The ECHO Award has been presented annually since 2001. A prize for excellent talent with a non-Western background in higher education. These talented students distinguish themselves because of their special academic achievements and social commitment within Dutch society. Over the years, the nominated candidates, finalists and eventual winners of the ECHO Award have developed from young to senior professionals within various disciplines of the professional field. What they have in common is that they know how to jointly represent the ideas of the ECHO Foundation. The network now consists of more than 400 ECHO Ambassadors and offers a variety of knowledge, experience and vision. Bringing together this human, intellectual, social and cultural capital in the ECHO Ambassador Network enables them to join forces to jointly carry out social activities for the benefit of education and the connection to the labor market.
Would you like to know which activities, talents and skills have led to nominations in recent years and what the ECHO Ambassador Network looks like? Be inspired by the examples below!
Senior professionals within the ECHO Ambassador Network
Sass Sasot – Nominated because of: her dedication as a social-law activist to contribute with conviction to promoting the recognition of equality for the LGBTQI community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Intersex) all over the world.
(Nederlands) Halil Karaaslan – Voorgedragen vanwege oa: het opzetten van het Turks mentoraat Lale op de Hogeschool Rotterdam, zijn inzet als outreach peercoach, zijn heldere visie voor multicultureel onderwijs. [en:] Nominated because of: setting up of the Turkish mentorate Lale at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, his commitment as outreach peer coach, his clear vision for multicultural education.
Faizal Mirza – Nominated because of: co-founding student association Mashriq, setting up the online platform Wij Blijven Hier, his work as a tutor in the Talent Development project with which he contributed to the study success of fellow students by acting as role models.
Ebru Aydin – Nominated because of: acting as mentor and information officer at Sociology and student assistant at the Summercourse. She also co-organized inspirational evenings for young people and organized lectures and workshops. She has also been involved in ” Ambition for Success ” and is working as a peer educator for Diversion social projects. Nowadays she works as a teacher and photographer at Hogeschool Leiden and is also a freelance teacher and photographer for social organizations.
George Tobal – (Photo: Marloes Coppes). Nominated because of: organizing a summer camp with De Vrolijkheid Foundation for asylum seekers. Through his life, references and experiences he knows how to tell stories in a unique way as a theater maker and actor.
Beylula Yosef – (Photo: Mats van Soolingen). Nominated because of: her efforts as mentor of children in Amsterdam Zuidoost to help them prepare for the cito-test, her work as a volunteer at the Amc Teenage Department and her commitment as a committee member at NUC for, among other things, the I, too am Vu campaign and Pak Je Avond.
Hanâa Benjeddi – her work as ambassador for The Hague International Model United Nations, organizing a three-day workshop for international medical students and the Lijn 7 Project.
(Nederlands) Mitchell Esajas – Voorgedragen vanwege oa: het medeoprichten van New Urban Collective, het helpen opzetten en plannen van de VU Summercourse, het buddytraject en het symposium Diversiteit en Studiesucces op de VU, het fungeren als penningmeester van de VSSA Conferentie 2008 Commissie. [en:] the co-founding of New Urban Collective, helping set up and planning the VU Summercourse, the buddy trajectory and the symposium Diversity and Study Success at the VU, acting as treasurer of the VSSA Conference 2008 Commission.
Leroy de Priester – Nominated because of his commitment to aid and development in the field of medical and social assistance in various developing countries. In 2007 he founded the Nurses on Tour foundation to contribute to Malaria prevention in Ghana. Leroy has combined his competencies as a nursing student with entrepreneurship to carry out his social mission.
Pari Ibrahim – (Photo: Free Yezidi Foundation). Nominated because of: setting up the Free Yezidi Foundation to provide help and assistance to the Yezidi community, especially women and girls who have escaped ISIS and children who lost their parents in the war. Pari is committed, among other things, to raising awareness regarding the genocide against the Yezidis in Iraq.
Finalists ECHO Award 2019 and young professionals within the ECHO Ambassador network
Karma Armani
Simone Aumaj ( Winner 2019 WO Award)
Ahmed Bayoumy
Hamdi Said
Zahraa Attar
Sahar Afzal
Bilal Saidi
Gabriela Acosta Camach ( Winner 2019 hbo Award )
Artur Moeijes
Raz Ahmad ( Winner 2019 Loyens en Loeff Award)
Nabeela Hussain
Ahmed Mahmoud
Musa Idris (Winner 2019 Bèta Award)
Ivneet Singh
Click here for a complete overview of the finalists of the ECHO Award 2019. The latest ECHO Ambassadors have managed to successfully combine the completion of their studies in addition to their active social involvement.
They are uniquely able to stimulate and inspire young people in the educational process to excel in all aspects that are important for the further development of their study and work career.
