ln a world where global challenges require collaborative efforts and innovative solutions, young leaders serve as important examples. One such inspiring participant is Suleiman Asif from Pakistan. His passion for environmental issues, particularly those related to the melting permafrost, led him to participate in an international project where he not only shares his knowledge but also learns from others. In our interview, Suleiman talks about his project, the difficulties he faces, and simply about himself.
Hello, my name is Suleman Asif, and I am from the delegation of Pakistan
1. Tell us about your project: what is its main idea and what goals are you setting for yourself?
In general, my project is dedicated to permafrost. This is an important topic because almost 65% of Russia is covered by permafrost. Due to global warming over the past few years, permafrost is starting to thaw, resulting in microplastics entering the atmosphere. Due to their threatening factors, this has become a serious problem, and therefore it is truly an important task. I aim to establish a good atmosphere within the team, help each other, learn different languages, cultures, and so on.
2. What challenges did you face during the implementation of the project, and how did you overcome them?
The main problems we are facing right now are that we cannot establish a good atmosphere and teamwork among ourselves. The second problem is that many team members are shy. For example, they are reluctant to speak. To improve the situation, we could allocate 10 minutes for conversation before starting each project to warm up. For instance, we could talk about anything except the project.
3. What skills or knowledge gained during the work on the project were the most valuable to you?
The most valuable thing for me has been learning about the landscapes of Russia, how beautiful its scenery is, how we can utilize these opportunities, and how we can improve our overall knowledge and practical skills in technology.
4. What hobbies do you have, or what do you do in your free time?
My main hobbies are playing table tennis, computer games, driving, and mostly that’s what I do in my free time.
5. Tell us about your country; how does it differ from Yakutia?
The main difference is the language. For example, here we speak Russian, and there we speak several languages. Every 20 kilometers the language changes, so mainly there are many such things as culture, food, races.
6. What was unusual for you, and what do you remember the most about our Republic?
The most unusual thing for me was that I thought Yakutia would be mostly… well, almost underdeveloped, but actually it is very calm here, very quiet, and very pleasant. I like it. Thank you.
As he moves forward, Suleiman’s passion and resilience will undoubtedly inspire others to join the fight for a healthier planet.
Text and photos: Damir Gotovtsev, a young correspondent of YISG-2026