Two Rwandans; Jean d’Amour Mutoni and Nadia Hitimana are among 60 young people from across the Commonwealth who are being recognised as exceptional leaders in their communities.

These 60 young people are the first ever to receive the prestigious Queen’s Young Leaders Award.

The Award, part of the Queen’s Young Leaders Programme, will be presented in London by Her Majesty The Queen.

It is aimed at recognising young people who are taking the lead in transforming the lives of others as well as contributing toward the development of their communities, according to a statement.

This year’s Award winners, aged between 18 and 29, are inspiring change in various areas including education, climate change, gender equality, and mental health.

Aaron Hape, an advisor on the Queen’s Young Leaders Programme who hails from New Zealand said:

"It was great seeing the kind of work young people are doing across the Commonwealth. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with the Programme and be part of selecting the very best from an amazing pool of talented young people.”

The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme is a new initiative established by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust in partnership with Comic Relief and the Royal Commonwealth Society in recognition of The Queen’s long service to the Commonwealth.

Over the next four years, the Programme will support thousands of young people. In addition to the Queen’s Young Leaders Awards, the Programme will provide grants to support organisations in selected countries across the Commonwealth that work with young people to transform their lives.

Dr Astrid Bonfield CBE, Chief Executive of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, said: "The leadership of talented young people in all spheres of life can transform communities and societies. What the 60 young people announced today (Tuesday) have achieved is remarkable and their plans for the future are truly inspiring. The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme is poised to unlock the potential of this diverse and talented group of young people and we are committed to supporting them to go further and achieve more.”

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