Jannatul Ferdous Ivy is a Bangladeshi activist, writer and filmmaker who has transformed her personal lifelong journey into a mission for social change.

After surviving a devastating fire accident in 1997 that left her with burns over 60% of her body, she emerged not just as a survivor,  but as an advocate for the rights of burn victims and persons with disabilities.

She uses cinema as a tool for advocacy. Her short films, such as "Nirobey" and "Article 16", address gender inequity in the workplace and the harassment faced by female employees with disabilities. Her Literary Contributions includes 11 books, including novels, poems, articles and stories to provide hope and visibility. She intentionally focuses on "happy endings" in her literature to provide readers—especially those from similar backgrounds—with a sense of challenge. Jannatul Ferdous Ivy is in the BBC 100 Women 2023 list highlighted her role as an influential figure in advocacy for women’s rights in Bangladesh. 

After a childhood and youth filled with artistic projects involving music, theatre, dance and cinema, Pilar spent a year in Paris on an Erasmus exchange programme as part of her French Philology studies at the University of Cadiz in 2019. During this year, she discovered the city and the world of cultural management through her experience with the theatre association at La Sorbonne - Paris 3. She therefore decided to move to Paris in September 2021. She joined ICART to study Cultural Engineering and Management and joined the Deauville Green Awards team in April 2022, where she rose through the ranks to become Director in 2024. In February 2026, she joined the NGO Life Project 4 Youth and began working as an Audiovisual Production Coordinator at the Youth Visions studio.
In her spare time, Pilar dances, hosts Fresques du Climat events, participates in activist campaigns, writes, reads, goes to the cinema a lot and enjoys long weekends in the countryside!

Sadetło Scott is a documentary filmmaker and producer from the Tłı̨chǫ nation and founder of Zahk’e Productions Incorporated. Her short film Edaxàdets’eetè (2023) won Best Canadian Short at the Planet in Focus International Film Festival and was nominated for Best Environmental Short at the Green Film Network. Her work centers around art and Indigenous language revitalization and was recognized by the Governor General’s Office with a King Charles III Coronation Medal. 

She holds certificates in Heritage and Culture, Cinematography and a B.A in Indigenous Governance (Canada) and currently works as the Equipment Manager for the Western Arctic Moving Pictures. As a short documentary producer she’s passionate about sharing gonàowo - Indigenous language, culture, and way of life as a form of climate action.

Ayana Harper is an award-winning filmmaker and editor based in Toronto. Her work focuses on intimate, character-driven stories that explore themes of kinship, care, and belonging. Through quiet, emotionally grounded storytelling, Harper’s films center moments of human connection and recognition, often highlighting underrepresented perspectives. Her latest short, In Due Time, won Best Short Short at the Toronto Independent Film Festival.

Learn more at ayanaedits.com and connect with her on Instagram @ayanaedts and LinkedIn.

© Anuliina Savolainen/UNESCO (photo).

Nyasha Harper-Michon is an ‘Archtivist’ working to accelerate the transition toward equitable, resilient, and regenerative cities. She's a LinkedIn Top Voice Green, and currently serves as a Communications Expert at the United Nations Environment Programme for the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC). She also sits on the boards of 8-80 Cities, Passive House Canada, and Weave Community Capital Fund. Her work spans architecture, climate advocacy, and storytelling across the built environment.

Learn more at nyasha-harpermichon.com and connect with on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/nyasha-harper-michon and Instagram: instagram.com/nyashahm.archtivist

After gaining my first professional experience in the field of cybersecurity consultancy, I decided to refocus my career on areas more closely aligned with my personal beliefs. For the past four years, I have had the privilege and opportunity to raise awareness, support and engage with individuals and organisations committed to driving environmental and social change. Through my work, I aim to create spaces for discussion, debate and cooperation, and to initiate processes and raise awareness.

Anup Poudel is a producer based in Kathmandu who believes in producing films and raising voices on democracy, global warming, and minor and marginalized communities.

A graduate of Oscar College of Film Studies in Kathmandu, Anup has graduated in a film-producing course from Busan Asian Film School, South Korea and attended different project markets and film residencies to name a few: Asian Project Market, Holland Film Meeting, La Fabrique Cinema, Nantes Produire au Sud Workshop, Filmbazaar Coproduction Market, Global Media Makers, Pop up Film Residency etc. His short films as a Producer have been selected at festivals like Cannes, Venice, Busan, Winterthur, Locarno, Montreal, Uppsala, Galway and many more. He was also awarded by the then US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for his short film on Democracy. He has recently completed three short films and a feature, which are in the process of being submitted to various film festivals.