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.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT ABDUL BASHEER ARIFI, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.
University of Toronto | Toronto, Canada | Advancing SDG 4, SDG 17 & UNAI 3
" “I am excited to be a Millennium Fellow because it is a platform to turn vision into action. My journey from Afghanistan to Canada has taught me the power of resilience and the importance of creating opportunities for others. Through this fellowship, I hope to amplify youth voices, build bridges across cultures, and work toward a world where no one’s potential is limited by their circumstances.” "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Dreamers
My projects is called dreamers - an project as social sciences student and coming from refugee background i am willing to expand and work on it for future years. this year through Global affairs student association acting as President for an UTM division, i have been able to assist students with finding opportunities and resources and also being a key player in creating a mini project for dreamers sending a Student delegation to Geneva - its been a success for us as students sending our representatives to high level conferences incorporating with many NGOS. so my projects mostly focuses on sharing experiences and finding suitable pathways for undergraduate students towards global affairs, political science, international relations and many more fields.
About the Millennium Fellow
Abdul Basheer Arifi is a political science student at the University of Toronto Mississauga, a Millennium Fellow, and a dedicated youth advocate whose journey began in Afghanistan. Growing up in a country marked by conflict and uncertainty, Abdul Basheer witnessed firsthand the hardships faced by families and the resilience required to survive. His early experiences from navigating instability to confronting limited educational opportunities shaped a deep sense of responsibility to serve others and to become a voice for those who are often unheard.
After immigrating to Canada, Abdul Basheer carried with him the values of perseverance, empathy, and determination. He transformed his personal challenges into fuel for leadership, working tirelessly to bridge communities and create platforms for dialogue. As Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Global Affairs Students’ Association (GASA), he leads initiatives that connect students with opportunities in diplomacy, advocacy, and leadership on a global scale. As Vice President of Internal for the Afghan Students’ Association at the University of Toronto, he works to preserve cultural heritage, empower students, and inspire civic engagement.
His commitment extends beyond titles. Abdul Basheer has represented youth at international conferences, built partnerships across borders, and championed causes ranging from education to climate change. In 2025, his dedication was recognized with his selection as a Millennium Fellow, a global program that supports student leaders advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Guided by his own story of resilience from the streets of Afghanistan to the halls of global forums Abdul Basheer continues to empower young people to believe that no matter their background, they have the power to shape a better, more just world.
