Nozizwe Dube is "Young European of the Year"
The President of the Flemish Youth Council, Nozizwe Dube, has been named "Young European of the Year". Since 1997, the Schwarzkopf Foundation has awarded this prize to young people in Europe for their societal commitment.
Nozizwe Dube fled Zimbabwe at the age of 14 and settled in Belgium. She studied law at KU Leuven and has been President of the Flemish Youth Council since 2015. This is the official advisory council to the Flemish Government for all issues concerning children, young people and their organisations.
The jury appreciated the efforts made by Nozizwe Dube in ensuring that the voice of young Flemish people is heard among policymakers, and in continuing to stress the importance of youth work. Nozizwe Dube also expressed her opinions on various European discussion points, including voting rights from the age of 16 and the consequences of Brexit for young people in Europe. She is active in the European Youth Forum and believes in a strong Europe, as well as the role that all young people can play in shaping the Europe of tomorrow.
The Young European of the Year award is accompanied by a grant worth €5,000.