People to People International is delighted to share an exciting update from one of our young leaders. Many in the PTPI family will remember Blinera Gashi, whom they met at the PTPI conference in Skopje, North Macedonia.

Blinera has been a passionate advocate for young people, civic engagement, and international cooperation for many years. This Sunday, 7 June 2026, she takes another significant step in her public service journey - standing as a candidate for the Parliament of Kosovo.

A Leader Shaped by Values

Blinera has consistently demonstrated a commitment to the kind of leadership PTPI exists to develop. The values she has shown throughout her time in the network are values the world needs more of in public life.

These are not abstractions. They are the qualities that Blinera has brought into her community, into the PTPI network, and - now - into the political arena of her country.

Why Civic Participation Matters

Regardless of political affiliation or election outcome, PTPI believes that healthy societies depend upon citizens who are willing to step forward, participate, and contribute to public life. Democracy is not a spectator sport. It requires people who are prepared to engage - who will sit with complexity, work across disagreement, and keep the long-term wellbeing of their communities in view.

We are especially encouraged when young people bring their energy, ideas, and commitment into leadership roles. The challenges facing communities today - locally and globally - will be navigated by the generation now stepping forward. The quality of that navigation depends on the quality of those leaders.

Around the world, PTPI chapters invest in exactly this: developing young people who are curious about others, comfortable with difference, and committed to building rather than dividing. Blinera is a living example of what that investment looks like when it finds its purpose.