top of page

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.

unaimcn.png

UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT ALIFIYA ALI ASGAR OLIA, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2024.

Maharashtra National Law University Nagpur | Nagpur, India | Advancing SDG 10 & UNAI 7

FELLOW.jpg

" "Having grit and a strong belief in social-righteousness motivate me to become open to change and develop the habit of thinking on my feet, no matter what adversity comes my way". I am really excited to become a Millennium Fellow and make the most of the resources and learnings I am provided, to foster a more equal and equitable student community at my University and hopefully beyond it. This way I can see myself doing justice to this excellent opportunity. "

Millennium Fellowship Project: The Other Side of Camera

Cinema has an unparalleled ability to mirror reality, to provoke thought, and to quietly ignite revolutions in the minds of its audience. The Other Side of Camera is not merely a project; it is an inquiry into the silences that permeate our society. Inspired by the powerful storytelling in films like The Great Indian Kitchen, this initiative seeks to peel back the layers of invisibility shrouding the labor, struggles, and systemic injustices faced by marginalized communities—be they women, caste minorities, or tribal populations.
This project takes a two-pronged approach:
Film Screenings: We will screen a curated selection of films, both regional and international, that grapple with themes of gender, caste, and tribal communities. By showcasing stories in languages such as Marathi, Malayalam, and others, we aim to bridge cultural divides and encourage inclusivity.
Post-Screening Discussions: These discussions will serve as spaces of reflection and dialogue, where students can express themselves freely in any language. The objective is to facilitate conversations on topics that are often ignored—intersectionality, invisible labor, prejudice, and systemic inequality—while nurturing diverse perspectives that reflect the plurality of our campus.
Digital Repository: To document and amplify these voices, we plan to host interviews with filmmakers—directors, producers, writers, and actors—who will share their creative processes, motivations, and lived experiences. These interviews will be archived digitally, creating a repository of stories that inspire learning and unlearning beyond the confines of the project.
Ultimately, The Other Side of Camera is an attempt to use the unassuming medium of cinema to compel its audience to confront the uncomfortable truths of societal inequalities and to foster empathy through dialogue and reflection.

About the Millennium Fellow

Alifiya Olia is a passionate and sincere young individual. She is currently reading the law at National Law University, Nagpur, India. Throughout her student-life, she has espoused and supported the causes of Women's Rights and Minority Rights. She has also cultivated her leadership skills by taking up various teaching roles and academic positions. Her drive to create a positive imapct on the society in order to sensitise more people regarding issues such a xenophobia, caste-based discrimination, gender-based violence and the like stems from her innate beliefs as a duty-bound citizen of the world. She hopes to take inspiration from those around her and bring various UN Sustainable Development Goals into fruition in her own unique way.

bottom of page