The moment we’ve all been waiting for is here! The nominations for Students For Liberty’s prestigious Global Awards have officially been revealed.
These nine nominations across three categories stand as a testament to the extraordinary dedication and passion exhibited by these students. Each nominee represents a beacon of hope, embodying the ideals of liberty, resilience, and innovation.
Their tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to creating positive change in their communities and beyond serve as an inspiration to us all. They are the driving force behind a future shaped by courage, vision, and a relentless pursuit of liberty.
Nominees for: Event of the Year
Event: Ukrainian Renaissance – International Conference 2023
Region: Europe
The two-day Ukrainian Renaissance conference took place in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, in July 2023. It was the first SFL event in the country since 2018 and the start of the ongoing full-scale invasion.
Since the start of the war, our teams in Central Europe have been steadfast in their support of Ukraine’s defensive efforts. They have actively raised awareness and funds, provided accommodation for war refugees, extended assistance, and organized protests and events. The partnerships built by our coordinators in the process, led by our Regional Coordinator Štěpán Kovář, made the conference in Ukraine possible.
The conference’s goal was to look beyond the current conflict and engage in discussions about the reconstruction of Ukraine, focusing on both physical infrastructure and institutions. As the country’s most international pro-liberty event, it also aimed to build bridges between the Ukrainian and international movements.
Over two days and eight thematic blocks, the audience engaged with volunteers, doctors, politicians (including the Ukrainian deputy minister of education), economists, psychologists, activists, and historians from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and other neighboring countries. The discussions centered on envisioning Ukraine’s future as an integral part of the European community.
The conference covered a wide range of topics, including lessons from the ongoing war, the current state and development of Ukrainian and European politics, society, and economy, student pro-liberty movements and their historical impact, and the role of entrepreneurs and civil society alongside the public sector in rebuilding a country after a war.
The event successfully brought together just under 150 attendees, not only from Ukraine and Central Europe but also from as far as Australia, Colombia, and Brazil. Notably, around 30 people traveled from the Czech Republic alone, in addition to our volunteering team that co-organized the event with members of Ukrainian Students For Freedom.
Multiple media outlets also reported on the event and published interviews with speakers and attendees.
Parts of the university that served as the venue in 2023 were destroyed by a Russian missile in the following months. Regardless, that did not stop the conference from returning for its second edition in July 2024 in Lviv.
Event: Free Speech Summit
Region: North America
Leveraging their president’s commitment to open dialogue on campus, SFL students at Dartmouth hosted a day-long conference on free speech and expression on April 13th, 2024, that raised over $18.000 USD. The Free Speech Summit organized by Regional Coordinator Grayling Peterson, which doubled the Regional Conference for the New England and Mid-Atlantic, brought together the 50 most politically passionate students at their Ivy League colleges with a speaker line-up that ranged from Nadine Strossen, the former President of the ACLU to Spike Cohen, the Libertarian Party’s nominee for vice president of the United States in 2020.
The conference started with a thought-provoking conversation between SFL’s Jack Nicastro, the Dartmouth Libertarians Director of Programming, and Nadine Strossen. Their discussion delved into the complexities of free speech, questioning whether hate speech and false speech should be treated differently from ordinary speech. Strossen passionately argued for the value of engaging with opposing viewpoints and critiqued the impulse towards censorship.
Then, Dr. Peter Boghossian — known for his participation in the “grievance studies affair” — engaged the audience in one of his “street epistemology” performances. After the attendees voted on gender transition procedures for children as their topic and volunteers were chosen, Boghossian fostered a discussion and mutual exploration of viewpoints and ethical axioms that emphasized understanding over mere debate, transforming the discourse into a collaborative exploration of perspectives.
Next, several student leaders of the Dartmouth Libertarians club continued with the topic of Free Speech and engaged the audience in discussions on a series of controversial hot-button issues, from Israel-Palestine to pornography and abortion.
The afternoon then saw a panel moderated by Nicastro, which included Dr. Peter Boghossian, Spike Cohen, Billy Binion (Associate Editor at Reason), Margaux Granath (Program Officer at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education), and Jason Sorens (Senior Fellow at AIER). Topics covered were conservative and libertarian journalism, government and online censorship, and the evolving role of academic institutions. The discussions were vibrant, with Boghossian and Cohen questioning the current state of higher education and advocating for radical reforms.
The event culminated with a riveting interview of Spike Cohen by Grayling Peterson on “Free Speech Absolutism.” Cohen ardently defended the principle of unrestricted free speech, allowing only minimal exceptions for speech that incites violence or disseminates harmful falsehoods.
The Dartmouth Libertarians’ Free Speech Summit was a resounding success. It united members of the Dartmouth student community, raised more money than any regional conference in NA history, and showed how much it would be possible if a few students got together and tried to make something happen.
Event: Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow
Region: Brazil
In Brazil, 30% of the population lives below the poverty line. Vulnerable populations are a target for welfare, and populist policies have been maintained for decades, feeding into each other in a game where the poor population serves as leverage for ill-intentioned politicians and parties to stay in power.
Only by enlightening the hearts and minds of the young can we dream of solving this problem. However, many people do not have access to the ideas of liberty. So, the Atlantos Institute sought partnerships with several shelters in the city of Porto Alegre to promote “Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow” and change lives.
Atlantos hosted 250 young people between 15 and 21 years old in one of the largest innovation hubs in Brazil, Instituto Caldeira. For the first time in their lives, they had lectures, workshops, and icebreaker activities focused on entrepreneurship, personal responsibility, and social growth.
They invited two entrepreneurs who’d had difficult childhoods but who, despite the adversities, had become successful. These entrepreneurs ran workshops to practice networking and a negotiation scenario. After the lectures, the entrepreneurs began personal mentorships with the kids—several of whom have since earned their first jobs.
By the end, all of them had received books on liberty ideas and home economics, but their search for knowledge did not end with these books; they now have Kindles. The Atlantos Institute planted pro-liberty values, and the seeds will sprout into the entrepreneurs of tomorrow—entrepreneurs who will shape Brazil’s freer future.
Nominees for Group of the Year
Group: SFL Indonesia
Region: Asia Pacific
In fiscal year 2024, SFL Indonesia made the biggest impact of all groups in the Asia-Pacific Region. Under the leadership of Regional Coordinator Fadil Ansori, the team organized 86 events covering topics such as free markets, entrepreneurship, freedom of speech, the rule of law, liberalism, free-market environmentalism, and Objectivism.
These events took place in multiple cities and attracted a remarkable 2,457 students from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, they received 103 applications for the Local Coordinator Program, resulting in 36 new members, which made SFL Indonesia the largest team in the region. Moreover, they hosted a regional conference and a retreat, setting them apart as the only team to do so in the Asia-Pacific region.
Group: SFL Peshawar
Region: South Asia
A small but determined group, SFL Peshawar has emerged as a shining example of grassroots activism and fundraising for liberty. With its commitment to fostering freedom in a region near Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, SFL Peshawar has organized 100+ events with 2000+ participants. SFL Peshawar has produced 3 Prometheus Fellows, and one of the group’s founders co-founded SFL’s most versatile Atlas Network partner organizations in the region, the National Influencers (NI).
A standout achievement of National Influencers, in partnership with SFL Peshawar, has been translating three Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) books by Eamonn Butler, namely ‘Foundations of a Free Society’, ‘An Introduction to Trade and Globalization’, and ‘An Introduction to Democracy’, into the vernacular Urdu language. With support from IEA, they held 15 reading groups—called study circles—with support.
Meanwhile, SFL, clubbed with NI, has long been known for its flagship ‘KP Business Plan Competition’ in the province. This Shark Tank-like competition provides a unique opportunity for aspiring student entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative ideas and receive valuable feedback from industry experts. The winners take home a small start-up grant which can only be redeemed if they register and set up a for-profit business entity.
Despite heavy societal opposition in the region, one key focus has been Ayn Rand’s Objectivism. Aligning with SFL’s New Frontiers of Objectivism campaign, the group organized 34 events focused on the philosophy, fostering a deeper understanding of its principles and applications.
Overall, their efforts have raised awareness and empowered individuals to embrace individual freedom, entrepreneurship, Bitcoin, free market environmentalism, minority protection, and limited governments. Successful media outreach in academia yielded 1500+ Local Coordinator program applications, enabling SFL’s expansion not just in the city but also in central and southern Pakistan.
Group: SFL Venezuela
Region: EsLibertad
The Venezuela Team has had its ups and downs throughout the year. In the last fiscal period, they started with a big group of 54 Local Coordinators, but after a midyear review, only 18 were left. However, these 18 coordinators managed to have a big impact in a very difficult context.
They hosted 241 events, reaching over 3400 people, even though there was a lot of fear of the regime. That fear is especially prevalent now that a law that prohibits talking publicly about “neoliberalism” (a common misrepresentation of liberalism) has been passed. Even in this scenario, they secured 89 applications for their team.
Nominees for: Student of the Year
Student: Raina Salsabil
Region: Asia Pacific
Over the past year, Raina Salsabil has been an influential coordinator in the Asia-Pacific Region. In her role, she organized the 1st Regional Conference in Indonesia, which saw the participation of partner organizations such as CIPS, FNF Indonesia, and Indeks. Additionally, she coordinated 8 educational events covering topics like freedom of speech, Objectivism, and free-market environmentalism.
With the aim of expanding SFL’s presence in the region, Raina also arranged 15 recruitment events, resulting in 361 leads from 21 countries worldwide and 86 applications to the Local Coordinator Program. This effort helped grow the network of volunteers across the Asia-Pacific region and reached new countries such as Thailand, Taiwan, Timor Leste, and Cambodia.
Furthermore, Raina represented SFL at the IAF Seminar by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Germany, the Asia Liberty Forum by Atlas Network/IDEAS in Malaysia, and the Prometheus Summit and LibertyCon in Washington, D.C. She also participated as a panelist in the book launch of the translated version of ‘After the Welfare State’ by INDEKS, which garnered 12 media hits.
In addition, Raina played a pivotal role in expanding SFL Asia-Pacific’s social media presence through videos and posts, reaching an average of 3.5k viewers and attracting 361 new followers to Instagram. She is also deeply involved in the Prometheus Fellowship Program and actively supports local staff as an intern.
Student: Rashid Shahriar
Region: South Asia
In a journey marked by perseverance and growth, Rashid Shahriar from Bangladesh has emerged as a beacon of transformational leadership within Students For Liberty (SFL). From humble beginnings, Rashid evolved into a scholarly activist who voraciously learned and adapted through SFL.
Rashid’s impact is palpable across Bangladesh, where, in the last year alone, he has spearheaded 13 events, co-organized major initiatives like the SFL Youth Carnival, and played a pivotal role in establishing and strengthening SFL clubs in 6 major towns.
As the Regional Coordinator of Bangladesh, he revived SFL in Bangladesh post-pandemic. From a mere 15-20 Coordinators in 2021, the Bangladesh team now consists of 61 carefully selected SFL Coordinators. As a result, Bangladesh reported 79 events with a whopping 2133 participants last FY.
With his exceptional partnership skills, Rashid quickly became a favorite of SFL’s regional partners, especially FNF Bangladesh. Last year alone, he secured $450 from FNF and equipped SFL Bangladesh with more than $ 1000 worth of venues across the country. FNF even sent him to Sri Lanka and later to Berlin for further training.
His team won SFL’s Global Event of the Year Award 2023 for the Bangladesh Classical Liberal Conference 2023. With over 600 participants and more than $4,500+ in in-kind donations, the conference was crucial in the country’s history, as it fell during the National Parliament elections.
An award-winning professional himself, Rashid spearheaded an era of video production at SASFL. He created a storytelling model for highlight videos for events and retreats and also guided other budding filmmakers within SFL by incentivizing them through competitions. As a result of his passion, he grabbed a TA/RA Scholarship to pursue a Documentary Production and Studies Master’s at the University of North Texas, starting in September 2024, marking him a true success story of SASFL and Prometheus Fellowship. The Ambulance Ride of His Life story features his harrowing escape from Bangladesh despite a government-imposed shoot-on-sight curfew.
Student: Jack Nicastro
Region: North America
Jack Nicastro — #2 on the global Gamification leaderboard in FY24 — showed remarkable leadership, dedication, and impact on the North American student liberty movement. His achievements include helping to raise over $22.500, co-organizing a Regional Conference, creating a student magazine from scratch, starting a YouTube channel with FEE that already has over 20k views, and writing more than 80 articles to promote liberty.
As the House Coordinator of Hazlitt, North America’s professional development track for Journalism and Content Creation, Jack spearheaded the creation of LockeSmith magazine, serving as its first Editor-in-Chief. Under his guidance, the magazine not only launched with a circulation of 1500 copies at LibertyCon International in February 2024 but also raised over $4500 in funding from prestigious sponsors like Reason, TFAS, Mercatus, FEE, Fraser Institute, Young Voices, and AIER. The magazine has become a significant platform for SFLers around the world to express diverse ideas on individual liberty and limited government.
Beyond his achievements with LockeSmith, Jack also played a crucial role in organizing and fundraising for the Free Speech Summit at Dartmouth. This event, which raised over $18,000, featured prominent speakers such as Nadine Strossen, former President of the ACLU, and Spike Cohen, the Libertarian Party’s 2020 vice-presidential nominee.
Jack’s contributions extend into various other roles and projects. He served as Regional Coordinator in FY23, was the longtime Director of Programming for the Dartmouth Libertarians, contributed to the Dartmouth Review, and helped co-host several policy Happy Hours in Washington, D.C., bringing together young professionals in the liberty movement. In all these roles, he demonstrated exceptional organizational skills, a deep commitment to advancing the principles of liberty, and a desire to help those around him in their professional and personal journeys.
In addition to his contributions to those initiatives, Jack expanded his influence through various roles in prominent liberty organizations. He became Executive Producer of his own show – Shinji’s Hard Drive – at FEE in early 2024 and secured an internship at the Cato Institute, an apprenticeship at Young Voices, and the prestigious Don Lavoie Fellowship at Mercatus this summer.
Never one to rest on his laurels, Jack already has his eyes on his next project: creating a week-long educational seminar on Libertarian Philosophy with House Ostrom, the professional development track for academia and research.
Now that the nominees for our Global Awards are known, the stage is set for the ultimate moment—the announcement of the winners will take place at LibertyCon International in Washington, D.C., from February 7-8, 2025. Stay tuned for the grand reveal as these exceptional individuals, champions of liberty, claim their well-deserved recognition.
This piece solely expresses the opinion of the author and not necessarily the organization as a whole. Students For Liberty is committed to facilitating a broad dialogue for liberty, representing a variety of opinions.
