ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2024
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 52,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2024 on 6,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 280+ campuses worldwide (just 5%) were selected to host the 4,000+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT AYLIN KURTULDU, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2024.
Manisa Celal Bayar University Muradiye | Manisa, Türkiye | Advancing SDG 11 & UNAI 9
" I advocate for equal rights for women and men. They should be equal in most areas, and I want the new generation to be raised with this awareness. Thanks to the Millennium Fellowship, I have become more confident in these dreams, and I know I can achieve them. As a creative person with leadership responsibility, I have adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations as my own. In this way, I will further expand the scope of social impact with these goals. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Strong Foundations Robust Future
In this project, we aim to raise awareness about earthquakes and create a pilot safe zone as a proactive response to disasters. Each member of our team is focusing on a specific aspect of this initiative, contributing to a cohesive and impactful strategy. Collectively, we are developing diverse materials such as presentations, posters, videos, and infographics, which will serve as tools to educate and engage young people on this critical issue. Initially, we will deliver presentations on our university campus to reach students directly, creating a foundation of awareness and preparedness. Following this, we plan to scale up our efforts to the city of Manisa, targeting broader audiences and stakeholders.
To further enhance the project’s impact, we are collaborating with municipalities and the governor’s office to establish a pilot safe zone on our campus. This initiative will serve as a model for other communities, demonstrating how safe zones can be implemented effectively to protect people during disasters.
The first step of our project is focused on raising awareness and promoting earthquake preparedness. Earthquakes are not just natural phenomena; their impact is compounded by societal and systemic challenges. As we have seen during and after earthquake disasters in our country, failures in addressing issues such as global warming, inefficient energy and telecommunications policies, gender inequality, and economic vulnerabilities significantly worsen the aftermath of these crises. By highlighting these interconnected factors, we aim to foster a holistic understanding of disaster resilience.
The second step involves taking proactive measures to address post-earthquake recovery. Our long-term vision is to support earthquake victims in their recovery process, both materially and emotionally, with as little harm as possible. This includes advocating for effective disaster response strategies, creating support networks, and developing systems that prioritize the well-being of affected individuals. Ultimately, we hope to empower communities to build resilience against future disasters while reducing the devastating impacts they bring.
About the Millennium Fellow
Aylin Kurtuldu is a second-year student in the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Manisa Celal Bayar University in Manisa, Turkey. She was born and raised in İzmir. Aylin is very passionate about gender equality and places great importance on individual values. She advocates for equal rights for all genders. Aylin wants to promote gender equality, which has become a significant part of her education, in public spaces as well. Her project aims to ensure that women's and men's rights are equal under the rule of law. After graduating, she will continue her research and efforts to address gender inequality. She plans to pursue a Master's degree in international law and gender inequality from past to present.
