Class 23 (2024-2026)
Rory Newbery, United Kingdom
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Global Studies
Rory Newbery has joined UNC-Chapel Hill and the Rotary Peace Fellowship with an interest and background in developing international exchanges, creative residencies and community projects that promote dialogue and inclusive non-formal education.
Prior to the Rotary Peace Fellowship, Rory worked at Embassy of the United States of America in London, where he oversaw the State Department's professional and cultural exchange programs in the UK, coordinating a diverse range of programs designed to enhance mutual understanding and collaboration between the US and the UK.
Since 2014, Rory has co-developed and led creative residencies, intercultural exchanges, community programming and policy visits with TCFT Europe, an international youth-led community of artists, activists and change-makers with a collective ambition to develop global youth citizenship through culture and the arts. This has included creative residencies across Bosnia & Herzegovina, Italy, Kosovo, Serbia and the United Kingdom, and policy visits to Brussels and Strasbourg. Through collaborative work and field research Rory has also supported community workshops in South Africa.
Since the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, Rory’s involvement has increasingly been driven by the need to bridge the gap in access to pan-European programs for young people in the UK. Rory is committed to advocating for inclusive opportunities for young Europeans and eliminating barriers to participation in civic and cultural activities at the local, Europeans and international level. From 2020-22, Rory was a member of the Advisory Council on Youth at the Council of Europe, leading the Youth, Peace & Security portfolio.
With a keen interest in capacity building and values-led coalition building, Rory is dedicated to finding innovative and resourceful ways for civil society organizations to support each other.
Rory will be furthering his studies in Global Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill. This program will enable him to deepen his understanding of global issues and enhance his ability to design and implement impactful projects that bridge cultural and professional divides.
Rory holds a BA in Arabic & Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Leeds, with a year at the Arabic Language Institute in Fez, Morocco.