Thinzar Shunlei Yi

Thinzar Shunlei Yi is a youth advocate and activist based in Yangon. Shunlei Yi is known for her tireless activism for peace and justice campaigning against ongoing civil war in Myanmar. Over 2012 to 2016, she co-organised and led nationwide and regional youth forums in Myanmar, as well as the National Youth Development Policy process. The first woman coordinator of the National Youth Congress (NYC) and a two-term president of Yangon Youth Network, Shunlei Yi is currently an advocacy lead at Asian Youth Peace Network (AYPN). Locally, she works with the Action Committee for Democracy Development (ACDD), a political coalition of 12 networks across the country as an Advocacy Coordinator. Shunlei Yi received the US State Department’s “Emerging Young Leaders Award” in 2016, and the "Women of the Future South East Asia" award in 2019. She also sits on advisory boards of Halcyon, Synergy, Women Voice and Leadership Program, Purple Feminists Group, and is one of the Obama Foundation’s inaugural selected #ObamaLeaders for Asia-Pacific. Shunlei Yi co-founded the "Under 30 Dialogue" TV show with Mizzima TV, and serves as the show’s weekly host, discussing political issues with prominent youth leaders.