Among the young leaders from across Australia who converged on the nation’s capital last week to influence the future of the Olympic movement on the road to the Brisbane 2032 Games was South West Sydney high school student Aniese Ismail, pictured above while presenting.
She was one of just 25 students attending the summit, having been selected from nearly 1000 nominations to be part of this years’ Australian Olympic change-maker program.
Hosted by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), the summit featured workshops, leadership development sessions, and the opportunity to problem-solve alongside Olympians Noemie Fox, Emma Jeffcoat, Brodie Summers, Conor Nicholas and Nathan Katz.
Aniese, who attends Liverpool Girls High School, and the other change-makers explored how sport can be a powerful tool for leadership, personal growth, inclusion, wellbeing, and social impact.
Change-maker culminated in a presentation at Parliament House where students pitched their ideas to influential members of the Australian Government and Olympic Movement.
All change-makers participating in the summit also received a unique medal produced by the Royal Australia Mint.
The students and their teams presented groundbreaking ideas and left the sessions inspired to create change within their communities.
“I feel like it’s like such a great opportunity, because coming from, an area like Liverpool, we don’t really get opportunities like that, and not a lot of people from my school have done anything like this before,” Aniese said afterwards.
“I’ve always wanted to create change, through coaching, or through creating programs.
“I’ve always wanted to be there for the younger generation and to teach them what it means to be an athlete and just overall, someone who wants better for the community.”
Summit host Olympian Elka Whalan said she was excited to connect with young voices.
“The Olympic change-maker summit is about the next generation showing their passion, creativity, and commitment to making a difference through sport,’’ she said.
“We look forward to seeing how these change-makers continue to grow, inspire others, and contribute to a more inclusive and vibrant sporting landscape across Australia – particularly with the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games on the horizon.”