Matthew Luhn
Disney/Pixar Veteran | Story Artist: Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., Up, Ratatouille | Bestselling Author | Fortune 500 Storytelling Consultant
Zuriel Oduwole
2025 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee | Education & Girls' Rights Advocate | Filmmaker & Youth Diplomat | Founder, DUSUSU Foundation | Ban Ki-moon Leadership Award
Zuriel Oduwole is an internationally recognized education advocate, filmmaker, and youth diplomat who has championed girls' education and peace since the age of nine. She has met more than 35 world leaders, helped advance Mozambique's ban on child marriage, and was nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. On stage, she inspires audiences to see education as a tool for change and to believe that age is no barrier to making a real difference.
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Zuriel Oduwole biography
Human rights speaker Zuriel Oduwole is an internationally recognized education advocate, filmmaker, and youth diplomat who has championed girls’ education, gender equality, and peace since she was nine years old. Born in Los Angeles to a family of Nigerian heritage, she has carried her message across Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond, and in 2025 she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming one of the youngest people ever put forward for the honor.
Zuriel’s advocacy began at age nine, when a trip to Ghana showed her girls selling goods in the street instead of attending school. She turned to documentary filmmaking to tell their stories, and over the years she has met with more than 35 world leaders, including presidents and prime ministers, to discuss education and development. In 2018 she traveled to Mozambique to meet President Filipe Nyusi and press the case against child marriage; the following year, Mozambique formally outlawed the practice, part of a broader movement she continues to support.
From the Classroom to the World Stage
Through her nonprofit, the DUSUSU Foundation, short for “Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up,” Zuriel teaches filmmaking and storytelling to young people, especially girls and young women, giving them practical tools for economic independence. She has trained nearly 600 participants across countries including Ghana, Rwanda, and the Seychelles, and has directed seven documentaries of her own. She has spoken to tens of thousands of young people across more than 20 countries, encouraging them to see education as a tool for agency and change.
Her work has drawn global recognition. She has been featured by outlets including the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, and Forbes, was named by ELLE among women who changed the world, and in 2022 received the Ban Ki-moon Leadership Award from the former UN Secretary-General. A UCLA graduate now pursuing a doctorate in organizational change and leadership at USC, she has also taken part in informal peace dialogue, meeting heads of state during periods of regional tension to encourage peaceful resolution.
As a speaker, Zuriel Oduwole brings a rare combination of youth, global experience, and moral clarity to the stage. She speaks on girls’ education, youth leadership, gender equality, and the link between education and a more peaceful, sustainable world, drawing on real encounters with world leaders and young people alike. Audiences, especially young ones, leave inspired to believe that age is no barrier to making a measurable difference.
Zuriel Oduwole Speaking Videos
Zuriel Oduwole: Nigeria's Youngest Nobel Prize Nominee, Education Advocate
Zuriel Oduwole - Raising Your Hands High
Zuriel Oduwole Keynote Topics
Zuriel Oduwole makes the case that educating girls is one of the most powerful levers for social and economic progress anywhere in the world. Drawing on her own decade of advocacy and her meetings with world leaders, she shows how access to quality education gives girls the confidence, skills, and voice to shape their own futures and lift their communities. Audiences leave with a clear understanding of why investing in girls' education pays off, and what individuals, companies, and governments can do to help.
Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are changemakers today. In this keynote, Zuriel draws on her own journey, from filming her first documentary at nine to addressing heads of state as a teenager, to show how mentorship, education, and opportunity can unlock young people's potential. She offers practical encouragement for helping youth lead solutions in policy, business, and social impact, and challenges older audiences to take young voices seriously.
Zuriel connects climate action with education, arguing that informed, educated young people are among the most effective advocates for a sustainable future. She explains how schools and communities can equip the next generation to respond to environmental challenges and champion practical, locally rooted solutions. Having spoken at international forums on these issues, she brings a global, youth-centered perspective to one of the defining challenges of our time.
Zuriel built her advocacy on a simple belief: that telling someone's story can change how the world sees them, and what the world does about it. In this keynote she shares how documentary filmmaking became her tool for driving real change, and how she now teaches young people to tell their own stories. Audiences discover how authentic storytelling can move hearts, shift policy, and turn personal experience into collective impact, whatever their field.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Zuriel Oduwole
Why Zuriel Oduwole?
Booking Zuriel Oduwole brings your audience one of the most inspiring young voices in the world. By her early twenties she had met more than 35 heads of state, helped advance real policy change on child marriage, earned the Ban Ki-moon Leadership Award, and been nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Her story is living proof that age is no barrier to impact, which makes her especially powerful for youth, education, and leadership events. She speaks with warmth, conviction, and a global perspective few can match. For events on education, gender equality, youth empowerment, and human rights, she is an outstanding choice. Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Zuriel Oduwole for your next event.
Who is Zuriel Oduwole?
Zuriel Oduwole is an education advocate, filmmaker, and youth diplomat born in Los Angeles to a family of Nigerian heritage. Since the age of nine, she has used documentary filmmaking and advocacy to champion girls' education and gender equality, meeting with more than 35 world leaders and supporting policy change such as Mozambique's ban on child marriage. She founded the DUSUSU Foundation, received the 2022 Ban Ki-moon Leadership Award, and was nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
Why was Zuriel Oduwole nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?
Zuriel Oduwole was nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of more than a decade of work in education advocacy, gender equality, and informal peace dialogue. Widely reported as one of the youngest people ever nominated, she has campaigned for girls' education, supported efforts to end child marriage, and engaged with world leaders during periods of regional tension. The nomination reflects the growing influence of youth voices in global policy and peacebuilding.
What does Zuriel Oduwole speak about?
Zuriel Oduwole speaks about girls' education and empowerment, youth leadership and development, gender equality, and the connection between education and a more peaceful, sustainable world. Drawing on real experiences with heads of state and young people across more than 20 countries, her talks are especially powerful for education, youth, nonprofit, and corporate-responsibility audiences. To book human rights speaker Zuriel Oduwole for your event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Zuriel Oduwole as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Zuriel Oduwole as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Zuriel Oduwole's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Zuriel Oduwole or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Zuriel Oduwole speaking fee?
Zuriel Oduwole speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Zuriel Oduwole to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Zuriel Oduwole.
How can I contact Zuriel Oduwole?
We only work with Zuriel Oduwole on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Zuriel Oduwole and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Zuriel Oduwole speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Zuriel Oduwole for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Zuriel Oduwole for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Zuriel Oduwole is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Zuriel Oduwole for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
