The Pacific Institute is pleased to announce the addition of a new member to its board, Faduma Ali. “The board is delighted to welcome Faduma,” says Board Chair Sally Liu. “She brings a fresh perspective and a passion for sustainable water management. We’re looking forward to benefiting from her experience and expertise in the coming years.”
“We cannot meet the challenges of our time, including those around climate resilience and water security, without including young environmentalists at the table,” says Pacific Institute President Jason Morrison. “As we at the Pacific Institute work to transform water management in the new era of climate change, the support of those with international experience and a passion for positive change will help fuel our efforts to build a water-resilient society. This is an exciting time for the Pacific Institute.”
Faduma has a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors in International Development Studies from York University in Toronto. She says these studies further heightened her interest in international relations, development, and diplomacy. “During my undergraduate degree I developed an interest in the way environmental sustainability can be brought to the forefront of the global agenda,” she explains. “Thereafter I chose to pursue a Masters in Environmental Studies from the same institution, merging my study of international development with my passion for environmental sustainability to addresses issues such as water management and governance.”
Being from water-stressed and water-blessed countries (Somalia and Canada, respectively), Faduma says she has always been interested in water but had not really understood the “interconnectedness of water” until joining UN-Water as an intern in February 2018.
“For six months, I helped with research, drafting documents, and assisting with the preparation of events such as World Water Day, the High-level Political Forum, etc.,” she explains. “During the High-Level Political Forum, I was able to meet members of the Water Youth Network while organizing the only youth-led side-event titled “Ensuring Intergenerational Policy Dialogues for Achieving the SDGs.”
At the end of the internship, Faduma participated in World Water Week in Stockholm for the first time. Then in 2019, she moderated a session during the Opening Plenary at World Water Week, on the topic of water, sanitation, and hygiene access and water governance for inclusiveness. Later, she returned to Toronto to work as an urban planner with a consulting firm.
Later, Faduma joined the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) as a Junior Professional Officer stationed in Vienna and Sarajevo. She assisted in the facilitation and implementation of projects focused on climate change, security, disaster risk reduction, and gender mainstreaming in water management.