A BTech student from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati has been selected as the Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassador, a leadership position in the Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassadors Network (CYPAN) Executive Committee.
Hailing from Assam’s Lakhimpur district, Sukanya Sonowal, a fourth-year BTech student of the biosciences and bioengineering department, will serve as the Lead — Communications and Public Relations for the 2025–2027 term, the IIT-G said on Wednesday.
“She will be the first from Assam to head the communications and PR team of the youth forum,” those familiar with the development told The Telegraph.
Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassadors are selected based on their experience in peacebuilding, commitment to Commonwealth values and understanding of relevant frameworks.
The CYPAN is a youth-led initiative operating across 56 member nations by bringing together young people from across the Commonwealth “to upscale and optimise grassroots, national, regional and pan-Commonwealth efforts to promote peace, respect and understanding and preventing violent extremism”.
Its objective is “fostering collaboration between members and creating space for policy advocacy as it relates to peace and countering violent extremism”. It is an initiative that is completely youth-led and supported by the Commonwealth secretariat, according to the CYPAN website.
The selection process involved a rigorous three-stage process, which included an initial application followed by two rounds of interviews. The evaluation process focused on the applicant’s commitment to peacebuilding, community service and leadership experience, the IIT statement said.
“Her demonstrated ability to manage large-scale communication campaigns, lead youth-focused outreach initiatives, and build international collaborations with organisations such as Optiver, Qube Research & Technologies, and Jane Street, reflect the experience and skills that strongly aligned with the objectives of the CYPAN,” the statement said.