Damsith Wimalasena is one of the ‘extraordinary’ Cambridge students chosen for this international leadership programme that works towards United Nations goals.
We are thrilled to share the remarkable achievement of Lucy student in Land Economy, Damsith Nimsara Wimalasena, who was selected as a 2024 UN Millennium Fellow and the Campus Director for Cambridge University. This prestigious fellowship, a joint initiative of the United Nations Academic Impact and the Millennium Campus Network (MCN), recognises and supports young leaders committed to advancing the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The scale of the competition underscores the significance of Damsith's accomplishment. With over 52,000 applications from 6,000+ campuses across 170 nations for 2024, only 4,000 individuals from 280+ campuses worldwide (a mere 5%) were chosen. This selection highlights Damsith's exceptional leadership and dedication to creating positive change.
Damsith’s project, The Coexist Initiative (EleCoexist) addresses the pressing issue of human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka. This problem arises from habitat loss and encroachment, leading to frequent and often fatal encounters between humans and elephants. The project's goal is to foster coexistence by implementing cost-effective conflict mitigation strategies, such as educating communities about elephant behaviour, habitat conservation, and waste management to prevent attracting elephants into human settlements.
Damsith's work exemplifies the spirit of Lucy Cavendish College, where we encourage our students to be proactive in addressing global challenges. His commitment to sustainable solutions and leadership in bringing the UN Millennium Fellowship to Cambridge are truly inspiring.
We are proud of Damsith and his dedication to making a tangible difference in the world. He currently serves as the Vice President of Cambridge University Entrepreneurs and is a Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum. Passionate about leveraging entrepreneurship for social impact, Damsith aims to pursue a career in this field. His experience spans interning in the civil service and in a number of startups, providing support in areas such as funding and investor relations.
Class of 2025 applications are now live and the Final Application Deadline is March 31st, 2025.