Who We Are
Five Artists: Nikita Abuya from Kenya, Béibhínn McCarthy, Tara O’Brien, Neave Alouf from Ireland and Viktoria Spokojna from Berlin
STAND Activities Coordinator, Caitriona Rogerson and Marketing and Branding Awareness Coordinator Madeline Campbell.
What We Did
In 2021, the STAND Student Festival celebrated collective resilience in the face of global challenges. From the fight for climate justice to social inclusion, gender equality to mental health, this year’s #RISEUP Exhibition puts stories of hope, determination, and resilience centre-stage.
The #RISEUP Exhibition showcased twenty changemakers from around the world who have risen up to take action for positive change. From Ireland to Kenya, Somalia to South Africa, Uganda to Afghanistan, these individuals and collectives have shown courage, creativity and dedication in tackling global challenges.
The following are but a few of the images included in the exhibition which toured the 14 participating campuses.
The activists and changemakers included in the exhibition included:
Climate Action:
- Saoi O’Connor (18) – Climate Activist, Ireland
- Nzambi Matee (29) – Social Entrepreneur & Engineer, Kenya
- Vanessa Nakate (24) – Climate Activist, Uganda
- Nina Gualinga (27) – Climate & Indigenous Rights Activist, Ecuador
- Aisling Byrne (27) – Entrepreneur, Fashion Activist, and Founder of Nuw, Ireland
Equality:
- Senator Eileen Flynn (31) – First Traveller to have a seat in the Oireachtas, Ireland
- Alex Kofi Donker (29) – Founder of LGBT+ Rights Ghana, Ghana
- Disabled Women Ireland (DWI), Ireland
- Louisamay Hanrahan (29)- Founder of Let’s Help Direct Provision & Let’s Match Mums, Ireland
- Black & Irish, Ireland
Women & Gender Equality
- Ifrah Ahmed (32) – FGM activist and campaigner, Somalia/Ireland
- #MeToo Movement, Global
- Movement to Repeal the Eighth Amendment, Ireland
- Candice Chirwa (25) – Menstruation Activist, South Africa
- Sonita Alizadeh (25) – Rapper & activist on Child Marriage, Afghanistan
Mental Health
- Jay Buntin & Mathew Taylor (19) Founders of Pure Mental, Northern Ireland
- Adam Harris (25)Founder of AsIAm, National Autism Charity, Ireland
- Geraldine McDonnell (25) Traveller & Mental Health worker, Pavee Point, Ireland
- Blessing Dada, (21) Irish-Nigerian Mental Health Activist
- Hauwa Ojeifa (29) – mental health activist, Nigeria
Features, blogs and guides
From Nicaragua to Ireland: Fairtrade Coffee and Global Solidarity
Fátima Ismael of Soppexcca, Cathal Murphy from Bewley’s and Fairtrade practitioner Kieran Durnien discuss 20 years of Fairtrade coffee solidarity linking Nicaragua and Ireland.
Critical Thinking for Global Citizenship Education
Join Brighid Golden for the launch of her latest book, ‘Critical Thinking for Global Citizenship Education: A Conceptual Framework’
Your voice matters – 2026 user survey open
It’s January, its 2026, and we want to hear what you’d like us to feature or work on in 2026.
Calling Post Primary Teachers – Survey Participation Request
Your voice is vital in shaping the future of education for sustainable development in Ireland. Join a national survey for post primary teachers in October, led by DCU researcher Valerie Lewis
Webinar: Science for development on World Food Day
The webinar will feature YSTE projects, from Santa Sabina Dominican College (Dublin), Moate Community School (Westmeath) and CBS Thurles that focussed on nutrition and better food production, with Self Help Africa’s nutrition and gender specialist in Ethiopia, Sara Demissew.
Student & teacher webinar: Food, hunger and SDG 2
Join the World Food Day webinar for post primary school students and teachers which will explore SDG 2: Zero Hunger.