Lily Aoyama

Spark4Youth
Founder

Lily Aoyama is a 15-year-old student who harbors interests across various socio-economic and environmental issues, including quality education, healthcare equity, self-esteem, mental health, social justice, and climate change. As she explores and further deepens her knowledge in these fields, she aims to identify areas where she can make a difference. She was born in Japan and moved back and forward to places such as England and Hong Kong. 

When she was moving from Hong Kong to London, she was hesitant and nervous to approach her new classmates and be friends with them, as the school was a close-knit community. However, as some time passed by, she was welcomed in by her friends and school community, and she was able to overcome her shyness. 

Lily first became interested in the UN SDGs when she was in Grade 6 in London. Watching the official youtube video released by the United Nations, she felt intrigued by all the SDGs and their importance to global sustainability. The SDGs that interest her include 1: No Poverty, 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, 13: Climate Change, and 14: Life Below Water. 

In middle school, whilst attending a summer program in Japan, she had a class on the process of clothes manufacturing and the impact it has on the environment. She thinks this sheds light on how the trend of fast fashion can lead to long devastating consequences, and she has adjusted her habits as a result by donating clothes and buying clothes less frequently. 

In the future, Lily will be focused on developing Spark4Youth, an organization she founded that aims to ignite the inner spark of youth with impact-led programs for her generation to advance social justice! For her work, she became a Youth Ambassador of ASPIRE 2030, a global youth campaign co-organized by UNESCO to amplify voices of future leaders.