Gerson Andrés Floréz Pérez

At 10 years old, he became committed to fighting for peace in his home country, Colombia. He was the first child to ever speak to the Colombian Congress, and has spoken up for children in the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Canada and the USA. He was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. This young Colombian has inspired people from all over the world with his enthusiasm and compassion for peace work. In May 2002, he visited five UK universities, speaking about the armed conflict in Colombia and its impact on children. He has also spoken at a range of conferences, including the International Conference "Awakening" the Global Youth Award for Peace and Tolerance and Initiative for Peace: Focus on Kashmir. Gerson currently studies at the United World College (Atlantic Chapter), and he will be coming to talk to the participants about his personal experiences and the power of youth as agents of change.