Congratulation to this year’s winners of the Pioneer Prize

Congratulations to the four winners and six pioneering youth who were awarded the Pioneer Prize 2021 and a DKK 25.000 scholarship to continue on their path to improving their local communities through innovation and hard work. This year’s winners were chosen because of a demonstrated and extraordinary engagement in fighting polarization, hate, and social exclusion.

They were awarded the prize by the Swedish Minister of Gender Equality and Housing, Märta Stenevi, at the Residence of the Swedish Ambassador to Denmark, Charlotte Wrangberg, in front of a visibly moved audience of nordic representatives, family members, and the deciding jury.

The six pioneers will now participate in a mentorship program, where they will take part in leadership workshops and one-on-one counceling with established social entrepreneurs, who can guide them in elevating their incredible projects to the next level.

Seqininnguaq Qitura, 20, Nuuk, Greenland  

Seqininnguaq Qitura Poulsen, is a Greenlandic Inuk artist, Indigenous rights activist, and Instagram influencer. Seqininnguaq’s work in art and activism is focused on mental health, decolonization, and revitalization of Indigenous cultures and languages. They have participated in the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, publishing a book alongside co-workers at the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus. Their hope is to cast light on mental health and Indigenous rights, to enhance the wellbeing of Indigenous people in Greenland. 

Nooh Dib, 23, Malmö, Sweden

Nooh Dib works preventatively with children and youth to strengthen their self-esteem and hopes for the future. Over the past years, he has been involved in projects ranging from preventing radicalization and extremism to gambling addiction, as well as lecturing in schools about democracy, social inclusion, and personal development.

Nagin Ravand, 22, Aarhus, Denmark 

Nagin Ravand is an ambassador for several organisations and lectures about how football can be used to foster integration. Additionally, she is an independent football coach and activist, who has been engaged in several football clubs where she develops meaningful projects that seek to empower girls and women with minority backgrounds, while also inspiring young females to hold on to their religion, culture, and values when chasing their dreams.

Anna Sonde, 15 Kristín Reynisdóttir, 18 & Valgerður Kehinde Reynisdóttir, 18, Reykjavik, Iceland 

Anna Sonde, Kristín Reynisdóttir, and Valgerður Reynisdóttir, anti-racist activists, are jointly nominated for their work to educate people about racism and discrimination in Iceland. Through their project Antirasistarnir, driven on Instagram, they share stories, lessons, facts, and advice to highlight and enhance awareness about racism and xenophobia. Their aim is to create a more tolerant and inclusive Icelandic society.

Do you know a local Pioneer?

 

Youth play a great role in generating safe democratic local communities that are united and resilient against hate and polarisation. Each day, thousands of Nordic Youth – entrepreneurs, musicians, sport leaders, activists – engage in creating change at a local level to ensure more socially coherent communities, using different platforms and tools.

The Pioneer Prize celebrates noteworthy actions undertaken by courageous Nordic youth; actions that draw on Nordic values of democracy, equality, mutual respect and trust. The Pioneer prize is awarded to 4 Nordic youth no older than the age of 25. Youth that have demonstrated considerable devotion to increase local safety and cohesion in their Nordic community, by tackling polarization, hate and social exclusion. The award consists of a 25.000 DKK scholarship, and is awarded at the Swedish Embassy in Copenhagen, 23rd of September 2021.

Thank you for nominating 2021 

Thank you to everyone who has nominated youths for our Pioneer Prize! We are so impressed with your interest and for all the amazing and impressive youths that you have nominated from all across the Nordics! We look forward to revealing this years’ winners on September 23rd.

Did you not get to nominate a youth? The nomination platform will open again in January 2022 for nominees for the Pioneer Prize 2022.

 

Nomination Period

January – March 2022

 

 

Shortlisting

April – August 2022

 

 

Prize Ceremony

September, 2022

 

Our Jury – by Youth, for Youth

 

Jesper Theil Thomsen

CEO & Co-founder, SOUNDBOKS.

Denmark

 

Bjørn Ihler

Co-founder and Director, Khalifa Ihler Institute

Norway

 

Elísabet Herdísar
Brynjarsdóttir

Nurse and Human Rights Activist

Iceland

 

Mollie Saltskog

Research Fellow, The Soufan Center

Sweden

 

Logi Pedro

Musician and Designer

Iceland

Ronja Salmi

Journalist, Author and Head of Program for Helsinki Book Fair

Finland

Kassim Nagwere

Founder of Drömstort and Drömgården

Sweden

Nima Tisdall

Founder of BlueLobster

Denmark

Questions?

Nordic Safe Cities

Embassy of Sweden, Copenhagen

UNLEASH

Supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers