Three EUIans Named Youth Envoys to UN Digital Initiative
Egypt University of Informatics announced its participation in the "Generation Connect Youth Envoys" (GCYE) torch-handover event for 2026, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) at its Geneva headquarters, held alongside International Youth Day celebrations. The event honored the achievements of the current cohort of GCYE youth envoys, welcomed the incoming cohort, and facilitated an exchange of experience, all in support of preparing a generation of young leaders capable of using technology to advance sustainable development and build more inclusive digital societies.
Prof. Ahmed Hamad, Acting President of the University, said the university is taking part in this international event for the second consecutive year, noting that it strengthens youth participation in digital development. He pointed out that the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology approved the nomination of three university students as envoys for the initiative through 2030: Mostafa Ibrahim (Faculty of Engineering), Mohamed Hares (Faculty of Computingand Information Sciences), and Haya El-Gerwany (Faculty of Business Informatics).
He explained that Generation Connect youth envoys are selected by the ITU's Telecommunication Development Sector from candidates nominated by UN member states, forming a volunteer-led global network that contributes to ICT initiatives at the national, regional, and global levels, supporting inclusive, human-centered digital transformation.
Dr. Amal El-Gamal, Head of International Relations at the university, said the envoys act as catalysts within their communities, linking local perspectives with regional and global processes and translating digital priorities into practical initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
She noted that candidate selection was based on five criteria: applicants must be Egyptian, aged 18–24 (with no requirement for a specific educational, social, or economic background), have involvement in youth initiatives, education and skills development, research and technical activities, or digital inclusion efforts, and show willingness to participate in ITU events and commit to the UN code of conduct.
Dr. Shireen El-Fayoumy, Deputy Head of International Relations, said the students will take part in regional and global ICT-related initiatives, including those tied to the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC), through projects, consultations, events, workshops, and training. They will also work to convey youth perspectives, identify their needs and challenges, support digital inclusion, promote safe technology use, and boost youth participation in society and the digital economy.
On the selected students:
Haya El-Gerwany was chosen for her experience in technology, business management, and youth leadership. She holds the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) certification, trained in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) at EFG Hermes and in ERP solutions at SAP Egypt, chaired TEDxEUI, and led the organization of youth events and team training.
Mostafa Ibrahim founded the Egyptian Olympiad in Computing Science (EOCS), which has involved more than 2,000 students, served as chair of the university's IEEE Communications Society chapter, and led initiatives including the SolveThe17 Hackathon. He helped students secure more than 20 scholarships in embedded systems, won the IEEE YESIST12 Innovation Track Egypt competition in 2025 for developing a wearable monitoring system for coronary artery patients, and this year founded SolveX, which includes more than 70 students engaged in collaborative research.
Mohamed Hares reached the semifinals of the Rally entrepreneurship competition, works as co-founder and CTO of PyraRides, and helped establish a digital marketplace for horse riding. He placed fourth in the AWS DeepRacer competition and holds specialized certificates from Columbia University, Rutgers University, and SUNY, as well as professional certifications from Meta and HackerRank.
The university stressed that its students' participation in the initiative reflects its commitment to supporting Egyptian youth presence in international initiatives and empowering them to help shape the future of digital transformation and harness technology in service of sustainable development.