Three North-West University (NWU) students are preparing to take on one of the world’s most prestigious youth leadership platforms. Hailing from various parts of South Africa, Kananelo Mlangeni, Nomcebo Dumakude, and Xoliswa Sethunya will represent NWU and SA at the 5th Global Peace Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, from 21 to 23 January 2026.
The Summit, which is to be held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, will bring together youth leaders from around the globe to discuss important global issues. These may include climate change, equality, poverty, social justice, and inclusive governance. The event provides a platform for these young trailblazers to discuss and design solutions to these issues.
For these NWU students, being selected is about far more than getting to experience authentic Thai cuisines; it is an affirmation that their voices, shaped by their backgrounds and communities, can have a global impact.
Kananelo, a master’s student of Environmental Law and Governance who grew up in Heilbron in the Free State, says that being selected has deeply personal and profound meaning for him.
“Representing the NWU at the 5th Global Peace Summit is an honour that aligns with my lifelong passion for using law as a tool for justice, and my deep commitment to the UN’s values of dignity, inclusion and collective peace.”
Nomcebo, a Bachelor of Health Science Honours student in Human Movement Science from Pietermaritzburg, echoes this sentiment, believing that leadership is not about a title, but about making an impact.
“What drives me is the impact of leadership: creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and supported. In many ways, that’s what leadership truly is,” she added.
For Xoliswa, a 22-year-old Social Work student from Ramatlabama, the summit represents “growth and development, and the chance for my opinions to be heard; opinions that might change how people think.”
Architects of the future
Sethunya expressed that young people are essential for building inclusive societies. “The youth are innovative; they are change agents. Through participation and leadership, they drive solutions to issues such as unemployment, conflict, and poverty.”
Kananelo challenges the youth to recognise what many nations pray for: a constitution rooted in dignity, equality, justice, a multicultural society, and institutions capable of change. “All too often, our youth lack the sense of urgency needed to build inclusive, peaceful societies for future generations,” he added.
Nomcebo wants to remind the youth that “Your voice matters. Passion and compassion are enough to start.”
From NWU to the World
The selection of these students is testament to the NWU’s commitment to transformative leadership. As the trio prepare to step into a room filled with global visionaries, activists and diplomats, their collective wish is to return home with new knowledge, an expanded global network, and a renewed sense of purpose.
They are going as individuals, but they are carrying the stories, aspirations, and resilience of the communities that raised them.
Hailing from the cornfields of the Free State, the coastal hills of KwaZulu-Natal, and the streets of Mahikeng, these three students are ready to build a peaceful future.
Nomcebo Dumakude
Kananelo Mlangeni
Xoliswa Sethunya
