On September 26 it will become clear whether one of the UvA-students wins the coveted ECHO Award, at Loyens & Loeff in Amsterdam.

Students who are eligible for the ECHO Award are successful students with a non-Western background who distinguish themselves because of their outstanding student performance, outside of the box thinking, bridge building skills, active social engagement and leadership skills. 

Sahar Afzal

Sahar Afzal is using her voice to make sure that other young people are heard. Next to her studies, Sahar serves as a board member for the Dutch branch of UN Women. She finished her studies at Amsterdam University College over the summer and just started her Master's in Conflict Studies.

Ahmed Bayoumy

Ahmed Bayoumy is completing his medical clerkship at Amsterdam UMC. He has a part-time job at Defensity College, an initiative to improve the bound between the ministry of Defense and young academics. Ahmed aims to motivate other students with a migration background to work at the armed forces next to their studies. 

About the ECHO Award

With its awards ceremony, the national expertise centre for diversity policy ECHO helps to shine a light on excellent students with a non-Western background who can contribute to creating equal opportunities for all. Winners are rewarded with a fully organized summer course at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the United States. The ECHO finalists will automatically be ECHO ambassadors as well, meaning that they work to inspire young people towards excellence in their work and their studies.