Her Majesty The Queen presented awards to the 2016 Queen’s Young Leaders from
Pakistan, Zainab Bibi and Muhammad Usman Khan, in a special ceremony at
Buckingham Palace on 23 June 2016. His Royal Highness Prince Harry attended the
event in support of The Queen, which recognised exceptional young people from
across the Commonwealth who are making lasting change in their communities.
Former Prime Minister and Chairman of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust,
Sir John Major, David Beckham and Sir Lenny Henry were also in attendance.
H.E. Syed Ibne Abbas, Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK attended the ceremony
at the Buckingham Palace. He met with the Pakistani Award winners and commended
their efforts for the prestigious Award. The High Commissioner termed them role
models for the Pakistani youth. He also had an audience with the distinguished
guests in attendance.
Zainab Bibi is a keen environmentalist, with a strong interest in renewable
energy. In 2013, she established the Pakistan Society for Green Energy to
increase awareness of green energy solutions. She then successfully managed to
develop a bioethanol (a bio-fuel) from waste tissue paper, which could help
provide cleaner energy. Zainab also introduced into Pakistan, from the US, a
plant species that produces bioethanol (biodiesel). ‘Camelina sativa’ has a
short growth cycle and a greater resistance to drought, which means that it can
be grown in desert areas in Pakistan.
Muhammad Usman Khan is dedicated to helping all children to receive an
education. After attending the British Council’s Active Citizens Programme, he
designed an educational programme called Back to Life Edutainment for street
children. He promoted the programme using social media and managed to encourage
more than 500 young people to voluntarily implement the project in four cities.
Muhammad also founded the BEYLI Organisation, which aims to educate and support
underprivileged young people. He then returned to his home village and set up
the Rethinking Education community school and created a programme called
Edupowerment, which teaches students computer skills, English language skills
and peace education.
In the year of Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th birthday, The Queen’s Young Leaders,
including Pakistan winners have all been taking part in a series of high-level
engagements across London and in Cambridge over the course of the past week.
This has included participating in a challenge set by global social networking
company Twitter, meeting Senior Executives at BBC World News and visiting 10
Downing Street. As part of the programme they also received leadership training
at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Continuing Education, met UK
business leaders from Standard Chartered, AMV BBDO and PWC and heard from
leaders from UK charities working to deliver life-changing projects.
The search for the 2017 Queen’s Young Leaders Award Winners opens on Friday 24
June 2016. If you or someone you know is doing exceptional work in their
community apply or nominate them at www.queensyoungleaders.com.
