Meet IFSA Delegates to 18th UNFF Session 2023
The forthcoming 18th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) is scheduled to take place at the UN Headquarters, and it has been confirmed that twelve students will be present at this crucial gathering. This presents a significant opportunity for the IFSA students to expand their knowledge and broaden their network within the forestry forum, which could prove advantageous for their future careers. These twelve IFSA students have been carefully selected to represent all regions of IFSA, from America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. They possess a diverse experience and knowledge in forestry, including community forestry, project management, livelihood, restoration, education, and other areas.
The participation of these students is a testament to the growing importance of youth involvement in environmental and sustainable development initiatives. Their contributions will inspire more young people to engage in such efforts, leading to a brighter future for our planet. Below is the profile information of the IFSA students attending the 18th UNFF meeting, which is arranged alphabetically.
Agustin Rosello recently graduated as a forester from Chile and is the current IFSA President for the term 2022/2023. Before this, he worked at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as Technical Advisor for the Assistant Director General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean. Before FAO, Agustin did an internship at the International Union of Forest Research Organizations Headquarters (IUFRO) in Vienna, Austria. In IFSA, he has worked in different positions. He led the International Processes Commission as Head of the Commission and the Organizing Committee for the 50th International Forestry Students Symposium Chile 2022, the flagship event of IFSA, where more than 100 delegates from 30 different countries traveled to Chile for two weeks.
Benjamin Görlitz is a German forestry student, currently striving for a double master’s degree in forest sciences and tropical forestry at TU-Dresden, Germany. He is and was encouraged in several student projects and has held official positions at the student council at TU-Dresden. Besides that, he is interested in art, science, and outdoor activities like hiking or biking. The conference is an opportunity for Benjamin to get in touch with international organizations and actors and learn more about international forest policy.
Binsar Sihotang, an Indonesian national, is pursuing a tropical forestry degree at TU Dresden in Germany. Before continuing his study, he actively participated in Indonesia’s peatland restoration program and Initiative, demonstrating his passion for environmental conservation and sustainability. Currently, Binsar is the alternate focal point for the United Nations Forum on Forests. He has supported Joshua (the UNFF Focal Point) in various responsibilities and contributed valuable insights from the children and youth perspective to forestry policy meetings. Binsar is particularly thrilled about attending the upcoming 18th UNFF session, as he views it as a unique opportunity to meet with and engage various international forestry actors worldwide. Apart from his academic activities, Binsar enjoys spending his free time engaging in outdoor activities such as hiking and picnicking
Erlita Indah Savitri is an Indonesian student currently studying the first year of Master of Sustainable Forest and Natofe Management at Copenhagen University, Denmark. She has completed her Bachelor’s in Forestry from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia. After finishing her bachelor, she worked as a junior consultant for Project Management Unit in a REDD+ Grant Project – Forest Investment Program 1 between the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia and the Asian Development Bank. Her areas of interest are Global Environmental Governance, Social Forestry, and Conflict Management. Currently, she is learning about Communication and Outreach especially designing and managing social media, as she is taking the role of a social media and design manager at IFSA LC Copenhagen.
Furthermore, she parts of the IUFRO Sub Commission, working with the team to prepare The 26 IUFRO World Congress 2024 that will be conducted in Stockholm, Sweden. This first UN Meeting experience will be valuable for her since she wants to better understand Global Environmental Governance and how each country takes any decision for future forest policy. Besides her study, Erlita loves taking pictures, traveling, and cooking.
Emilia de Pablos is 23 years old and is soon ending her second year studying forest science in Umeå, Sweden. During her free time, Emilia likes to spend her time outside with family and friends, the forest has always been a part of her life, and she is interested in learning more about it. Traveling and seeing different parts of the world, understanding other cultures, and seeing various types of nature make her happy. She is also active in the student union as an economic in International Relationships. Before she tried a lot of different jobs for the future, she hopes to find a job that involves forest and learning. She is active in IFSA to meet people from all over the world that share the same interests, and she is looking forward to attending the upcoming 18th UNFF session to discuss and learn more about forests in the world.
| Herman Niva is from the north of the arctic circle in Sweden and is currently studying for a degree in forest science with an ecology focus at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Umeå. Within the student union SHS at the university, Herman is the chairman for the section “International Relations.” Before starting his university studies, he has had several workplaces but realized that forest and nature are his passions. Forest management policy is something Herman is very interested in, and he is very much looking forward to the upcoming UNFF conference. His expectation for the event is that he will learn about different viewpoints on sustainable forest management worldwide. Herman enjoys outdoor activities such as climbing and skiing in his spare time. |
Huiying Ng is a doctoral student of anthropology at the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich. She/they bring an interdisciplinary approach to the study of forests, focusing on ethnic minorities’ contemporary lifeworlds and livelihood choices, smallholder networks, community forestry, and agroforestry practices in Thailand. As a Singaporean, Huiying has a long-term interest in building viable and life-giving food systems in Southeast Asia that balance the local (soil-to-animal health, economy, diverse and dignified knowledge practices) and global (global connections, data management, knowledge exchange and research, and social and ecological diversity). Huiying works with Singapore’s Living Soil (https://livingsoil.asia) team on education and community-led action research on regenerative soil practices. Huiying’s research and writing have appeared in several academic publications and artistic forms, including Urban Studies, Amsterdam University Press, ANTENNAE Magazine and the Haus der Kulturen der Welt’s Technosphere magazine, and Anthropocene Curriculum Courses. In their free time, Huiying enjoys playing with her housemate’s dog and writing speculative fiction.
Júlia Senra, a Brazilian national, is a Ph.D. candidate in the interdisciplinary program Applied Ecology at the University of São Paulo in Brazil. Currently is visiting student at Yale University. Before that, she got her Master’s degree in Geography at the University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and her bachelor’s degree in Forest Engineering at the University of Brasília, Brazil. During and between her studies, she was involved with topics like forest certification, restoration, urban forest, and environmental education. Júlia is researching the relationship between dialogue, forest management, and governance. Júlia is very excited to attend the upcoming 18th UNFF session as a south american student and someone studying the forest decision-making process. She looks forward to meeting different stakeholders in the forest sector and being updated about current international issues. Júlia was always in love with nature, traveling, and the arts.
Karin Jacobsson is a 23-year-old student in her second year of studying forest science at SLU in Umeå, Sweden. In addition to her studies, Karin is the president of the social committee at the student union, where she is involved in issues related to gender equality and equal conditions. Karin’s passion for nature and the environment is reflected in her interests, which include running, traveling, and spending time outdoors with family and friends, especially close to the water. Having grown up close to the forest and nature, Karin views it as an important part of her life and well-being. She is excited to attend the 18th UNFF session to better understand the UN and its impact on global forests. She is also excited to meet new people of other nationalities as engaged as her in forest-related issues and to hear more about this subject in their countries.
Kumba Jammeh is a Gambian national passionate about environmental conservation and sustainability. She is pursuing a master’s in forestry with a specialty in Tropical Forest Restoration at Yale University. Kumba has dedicated her academic and professional career to positively impacting the world. Before joining the Forestry School at Yale, Kumba was an Agricultural Science teacher and National Director for the International Association of Students in Agriculture and Related Sciences (IAAS) in The Gambia. Her experience in education and leadership has honed her ability to work collaboratively with others toward a common goal. Driven by her passion for environmental conservation and sustainability, Kumba pursued advanced studies in Forestry, focusing on Tropical Forest Restoration. Her academic pursuits have allowed her to develop a deep understanding of the complex ecological systems essential to forest restoration and sustainable livelihoods for forest people. Kumba is excited to attend the UNFF 18th session, where she will have the opportunity to meet experienced forest actors from all over the world to share and learn from their knowledge and experiences in forest and forest-related issues. With her passion, dedication, and academic excellence, Kumba is poised to significantly impact Forestry and environmental conservation. Kumba loves dancing, cooking, and making others laugh outside work and academics.
| Growing up in Malaysia, Max witnessed the devastating effects of deforestation and haze on his family and local communities. Struck by the lack of local environmental action at age 19, Max co-founded Youths United For Earth (YUFE), Malaysia’s leading grassroots nonprofit mobilizing youth for nationwide climate action. Living in the region bearing the brunt of climate change, Max believes in the power of local action and decolonizing environmentalism and aspires to bring Southeast Asian environmentalism to the global stage. Since 2019, Max has led a team of 50+ youths to spearhead environmental justice and educational campaigns supporting marginalized groups. He has since worked with UNICEF Malaysia, the Central Bank of Malaysia, and Malaysia’s Environmental Ministries to advance local environmentalism. Max was personally awarded by the UN Messenger of Peace, Dr. Jane Goodall, and later represented Malaysia as a YSEALI Fellow by the U.S. Department of State. Internationally, he has represented Malaysian youth sentiment at UN conferences, ASEAN Youth Forum, and Princeton’s Youth Climate and Conservation Summit and contributed to the ASEAN Environmental Rights Framework to advance environmental defenders’ human rights. At the UNFF meeting, Max hopes to convey Malaysia’s forests’ challenges and work toward a more just and equitable global forest policy with world leaders and young changemakers. |
Sandesh comes from Nepal and is currently in Copenhagen, Denmark doing his first year of a Master’s in Sustainable Forest and Nature Management (SUFONAMA). He did his bachelor’s in forestry from Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal. In Nepal, he actively managed community forests, working closely with local communities and preparing operational plans for forests from different parts of the country. As someone who’s worked at the ground level with local communities, he is excited to attend the 18th session of UNFF because it allows him a unique opportunity to experience the other end of the spectrum of the forestry regime.
He hopes to meet with and engage with various international forestry actors worldwide. Besides his academic life, Sandesh enjoys writing, photography, books, traveling, and hanging out with friends.
