Youth Leadership in Times of Conflict: Lessons from Sudan’s Ongoing War, Leena Alfatih

Leena Alfatih
Bahçeşehir Cyprus University
Cyprus

Abstract: In the midst of Sudan’s ongoing war and humanitarian crisis, young people have emerged as powerful agents of resilience, peacebuilding, and social change. Drawing from my personal journey as a young woman displaced by conflict and actively engaged in human rights advocacy, I will explore the unique role youth can play in leading community response efforts, sustaining hope, and influencing peace processes. I will also emphasize the importance of youth inclusion in national and international dialogues, and how local action—when aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDG 16 and 17)—can contribute to global peacebuilding.