Renata Penchova

“I am a university lecturer in Macedonian language at Beijing Foreign Studies University. I hold a Master’s degree in Macedonian Literature and Culture from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University. I have participated in exchange semesters at the University of Zagreb, the University of Graz, Comenius University in Bratislava, and the University of Warsaw.

As a curator at the Global Shapers Skopje hub, I was recognized as an outstanding shaper and invited by the World Economic Forum to attend the Annual Meeting 2024 in Davos, where I had the opportunity to speak on women’s empowerment and youth engagement.

In addition to my academic and professional roles, I am an active youth worker. I completed a short-term European Solidarity Corps (ESC) project with Mladiinfo Slovensko, served as an info peer educator for ERYICA in Luxembourg, and facilitated activities for Youth for Exchange and Understanding. Also, I was an intern at the World Youth Alliance in Brussels, Belgium.

I have been involved in several campaigns, including “”Democracy here, democracy now”” by the Council of Europe, #BanUnpaidInternships by the European Youth Forum, and I served as a community mobilizer for the National Youth Council of Macedonia’s “”Support to Electoral Reforms”” project.

I participated in the School for Political Education organized by Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski and the School of Young Leaders initiated by former President Gjorgje Ivanov.

Currently, I am based in Beijing, where I am actively involved with the Shaanxi Association and ATA Association, contributing to initiatives in youth advocacy and entrepreneurship.”