is the CEO for Festa Center for Sustainability, an organisation of 200 of the largest companies in Iceland focusing solely on promoting the path to sustainability. Festa puts an emphasis on helping to future proof companies and organisations, building bridges and knowledge sharing, facilitating change and ESG capacity building among its members. Elva Rakel Jónsdóttir was previously the Director of the Department of Climate and Circular Economy at the Environment Agency of Iceland. For thirteen years she was also of CEO for the Icelandic division of the Nordic Ecolabel; The Swan. Elva Rakel has a BA in anthropology and an MSc from Lumes, Lund University in international environmental and sustainability science. Elva Rakel is also a board member of Green Scouts Iceland and The Association of Environmental Scientists of Iceland.
Janne Rajala, president of “Green Habito” European Civil Society Network
Janne Rajala is a senior cloud architect, sustainability ambassador at Atea Finland and leader of the Green Habito Network (Finland). He’s passionate about sustainability, both in terms of the environmental impact and promoting a sustainable lifestyle. Rajala’s vision of the sustainable future its not about talk its an actions! He has played an important role in creating Geen Habito platform for collaboration between organisations, businesses and politicians across Europe to tackle the most pressing environmental challenges. He’s actively involved in the network’s work like conferences, workshops, and trainings, ensuring the network is at the forefront of sustainable development efforts across Europe.
EXPERTS
Anneli Ohvril, Green Tiger Foundation
Anneli Ohvril is a sustainability and circular economy expert from Estonia with over 20 years of experience managing projects across the private, public, and civil society sectors. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Let’s Do It World, the largest environmental organization globally, with representatives and offices in 164 countries. Let’s Do It World leads the UN-recognized World Cleanup Day, an initiative that engages tens of millions of people annually to pick up trash and raise global awareness of the waste problem. In Estonia, Anneli has spearheaded various social and environmental initiatives, including movements against single-use plastics, promoting composting habits, and initiating environmental projects for children and youth. Anneli is also a member of Green Tiger, a cross-sector collaboration platform launched in 2020. The platform aims to devise, teach, and implement plans for a balanced economy. Green Tiger unites over 80 Estonian companies under the belief that a joint and coordinated green leap has a greater societal impact than isolated actions. Its mission is to share knowledge and tools for sustainable change while providing a collaborative platform for sharing experiences, successes, and lessons learned. Anneli’s mission is to initiate Global Green Academy that engage change makers for the joint network to share the knowhow and support. Anneli holds two master’s degrees: Economics (University of Tartu, 1995) and Change Management in Society (2020).
Madis Tilga, Advisor on Green transition for Estonian Ministry of Climate
I have been working with sustainable transition for over 13 yrs, mainly with international co-operation projects on bioeconomy, circular economy and energy. Then dived into start-up life with an ambition to change how we loop nutrients in the food system. And now working in the Ministry of Climate as green transition adviser. My main role is to facilitate nation-wide green reform, so that it becomes better understood, shall be more visible and better co-ordinated. Practically it entails taking stock and update respective policy papers and development plans, co-ordinate partner and civil servant networks, design indicator and data sets for green transition and run task force on green business transition and ministerial commission.
Frederic Roussel, Co-founder and Development, Partnerships, Innovation & Prospective Director of ACTED (France)
Michael G. Kavuklis, Coordinator in Chief of the Europe, Entrepreneurship & Sustainable Development Forum of Rhodes
Michael G. Kavuklis is a Political Scientist / International Relations (BA, MA) and owner of the marketing agency mgk.advertising, from Rhodes, Greece, specialised in branding, web development, content developement, local marketing, digital marketing and marketing in the sectors of tourism, SMEs, academia, culture and civil society. He is a certified alternative tourism consulant. He has a long experience and involvement in projects as youth and for youth, intercultural dialogue, active citizenship, European integration, sustainbable development and entrepreneurship. He currently serves as the President of the House of Europe in Rhodes, Founder and Head of the Organizing Committee of the “Rhodes Model Regional Co-operation” youth leadership conference, Founder and Head of the Organizing Committee of the Europe, Entrepreneurship & Sustainable Development Forum – EESD Forum Rhodes, Vice President of the European Network for Education and Training e.V. – EUNET and the Focal Point of the Greek Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation for Aegean and Crete.
Mahmoud Ezzat, Director of Center for Strategic Studies, Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Egypt)
Dr. Mahmoud Ezzat got his PhD in political science in 2017 from the Institute of Asian Studies and Researches in Egypt. In addition, his Master’s degree in political science in 2013 from the faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University. He is an Egyptian researcher and writer in the political, historical and cultural, media fields. His contributions have been published in several magazines and periodicals in Egypt, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Europe. He has been awarded the Egyptian state incentive award in social science “Media and Press branch” 2013, the international organization of African and Asian writers annual prize 2009 and Al- Kindy prize (Best website in the Arab world), Syria 2009. He’s responsible for the cultural exchange file at Central Projects and services sector and promoting the cultural cooperation between Bibliotheca Alexandrina and foreign organizations, institutions, and NGOs “Locally, regionally and internationally” Also was responsible for the Memory of Modern Egypt website, and for several documentation websites. He has been named as a general coordinator of the International Football Tournament for Media and Journalists.
Stefanos Vallianatos , Co-Founder of Fotoessa, Head of Greek Network of Anna Lindh Foundation (Greece)
Stefanos Vallianatos holds a Ph.D. in International Politics (on Middle East Foreign Policy Making) from Lancaster University and and an MA on Western European Politics. Currently, he is heading the department of International Relations of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture, and is co-founder of the CSO Fotoessa (for Eductaion, Research & Action). He is also the coordinator of the Greek National Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation, has taught Middle East and Balkan Politics, participated in several conferences and gave lectures on Middle East Politics, on the state of Civil Society in the Euro-Med and the Middle East, on civic education and on intercultural dialogue and cities. He is a certified trainer on Creative and Social Entrepreneurship and has implemented projects educational, cultural and creative nature. His publications include volumes on International Relations in the Middle East, on the political system and evolution of Iran, on Arab Civil Society after the Arab Spring, the ALF and EUNIC: case studies of multi-lateral cultural diplomacy, Euro-Mediterranean Civil Society at a crossroad, and others.
Mette Brogden, Ph.D., Professor of Practice, University of Arizona School of Global Studies/Human Rights Practice, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ, USA)
Dr. Brogden is a cultural and medical anthropologist who teaches graduate level courses on Migration Pathways (Central America to the U.S., and West Africa to Europe); Human Rights Crises and Trauma, CSOs & NGOs Advancing Human Rights. She holds a Ph.D. from University of Arizona. Mette`s research interests include international migration; trauma impacts and social healing from extreme violence and human rights violations; indigenous rights and cultural heritage protection; and rights of species and ecological systems. From 2003-2017 while serving in leadership positions in resettlement agencies, state and city governments in Tucson, Texas, Wisconsin, Baltimore and Seattle, she oversaw the resettlement and integration of over 13,000 refugees to the U.S. from various of African countries, Asian and Middel East countries, the former Yugoslavia, and the former Soviet Union. Prior to 2003 she served as a neutral mediator/ facilitator in environmental and public policy conflict resolution processes across local, state, and national levels at UA’s Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy.
Rashid Abubakar Iddrisu , Founder of CEHDA (Spain)
Rashid Abubakar Iddrisu is the Founder/CEO of World Institute of Africa Culture and Traditions (WIACT) in Sawla, rural northern Ghana (2019) and also founded Culture Environment Human Development Association (CEHDA) in Spain (2008) where he is a legal permanent resident. In Barcelona, he helps migrants to stabilize, meet basic needs and grow food. He travels frequently back to Sawla to oversee the affiliate NGO CEHDA Ghana in recovering traditional agricultural and culinary practices, and to develop local opportunities for youth so they do not need to try to migrate to Europe for economic opportunities. WIACT works with tribal elders to document African languages and traditional cultures, and to implement indigenous education in K12 schools that young people can reconnect with their ancestral heritages, local environments, and traditional ecological knowledge (www.wiactghana.org)
Associate Professor Michael Søgaard Jørgensen, Aalborg University (Denmark)
Associate Professor Michael Søgaard Jørgensen is an Honorary doctor, Associate Professor at Department of Sustainability and Planning at Aalborg University Denmark and coordinates research within sustainable production and consumption. He holds a M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and a PhD in technology assessment. His main research focuses on sustainable innovation and sustainable transition. Currently his research topics are: Circular economy with a focus on product lifetime, business models, civil society activities within product repair, and the possibilities of public authorities to support circular economy. Second research topic is sustainable transition of production and consumption of food with a specific focus on plant-based food and its potentials for health, environment and employment. Since 2019, he is the chairman of the Society of Green Technology within Danish Society of Engineers. He is also their expert on product lifetime and member of their working group on critical raw materials.
Rudy Raes, Director of D’broej Centrum West, (Belgium)
Mr. Rudy Raes, from Ghent, Belgium, actual manager of D’Broej Centrum West, VZW, a multicultural youth organisation specialised in inclusive work with young people in precarious situation. Specialist in intercultural dialogue, inclusive and holistic approach of working with youngsters and learning through experience.
He is involved in experimental and sustainable youth work in West-Africa (Benin), based on continuing youth engagement. He is a multilingual and co-related with several organisations in Belgium representing different communities in Brussels.
YOUTH PANEL
Hanah Lahe, Member of the Estonian Parliament
Environment and nature have been close to my heart all my life. I am convinced that systemic change that starts with policy has to take place to mitigate climate change. Endless economic growth, treating nature just as a resource, and living at the expense of younger generations cannot continue – every year we set a new record of pushing the planetary boundaries. I stand for an ambitious and internationally enforceable climate policy that will ensure a sustainable life for present and future generations.
Mathias Nikolai Berg, Leader of Grorud Venstre (Norway)
Mathias is one of many political youth in the city of Oslo, He was the longest sitting youth council member. Having been one for 6 years. Then transitioning into party politics for the liberal party of Norway, as one of the youngest 1. Candidates during the election of 2023. Mathias is currently the leader of Grorud Venstre. Mathias has attended conferences before, and has developed politics and represented the liberal party in debates about climate politics. His last contribution was conducting a speech and participation in public debates in the framework of Nordic-Baltic Sustainability Conference 2024 “Empowering CSOs and Communities for Sustainable Change: building the green future of the Nordic-Baltic region” in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Alejandra Adventure, Nordic Youth Organization (Denmark)
Alejdanra Adventura is Youth assistant at YTOP international. She is aa cofounder and project manager for HumanAid Kakuma and board member at Nordic Youth Organization. Project coordinator at Blå veje organisation and project Feniz. Co-founder of Melodies that Matter, humanitarian aid concerts. She has been active in many educational programms: Women’s federation for World peace – Peace bridge, Blue Self-Defence training, Møn film highschool short-film festival and Nordic-Baltic sustainable development partnership projects. After 14 years of active participation in various youth organizations, this much is clear: “If you plan to be here tomorrow as well, no matter your age, you too are the future. Together individuals build a sustainable world”.
Stefán Örn Ingvarsson Olsen, Landssamband ungmennafélaga (Iceland)
Stefán Örn Ingvarsson Olsen is a 21-year-old electrician from Reykjavík. He has from a young age had a burning passion for the environment and especially the ocean as he grew up surfing in the cold waters of Iceland. He has been active in youth political movements regarding youth after school activity and the environment through the organizations of SAMFÉS and LUF (The National Youth Council of Iceland). He has been a participant in Nordic-Baltic youth and sustainability projects in Estonia and Denmark.
WORKSHOPS
Mrs. Susanne Kallanvaara, Teacher at Burgårdens gymnasium (Sweden)
She has graduated as upper secondary teacher at Göteborg University in Sweden in 1984 and has a vast experience of teaching all levels of Swedish for immigrants up to university level. Currently employed at Munkebäcksgymnasiet in Göteborg. Has been active in the Swedish Anna Lindh network from the very start and has taken part in more than ten international projects within the European Life-Long Learning programme. The previous project at Munkebäcksgymnasiet ”Different Faces of Europe” was awarded both a national and a European quality label in the etwinning portal. Another on-going Erasmus+ project at the same school is ”Fundamental Rights in European Education (F.R.E.E.) and leading role EuroMed project inluding 10 countries “Euromed: Education without borders”. She deals with open and innovative education, training and youth work embedded in the digital era.
