You may recall us sharing how Alumna Gabrielle Tan (Class of 2018) delivered a talk at TEDxVicenza 2019 on 8 June 8 2019. As a member of the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council, Gabby was invited to join 13 other speakers to speak in front of 1,000 people (with more watching via livestream). Gabby spoke about her environmental advocacy journey, plastic pollution, and climate change, while emphasising the 2019 World Oceans Day theme of “Together We Can”. If you’re interested, you can view her talk via this link.
A bit later this year, Gabby was also presented with two prestigious awards, established in memory of Princess Diana, in recognition of her dedication to educational equality and environmental justice.
In July, she was invited to the House of Lords to receive a Diana Award.
Following her receipt of a Diana Award, a panel of 15 judges selected 20 young people from across the world to receive a 2019 Diana Legacy Award – and Gabby was one of them. The Diana Legacy Awards are granted every two years and celebrate the achievements of 20 outstanding young leaders, visionaries, and role models who have made a monumental impact on society. According to the The Diana Award, the Legacy Award is “the most significant accolade a young person can receive for their social action or humanitarian work”.
Gabby’s outstanding achievements to date include:
- Being a current member of the UK Student Climate Network, andan advocate for the Global Schools Programme;
- Representing both the UK and Malaysia on the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council;
- Leading a range of campaigns and events on eliminating single-use plastic, including a pledging scheme with her local council in the UK;
- Impacting the lives of thousands through her work supporting refugee education with her youth-led project, Horizon of Hope;
- Attending as a youth delegate to the first-ever UN Youth Climate Summit, EurOCEAN 2019 as well as the SB50 Bonn Climate Conference this year.
A message from Gabby:
“I would like to say a huge, huge thank you to all my friends and teachers – especially Dr Browning and the Geography Department – for everything they did to support me. Getting involved with over 16 CCAs and student leadership roles during my time at GIS helped me hone key skills such as communication and organisation that I carry with me today, and the support of all the incredible people around me helped me develop the confidence needed to start this amazing journey in the first place. I will forever be grateful for the GIS community’s endless support!”
We at the GIS Alumni Office are truly proud of Gabby, and wish her all the best for all her future. We know she is going to make a significant impact on our world and we are grateful for her passion, leadership and determination!