Igor from Croatia will tell you his MasterPeace story started with two things: music and art for peace. Simple as that. What he couldn't have told you in March 2014, when he walked into his first Bootcamp in the Netherlands, was where that beginning would take him.

"What started as one Bootcamp became a lifetime of friendships, partnerships, and opportunities to create positive change."

That first Bootcamp left a mark. Meeting passionate people from all over the world, sharing ideas, creating together, and realising that everyone in that room wanted the same thing — to make their communities better — was, in his own words, an unforgettable experience. It's still the memory that comes to mind first when he thinks about his time with MasterPeace.

More than a decade later, Igor runs MasterPeace Croatia through his organisation LUMEN, and the scale of what's been built is striking. Youth exchanges, training courses, workshops, community art projects, local initiatives promoting active citizenship and intercultural dialogue — thousands of young people have come through these activities over the years.

One of the most visible marks MasterPeace Croatia left on their city is Walls of Connections — a project that brought together local and international artists to create permanent street art in public spaces, while connecting young people, artists, and everyday citizens in the process. The kind of thing you can still walk past years later.

"MasterPeace taught me that lasting change starts with local action. Even small initiatives can inspire an entire community when people work together with creativity, respect, and a shared vision."

From that foundation, Igor's involvement grew into coordinating international Erasmus+ partnerships — first as a partner in ACT for Liberty and DOUACT, and now, from 2024 to 2026, as coordinator of Halan We Grow, a project run together with MasterPeace Netherlands and partners from MENA countries, supporting young people through creativity and social entrepreneurship.

He reflects on the distance travelled since that first Bootcamp.

"Looking back at 2014, I could never have imagined that one day we would lead international partnerships and support organisations from Europe and the MENA region. That journey gave me confidence in my abilities as a leader and project manager."

The path wasn't without challenges. Keeping international cooperation alive through COVID-19, and later working alongside partners affected by conflicts in the MENA region, tested the network. But the MasterPeace community kept finding ways to stay connected, adapt, and support each other.

"That resilience showed me the true value of an international community."

What has changed most for Igor, beyond the projects and the partnerships, is how he thinks about peace itself.

"Peace is not only the absence of conflict — it's also about creating opportunities, dialogue, inclusion, and cooperation."

And then there are the friendships. People met through Bootcamps and projects who became close friends and trusted partners across different countries, who still visit each other and develop new initiatives together. For Igor, those relationships are among the greatest outcomes of his entire journey.

He sees that same ripple effect in the young people around him — more willing to volunteer, to travel, to believe they can make a difference. More connected to an international community than they would have been otherwise.

When he describes MasterPeace to someone new, he puts it simply: a global family of people who believe that peace is created through action.

His advice to anyone starting out?

"Be open to every opportunity, don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, and say yes to new experiences. The people you meet through MasterPeace may become lifelong friends and partners."

The words he reaches for when he thinks about MasterPeace: Friendship. Diversity. Creativity. Cooperation. Trust. Hope. Action.

Ten years on, all of them still ring true.

MasterPeace Champions Edition celebrates the people who've grown alongside the movement — and helped it grow in return.

Some journeys begin with a single step. For Nico de Klerk, they begin with thousands.

Long before becoming part of the MasterPeace family, Nico had already dedicated his life to empowering marginalized young people in South Africa. As the founder of the StreetBiz Entrepreneurial Mindset Foundation, social entrepreneur, public speaker, and educator, he has spent decades helping young people discover opportunities where others see limitations.

In 2018, Nico embarked on what would become a life-changing journey—a 3,000-kilometre walk across South Africa. Visiting more than 100 communities, he listened to the stories, challenges, and dreams of marginalized youth. Rather than arriving with solutions, he chose to learn first.

The project was later recognized as the Best Global Social Innovative Project by the Life Learning Academia in 2019. Yet, after completing the walk, Nico knew his journey was only beginning.

"I was looking for global partners," he recalls. "When I found MasterPeace, I quickly realized I'd struck gold. I recognized the same way of thinking, the same culture, and the same belief in creating positive change through peace."

Finding a Global Family

Nico officially joined MasterPeace in 2019 after connecting online with Maria Sakarias, who introduced him to the wider network. Soon afterward, he received an invitation to attend the MasterPeace Global Bootcamp in Tunisia.

That experience changed everything.

Meeting changemakers from across the world, sharing ideas, and discovering a community united by action rather than words left a lasting impression.

"It was unforgettable. I met incredible people from all over the world, and many of those friendships continue today."

The same year, StreetBiz became the official MasterPeace license holder in South Africa, marking the beginning of a long-term partnership dedicated to youth empowerment and peacebuilding.

Turning Ideas into Action

Since joining the network, Nico has integrated MasterPeace initiatives into the work of StreetBiz.

International Day of Peace, Nelson Mandela Day, environmental campaigns, dance performances, waste management initiatives, and community projects have all become opportunities to engage young people in building more inclusive communities.

Beyond local activities, Nico has remained an active participant in both African and Global MasterPeace meetings, strengthening collaboration across the network.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, together with fellow MasterPeace member Ray Mwanza from Zambia, whom he met during the Tunisia Bootcamp, Nico co-created a series of regular online gatherings that connected members and supporters from different countries for nearly two years.

Even during a time of global isolation, the MasterPeace community continued bringing people together.

Inspired by People Who Live Their Values

When asked what has inspired him most throughout his MasterPeace journey, Nico's answer is immediate:

"The people."

He explains that many organizations speak about their values, but few truly live them.

Throughout the years, he has found inspiration in leaders and members across the network—including Aart Bos, Dorothée Meijer, Maria Sakarias, Karen Rozema, Ray Mwanza, Enock, Apollo, Sudipta, Bechir Selmi, Marian and Marius Dumitru, and many others—people whose commitment to peace is reflected not only in their words but in their everyday actions.

For Nico, MasterPeace is defined by the people who make the movement possible.

Learning to Focus on Hope

One of the greatest lessons Nico has taken from MasterPeace is surprisingly simple.

"This world is full of wonderful people."

Meeting individuals from different cultures, backgrounds, and countries has strengthened his belief that humanity has far more goodwill than many people realize.

That realization has changed the way he sees the world.

Instead of focusing on conflict, he deliberately chooses to focus on hope, collaboration, and the countless people working every day to make their communities better.

From Nepal to South Africa

Every MasterPeace experience has shaped Nico's perspective, but one journey stands out.

In 2022, he participated in the MasterPeace Walk in Nepal through the Himalayas.

The experience inspired him to bring a similar initiative back home.

Although he had considered organizing such a walk before, Nepal convinced him it was possible.

In 2024, that vision became reality with the MasterPeace–StreetBiz Walk in South Africa, demonstrating how ideas shared across continents can become meaningful local action.

The Power of Goodwill

When asked about his favorite MasterPeace memory, Nico finds it impossible to choose between Tunisia, Romania, and Nepal.

Instead, he chooses something less tangible.

"The goodwill among people globally."

For him, this spirit defines every MasterPeace experience.

One unforgettable moment came during the Nepal Walk. After spending an evening playing guitar and singing with local children in a remote Himalayan village, Nico prepared to leave the following morning.

Before the group departed, the children approached the organizers with a simple request.

Everyone else could leave—but they wanted "Nico" to stay.

They had even brought him a small gift.

"That was probably one of the most outstanding moments of my life," he says.

It was a reminder that peace is often built through the smallest acts of human connection.

Standing Together Through Challenges

Like every meaningful journey, Nico's has not been without setbacks.

At the end of 2023, he faced the difficult decision to postpone an important walking project in South Africa. The disappointment was significant, and much of his support team had to step away, forcing him to rebuild the project from the ground up.

Throughout that process, MasterPeace stood beside him.

Rather than making decisions for him, Aart Bos helped him reflect, face reality, and move forward with confidence. The wider MasterPeace community also offered encouragement and practical support, reinforcing the sense that challenges never have to be faced alone.

Building Peace Through Action

For Nico, MasterPeace is not simply about organizing events.

It is about creating opportunities.

Through StreetBiz, he continues helping young people access networks, develop entrepreneurial mindsets, and design projects that strengthen inclusion, peace, and community ownership.

His philosophy is simple: the best outcomes happen when people develop their own initiatives because they truly believe in them.

That is where lasting change begins.

A Community Without Borders

If Nico had to describe MasterPeace in just a few words, he would say:

A global community. Bridge builders. People who turn intentions into action.

His advice to anyone beginning their MasterPeace journey reflects the same practical mindset that has guided his own path:

Learn. Experience. Think. Plan. Act.

Looking back, what stays with him most is not a single project, event, or destination.

It is the people.

The friendships formed across continents, the shared belief that peace is worth working for, and the realization that when people come together with purpose, they can create lasting change in their own communities and far beyond.

As Nico says:

"Peace is something to fight for."

Meet Saroj Baniya: Empowering Young People to Lead Today

For Saroj Baniya, young people are not simply the leaders of tomorrow.

"They are innovators, entrepreneurs, peacebuilders, and decision-makers of today."

For more than sixteen years, Saroj has dedicated his career to creating opportunities that allow young people to discover their potential and become active contributors to society. Working at the intersection of youth leadership, technology, entrepreneurship, public policy, and social innovation, he has helped thousands of young people across Nepal develop the confidence, skills, and networks needed to drive meaningful change.

His journey began long before he became a nationally recognized youth leader.

As a child, Saroj was actively involved in school clubs and community organizations, where he first discovered the power of volunteerism and civic engagement. Those early experiences inspired a lifelong belief that leadership is not defined by titles, but by a willingness to serve others and create opportunities for communities to grow.

That belief led him to establish the Nepal Youth Council (NYC) in 2012.

What started as a vision to strengthen youth participation has grown into one of Nepal's largest youth networks, with active engagement across all seven provinces and seventy-seven districts. Under Saroj's leadership, the organization has empowered more than 10,000 young people through leadership development, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, civic engagement, and personal development programmes.

By bringing together government institutions, United Nations agencies, educational organizations, civil society, and the private sector, the Nepal Youth Council has created platforms where young people are not only heard but are actively shaping solutions for their communities.

Saroj's commitment to youth leadership extends beyond Nepal.

As Team Leader of MasterPeace Nepal, he has played a key role in strengthening regional collaboration and peacebuilding across Asia. Nepal successfully hosted both the first and second MasterPeace Asian Youth Bootcamps under his leadership, welcoming young changemakers from more than fifteen countries to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and collaborate on issues ranging from peacebuilding and climate action to entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital transformation.

These experiences have reinforced his belief that while cultures and contexts may differ, young people everywhere share a common desire to create positive change within their communities.

One of Saroj's most significant contributions has been promoting youth participation in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Working alongside development partners, including UNDP, he led the nationwide SDGs Festival across all seven provinces of Nepal. The initiative empowered young people to identify local priorities and develop province-specific Youth Action Plans, which were formally presented to Provincial Governments and Provincial Planning Commissions. Through this work, he has consistently advocated for meaningful youth participation in public policy, local governance, climate action, innovation, and sustainable development.

His commitment to creating impact also extends into the digital world.

With over sixteen years of professional experience in digital marketing, strategic communications, business development, and digital transformation, Saroj has supported businesses, startups, development organizations, and nonprofits in strengthening their digital presence and expanding their social impact. By combining technology with community development, he continues to demonstrate how digital innovation can become a powerful tool for sustainable change.

Saroj has also represented Nepal on international platforms, including the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York and the UN Sendai Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan, ensuring that the voices, ideas, and aspirations of Nepali youth contribute to global conversations on development, resilience, and peace.

Alongside his work as a practitioner, he is also an author and mentor. Through his motivational book सम्भव छ (It Is Possible) and his upcoming publication Youth, Tech and Change, Saroj encourages young people to embrace leadership, innovation, and lifelong learning while believing in their own ability to create change.

The impact of his work is reflected not only in numbers but in the communities and young leaders it has inspired. More than 50,000 young people have participated directly in leadership and development initiatives, over 600,000 have been reached through campaigns and digital outreach, and hundreds of community, national, and international programmes have been implemented through partnerships that continue to strengthen Nepal's youth ecosystem.

Yet, beyond these achievements lies a simple philosophy.

Saroj believes that every young person deserves the opportunity, confidence, and platform to turn their ideas into action. By connecting grassroots communities with governments, development partners, businesses, and international networks, he continues to champion a future where young people are not waiting for change—they are leading it.

Through his work with the Nepal Youth Council, MasterPeace, and countless national and international initiatives, Saroj Baniya reminds us that empowering young people is one of the most powerful investments we can make in building peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable societies.

From Divided Communities to One Team: Ignace Harushimana’s MasterPeace Journey

For Ignace Harushimana, peace has never been just an idea—it has always been a mission.

As the Club Leader of MasterPeace Burundi – HAGURUKA, Ignace has spent years bringing people together through dialogue, education, and one of the world's most powerful universal languages: sport. His journey with MasterPeace began in 2018, but his commitment to building peaceful communities started long before.

What drew him to MasterPeace was simple.

"MasterPeace is a peace movement. Our organization also works for peace by using sport and young people as tools for dialogue, peace, and development. We shared the same vision."

Finding a Global Family

One of Ignace's first experiences with MasterPeace was meeting Club Leaders from different countries and exchanging ideas, experiences, and solutions for the challenges facing their communities.

Those early conversations showed him that peacebuilding is stronger when people work together across cultures and borders.

Over the years, he became actively involved in peacebuilding initiatives, education projects, capacity-building programs, and training workshops, continuously learning while helping others grow.

Throughout his journey, he found inspiration in many members of the MasterPeace family, especially Aart Bos and Raghda from MasterPeace Global, as well as Hamza and Maryam from MasterPeace Africa, whose leadership encouraged him to keep expanding his impact.

Learning That Peace Begins with Unity

When asked what MasterPeace has taught him, Ignace doesn't hesitate.

"Love, solidarity, unity, and sharing experiences."

Those values have shaped the way he approaches leadership and community development. Rather than seeing differences as barriers, he learned to see them as opportunities for dialogue and collaboration.

A defining moment came in 2024 during a MasterPeace gathering in Romania. Standing in front of fellow Club Leaders, Ignace presented the story of his Football for Peace project.

Sharing his experience with leaders from around the world filled him with pride and confidence.

"It was truly a moment of happiness and satisfaction."

Football Beyond the Game

Perhaps the greatest example of Ignace's impact is his Football for Peace initiative.

His community had experienced deep political and ethnic divisions that affected relationships between neighbors and families. Instead of allowing those divisions to continue, he used football as a bridge.

The project created spaces where people could meet, play together, and start conversations that had once seemed impossible.

Today, those same communities share more than a football field.

"They understood that the true path to living together is through dialogue. Now they play together and share many things together."

For Ignace, sport became much more than competition—it became a tool for reconciliation, trust, and lasting peace.

Growing as a Leader

MasterPeace has also transformed Ignace personally.

Through years of exchanges, trainings, and international experiences, he developed stronger leadership skills, gained new knowledge in peacebuilding and education, and increased his confidence as a community leader.

He now shares those experiences by organizing training workshops across different communities in Burundi, helping others build the skills needed to become changemakers themselves.

"The experience I gained in leadership, peacebuilding, education, and capacity-building through MasterPeace has influenced my entire community through the trainings I provide."

One Family Across Borders

When Ignace thinks about MasterPeace, one phrase comes to mind:

"We are one family."

That feeling extends beyond projects and events. During his visit to Romania, he formed a friendship he still treasures today with fellow MasterPeace member Bob from Poland.

Bob stayed close throughout the visit, generously helping Ignace during his stay and making him feel welcomed far from home.

For Ignace, this kindness reflects what makes the MasterPeace network unique: people from different countries becoming lifelong friends united by shared values.

A Message for Future Changemakers

After years of creating impact, Ignace believes MasterPeace offers more than programs or training.

It offers belonging.

He encourages anyone passionate about peace, dialogue, and development to become part of the network.

"MasterPeace is a united family for peace that creates many opportunities for development."

His own journey is proof that when people choose dialogue over division and collaboration over conflict, communities can change.

As Ignace says:

"I have succeeded in bringing together politically and ethnically divided communities through dialogue, using sport as a tool for peace and development."

His story reminds us that peace is not built overnight. It is built one conversation, one friendship, one community—and sometimes, one football match—at a time.