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ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2025

United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 60,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2025 on 7,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 290+ campuses worldwide (less than 5%) were selected to host the 4,500+ Millennium Fellows.

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UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT TANIYA BIHANI, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW AND CAMPUS DIRECTOR FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.

Savitribai Phule Pune University | Pune, India | Advancing SDG 4, SDG 5, SDG 17 & UNAI 9

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" Architecture, to me, is for the people while honoring nature. Growing up in the Himalayan hills, I witnessed how buildings can either live in harmony with the land or damage it when designed without care. My work focuses on climate-responsive and community-oriented design that revives local wisdom while addressing today’s challenges. The Millennium Fellowship excites me because it offers a platform to share my vision, influence others, and connect with people who hold similar perspectives, together amplifying the impact of sustainable architecture rooted in respect for nature. "

Millennium Fellowship Project: Designing Smiles

Designing Smiles began with a simple intention,to bring warmth, friendship, and a sense of belonging to children living in an orphanage. Our goal during the Fellowship was to spend one meaningful day with them, not as visitors, but as friends. We played games, made crafts, shared stories, and created a space filled with joy, laughter, and trust. Moments like the children asking, “Will you come again?” showed us how deeply the experience touched them and us.
While we have completed our initial goal, this project has grown into something much larger. The children loved the experience, and our volunteers felt equally fulfilled. This has inspired us to continue the initiative beyond the Fellowship—turning it into a tradition we hope to carry forward every year, or even twice a year. Designing Smiles is no longer just a one-time visit; it is a continuing effort to create lasting memories, warmth, and connection for orphanage children.

About the Millennium Fellow

Taniya Bihani was born and raised in the Himalayan hills of Darjeeling, where growing up close to nature shaped her passion for sustainability. Now pursuing architecture in Pune, she observes how urban structures often disconnect from the environment, deepening her commitment to climate-responsive, vernacular, and traditional design that does justice to site and culture. Believing in optimization as a core of sustainability, she plans to repurpose campus materials into furniture for nearby slums. For Taniya , architecture is ultimately for the people while respecting the nature , and through the Millennium Fellowship she hopes to strengthen this belief by working on projects that unite sustainability with social impact.

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