The Asia Foundation has announced the 2025 cohort of William P. Fuller Fellows in Peacebuilding, recognizing three outstanding young leaders from Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka for their commitment to advancing peace, justice, and community resilience. The fellowship honors early and mid-career professionals who have demonstrated both leadership and promise in the field of peacebuilding.
The Fuller Fellows program highlights individuals who are driving positive change through research, advocacy, policymaking, and community engagement. This year’s fellows bring diverse expertise and experiences from across South and Southeast Asia.
From the Philippines, Patricia Flores has emerged as a leading voice for transitional justice and indigenous rights. She has worked with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, spearheaded the Indigenous People Healing and Reconciliation Framework, and founded Hilom Pilipinas, a national movement for psychosocial peace education. Currently the executive director of iPEACE, she continues to advance tribal legal and peacebuilding frameworks that strengthen reconciliation and justice at both grassroots and national levels.
Representing Sri Lanka, Nabeela Iqbal has been widely recognized as a young human rights defender and reform advocate. As co-director of the Sisterhood Initiative, which she founded in 2020, she has mobilized Muslim women to participate in decision-making and defend their rights against discriminatory laws. Her work has been acknowledged globally by organizations including Amnesty International, and she is also a Kofi Annan Changemaker. A Chevening Scholar, she completed her master’s in human rights at University College London.
From Bangladesh, Tasnia Prova has combined her academic research with practical peacebuilding initiatives. Formerly a research lead at the Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University, she has explored the intersections of environmental resilience, security, and peace in Bangladesh’s fragile borderlands. She has authored influential research on Rohingya refugee issues and borderland precarity, and is currently pursuing her PhD in planning at the University of Toronto.
Launched in 2004 to honor former Asia Foundation president William P. Fuller, the fellowship invests in emerging peacebuilding leaders across Asia and the Pacific. Fellows participate in a 12-day exchange across New York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, where they receive professional training, connect with global peacebuilding institutions, and engage in cross-learning with peers. Each fellow also receives a grant to support their projects and professional growth.
By fostering collaboration and amplifying new voices, the Fuller Fellowship continues to strengthen the global peacebuilding community while equipping young leaders to address complex subnational conflicts in the region.
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