Below are the 2023-2024 ambassadors

Dana Chemaitelly – Czech Republic (Prague)

Dana is a third-year Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE) Lebanese student at Charles University in Prague and has been living there for ten years. Having graduated from the Lycée Français de Prague with distinction in political sciences and social and economic sciences, PPE was an obvious degree choice, as it reflects her open-mindedness in analyzing a wide range of topics from several perspectives and her passion for international relations. Coming from a non-European background but having lived in Paris and Prague for 16 years, she considers Europe her second home. She incorporates European values daily, notably through her internships at the Forum2000 Foundation and Caritas Czech Republic, promoting the European values of development, democracy, and humanitarian aid. Through EST’s stand on European values and diversity, she hopes to represent this diversity within the organization by bridging students from Europe and beyond Europe to transmit her passion for international politics and be the voice of their concerns.

Denmark – Sabrina Nenescu

Sabrina Nenescu, an international student at SDU in Denmark, is currently embarking on her second year of university, pursuing a Bachelor of European Studies. With a fascinating international background, originally from Moldova but having completed high school in Portugal, she brings a rich diversity of experiences to her academic journey. Beyond her studies, Sabrina enjoys a wide array of hobbies, including sports, a passion for literature, and a love for traveling and cooking. She is deeply passionate about politics, volunteering for various causes, and immersing herself in new cultures. Sabrina is known for her sociable, extroverted nature, making her a delightful presence in any setting.

Estonia – Sebastian Rock

Sebastian was born in the USA and has lived in Estonia since the age of two. Speaking English at home, Russian with his grandparents, and Estonian most everywhere else, he identifies most closely with an international perspective. He has always been a very curious person and has developed great passion for philosophy and politics. Sebastian currently studies in the Tallinn 21st High School with a focus on international relations. He has been elected student council group leader and class elder since middle school. He also volunteers for the Estonian Red Cross, manages the website and outreach of the Estonian Young Social Democrats, and debates competitively.

Georgia – Luka Daniela

A second-year student of International Relations at Tbilisi State University. Executive Board Member at the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association of Georgia (YATA Georgia) and Head of Research & Policy Department. Also , a member of the European youth think tank, Institute for a Greater Europe. And a civics tutor/mentor for entrants.

Germany (Munich) – Maria Grigolia

She is currently pursuing a B.A. in Political Science and Law at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich, with a strong interest in diplomacy, international law and governance. Her journey into these fields has been shaped by internships at a law firm and the Munich District Court, as well as her work in the government of Upper Bavaria and transatlantic relations. She is passionate about European politics and governance and recently submitted a seminar paper on the different perceptions of climate change in European countries. In addition to her formal education and internships, she has pursued further education and volunteer work, including representing France in the Council of Europe Negotiation Model. As a member of the UNICEF student group in Munich and ELSA, she is passionate about human rights activities. A keen traveller and language learner, she speaks German, English, French, Italian and Georgian. Dedicated to the fields of Public Law, Transatlantic Relations, Diplomacy and Policy Advice, her journey continues to be driven by a passion to make a difference in these areas.

Germany (Nuremberg) – Maria Tsanova

Originally from Bulgaria, Maria Tsanova is in her final year of Bachelor’s studies at Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm (Nuremberg, Germany). She is pursuing a degree in “International Business” with a specialization in “International Economics”. Her curiosity and open-mindedness led her to choose this program, which takes place in three different countries. Maria has completed an internship in the field of business development in the renewable energy sector, in Budapest, Hungary, as well as an exchange semester in Prague, Czech Republic. She is hoping to contribute to European interconnectedness and exchange of knowledge in various areas of societal value. Moreover, Maria has immersed herself in the topic of international security trends with a focus on the energy sector and human rights via extracurricular activities and an internship in Madrid, Spain. She is passionate about achieving a high level of European integration and social inclusion. This is why Maria is extremely pleased to be an Ambassador to Germany and encourage young people to be proactive and seek solutions to issues with a global impact.

Ireland – Oliwia Borek

Oliwia is a final-year undergraduate student of Political Science and Economics at Trinity College Dublin, with a particular interest in policy-making, voter behaviours and international trade. Originally from Poland and returning to Ireland after a year-long exchange in Italy, she would describe herself as a true European citizen. Oliwia has extensive experience working with student publications and in the NGO sector, currently acting as Analysis Editor for her university’s international affairs magazine and Officer for Media and NGO Partnerships for the International Congress of Polish Student Societies. As a Laidlaw Research & Leadership Scholar, she undertook an independent research project investigating the voter behaviours of expatriate voters and completed an internship with the Foundation in Support of Local Democracy in Warsaw.

Italy (Rome) – Eleonora Santonocito

Eleonora Santonocito is a 22-years-old student, graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs from Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, where she had the opportunity to spend five months at University College Cork thanks to the Erasmus+ study program. She immersed herself in university politics from her very first year, being elected as a student representative. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Law in European Studies at Sapienza – University of Rome, participating also in an Erasmus+ traineeship in Brussels and volunteering for the World Food Forum at FAO. Besides the EU bubble, she is also very interested in migration policies and fundamental rights.

Italy (Rome) – Rene Neumann

René is originally from Arezzo, Italy. He has recently graduated from King’s College London with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, with a year-long Erasmus+ exchange at Sciences Po Paris. Besides Italy, the UK and France, he has lived in Oaxaca, Mexico for a year on an AFS programme at age 16. He is currently Lead Editor at European Guanxi, a Cultural Officer at the Student Think Tank for Europe-Asia Relations (STEAR) and an Editor at the European Studies Review. He was also selected as an ASEF Young Leader for Italy in 2023. René’s main interests include European Affairs, EU-China relations and migration policy. He is fluent in English, Italian, Spanish and French, and speaks intermediate Chinese.

Italy (Bologna) – Lucia Cortesi

Lucia is a 24-year-old student, born and raised in Padova, Italy. After a gap year in Vancouver, Canada, she graduated in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, with a minor in Digital Humanities and Social Analytics. Throughout her bachelor’s degree, she was also a volunteer in Amnesty International’s campaign “Let’s Talk About Yes”, on sexual consent. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in European Affairs at the University of Bologna, in Italy, and her main research interests are gender equality, democracy, and populism. As Ambassador, she hopes to contribute by writing articles as well as by organizing events to bring European students closer to European institutions.

Spain – Andrea Abril Montoya

Andrea Abril is a graduate in International Relations from the University of Murcia, Spain, with a keen interest in European policy, social rights and Middle East affairs. During her academic career, she has been involved in different organisations such as Equipo Europa [Team Europe] as a Training Delegate or the Youth Service of Murcia, with the objective of building a bridge between the young people of her region and the European project. Additionally, she contributes to the UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls, as a volunteer. As an ambassador to the EST she aims to bring the European Union closer to young students in Spain, as well as the training and employment opportunities it offers. For a Europe of young people!

Turkey (Ankara) – Ecem Güvercin

Ecem is a fourth year International Relations student in Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey. Her main interests are environment and civil society, energy transformation and international development. Aiming to contribute to research projects in a creative and skillful manner, she assisted research projects in Istanbul Policy Center, Center for Foreign Policy and Peace Research, and Yaşar University Center for Mediterranean Studies. She is attentive to Turkish politics, learned about the goals of Turkish foreign policy in Turkish Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She enjoys working with people who have diverse ideas and cultural backgrounds, while engaging in NGOs such as SDSN Youth Mediterranean and Generation Climate Europe (GCE).

United Kingdom (Coventry) – Sol Rodrigruez

She is a final year Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Warwick. She was an Erasmus exchange student at Sciences Po Bordeaux in 2023. Apart from being an EST Ambassador, she is an Assistant Editor for Reinvention, and the Environment Research Analyst for her university´s Think Tank Society. Her main research interests are climate change, feminist studies and the European Union. She has presented her research on the impact of ecotourism on sharks at the WorldCUR congress in 2023, and her article titled “A Postcolonial and Feminist Analysis of the UN Discourses Used to Implement RP2 in Libya in 2011” has been published on her university´s webpage.

United Kingdom (Nottingham) – Thomas Gilmour

Tom is an Italo-British 20-year-old, studying International Relations and Global Studies at Nottingham Trent University. With a deep love for exploration and meeting diverse people, he embarked on a transformative gap year after high school. During this time, he cultivated a passion for volunteering and collaborating with international NGOs. His journey led him to teach in Italy, briefly work with a law firm, and ultimately, participate in a long-term volunteering project in Romania. Returning to the UK, Tom joined Un Ponte Per, an Italian NGO dedicated to promoting peace and human rights. He contributes by translating English to Italian and handling communication tasks and is now moving to opening a local committee alongside them in Nottingham.

Portugal – Leonor Cruz

Leonor Cruz is a passionate and driven student currently pursuing her studies in Political Science and International Relations at NOVA University, located in the vibrant city of Lisbon, Portugal. Her academic journey reflects a deep curiosity about the world’s complexities and a firm commitment to promoting global understanding and cooperation. She believes that experiencing the world firsthand is an essential part of her education and self-growth, therefore, she seeks to explore new perspectives and engage in meaningful cross-cultural exchanges. Leonor, most known as Leo has a deep love for Paulo Coelho’s Books, Bossa Nova music, and long and boring movies, even the ones in black and white.

Portugal – Diogo Ferreira

Diogo Ferreira is a PhD candidate and researcher in political science at the University of Beira Interior, Portugal. He currently resides in his birth town of Ponta Delgada, in the Azores islands. Diogo has shown a considerable interest in learning about European Union (EU) politics. He has collaborated in several research projects, and now, he devotes himself analysing the political and electoral side of the EU, most notably the EU’s institutional framework and the politicisation of EU on national and EU elections. He is an avid supporter of an EU-wide democracy. Diogo is also passionate about examining the effects of EU’s foreign policy in the security and defence of the member-states.

Portugal – Sara Ferreira

Sara has recently earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Human Rights at the University of Minho. Her professional journey includes an enriching internship experience at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she worked at the Embassy of Portugal in Belgrade, gaining valuable insights into diplomatic affairs. Her interest in the area of Security led her to collaborate with Georgia Center for Strategy and Development and also become a NATO project intern. Besides that, throughout her academic journey, Sara has also been actively involved in various projects and student associations that enhanced her academic ambitions, just like her university’s debate society (ADAUM) and Center for International Relations Studies (CECRI).