Dr. Sriprapha Petcharamesree is the Director of the Ph.D. Program in Human Rights and Peace Studies (International) of the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Mahidol University in Thailand. In October of 2009, she was appointed by the national government to act as the Thai Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, a role she served in until December of 2012. In addition to her academic duties, she is currently Co-Chair of the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism advocating for effective regional human rights systems in the ASEAN region. She holds a degree in Political Science from Thammasat University as well as a D.E.A. in Comparative Politics and a Ph.D. in International Politics with distinction from the University of Paris-X.

Mohammed Furkan is a Research Director at the Rohingya Youth Development Association (RYDA), academic researcher, educator, interpreter, and human rights advocate. Originally from Arakan State, Myanmar, and currently based in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, he is a first-year Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) student at Parami University through the Parami University and Bard College Unique Global Dual Degree Program. His work focuses on research, youth engagement, education, and human rights advocacy.

Ruth Nyakerario read for an MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (2018) and an MSc in African Studies (2019) at the University of Oxford. She has since dedicated her career to expanding education access for marginalised youth, designing impactful learning programs at the intersection of displacement and education. When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her scaling walls at a rock-climbing gym or tucked away in an outdoor café, savouring good coffee and great literature. On good days she writes poignant reflective pieces.

Nagina Zahra is a former Hazara refugee from Afghanistan whose journey has shaped her purpose as an educator and community advocate. A mother of two daughters, she pursued her dream of becoming a qualified teacher, setting a powerful example for mothers and women of Afghanistan. She became one of the first female teachers at Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre (CRLC), the first refugee-led school in Indonesia in 2014. Today, Nagina teaches English Literature and EAL/D at St Aloysius College in Adelaide. As a passionate educator, she also collaborates with Cisarua Learning as Education Coordinator as well as teacher training program, a trainer for refugee teachers and community leaders in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. Her lived experience gives her a deep sense of empathy and understanding, enabling her to mentor and support both students and teachers as they navigate their own educational journeys.

Laura moved to the UK in 2019, bringing from her hometown of Naples stories and memories of marginalised communities, and her dedication to supporting refugee and the Roma communities, improving educational opportunities for children, and fighting against discrimination. Now based in Southampton, Laura works with No Limits, a charity that offers free information, advice and help to children & young people under the age of 26 in Hampshire. Laura holds an MA in Teaching Italian as a foreign language, and shares her love for her mother tongue as an Italian tutor, helping others connect with the Italian culture, language, and literature. She is also a poetry editor for The Other Side of Hope magazine, where she contributes to the selection and curation of poetry. Alongside her editorial practice, she works as an illustrator, with her artwork featured in the magazine’s 2025 issue.

Sajjad is a co-founder and leader of Histo:RY, the youth initiative running this contest. He is the founder of Indonesia's first refugee Model United Nations club, RYMUN, which is run entirely by refugees, for refugees. Through his initiative, many refugee students are provided free tutoring to compete at top Model United Nations conferences, boosting their enthusiasm and interest for global politics and local communities. He has incredible experience teaching literature at his previous education.