Sallies Village resident Lerato Maris (32) had a once-in-a-lifetime experience after being invited to attend the Global Citizen NOW summit at the Sandton Convention Centre on the eve of the G20 Leaders’ Summit on November 22 and 23.

Lerato is a United Nations brand ambassador, political activist and influencer.

The Global Citizen NOW summit saw world leaders, humanitarians, philanthropists and activists gather to examine how the continent’s priorities, from renewable energy to inclusive growth, are reshaping the global agenda and driving sustainable progress.

“I had the honour to be among presidents, prime ministers, activists and humanitarians such as President Cyril Ramaphosa, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen, Hugh Evans, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, the list is endless. The room had so much power and wisdom, it made me re-evaluate what social responsibility means in an ever-dynamic world,” said Lerato.

On the day, Lerato first attended a high-level roundtable interview, hosted by Global Nation partnered with Global Citizen, where discussions were held about tackling the climate crisis in a low solidarity world, while launching the Global Solidarity Report 2025.

According to Lerato, this exclusive convening expressed the urgent and practical ways to accelerate progress. She continued that the report revealed at its core a crisis, despite public concern and rapid technological advances, that global action remained stalled.

Through fresh data and global insights, the report highlights how coalitions and willing communities can help rebuild trust among citizens and institutions, creating the necessary momentum for collective action.

“Collective action and engagement in all local communities about pressing issues such as renewable energy and how we as a community can contribute towards sustainability is vital in making sure that not only are we aligned, but that youth, in particular, play a role in shaping how communities grow and are active agents in instilling social responsibility and change,” said Lerato.

“Brakpan youth can lead that change and progress because it’s their responsibility to maintain that power within the community.”

Lerato was also recently nominated for the 2025 Forty under 40 Awards. These awards, held in October, honour 40 outstanding young leaders under the age of 40 who have made significant personal or professional contributions in their fields.

Lerato was nominated in the Philanthropy and Charity category.

Following the awards, she met dignitaries such as Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and an extended dialogue was held to emphasise that the youth are the future and that they need to change the norms of engagement by being active participants within local communities for a progressive future.

“I want the youth of Brakpan to stand out in everything they do, participate in youth leadership activities and initiatives, and bring whatever knowledge and skills back to rebuilding our society,” said Lerato.

“The more the youth rises up for greater causes in our town, the more we create a continuous cycle of positive change that will make a greater impact, nationally and globally.”

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