Ibrahim Ceesay Shalom is an renowned movement-builder and advocate for Social Justice, Peace and Environmental Sustainability. He holds voluntary leadership positions with several regional and international organizations; and works full time as the Founding Executive Director of the African Artists Peace Initiative (AAPI) www.aapipeace.org – the biggest  movement of creatives and cultural diplomats in Africa (with 33 country teams). He currently Chairs the Advisory Boards of African Union CAHOSCC Youth Programme; CAADP Youth Network (CYN-Africa) and the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC). He was former Chairperson of the Gambia National Youth Council, African Youth Panel (AYP), Copyright Collecting Society of The Gambia, Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) Gambia Chapter and Africa 2.0 Foundation Gambia Chapter.

He has facilitated and was involved in several youth-led processes at the African Union, UN and other International Organizations, as a youth development expert. He was nominated in 2012 by Youth Hub Africa an online platform for youth engagement in Africa, as one of the 12 most influential youth leaders in Africa. Ibrahim Ceesay is a campaigner and strong advocate of the Africa Agenda 2063 and UNSDG’s. A former steering committee member of the Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) and founding board member of Africans Rising Movement. He is the Founder of Children and Community Initiative for Development (CAID) and Mandingmorry Foundation for Performing Arts – based in Gambia.

He was awarded the ‘’Personality of Year 2013’’ in Gambia and won the ‘’Youth Leader of the Year Award 2013’’ for his outstanding work and contribution to youth empowerment and development in The Gambia and Africa. He won the ‘’Best Indigenous Film’’ at the Nollywood and African Film Critics’ Awards 2013 in Washington D.C for his film ‘’The Hand of Fate’’, a story based on FGM, child marriage and girls education. His last film ‘’Sarata’’ is aimed at raising awareness on ‘‘cervical cancer’’. He was awarded the ‘‘Youth Advocacy and Nation Building’’ – in the 2017, Pan-African Humanitarian and Summit and Awards in Tanzania. He was recognized as one the most influential young persons in West Africa and Africa by the Confederation of West African Youths and African Youth Awards respectively.  

Ibrahim Ceesay, co-founded and coordinated – the New Gambia Global Movement for Democracy and Justice; and played a key role in mobilizing youths, artists, civil society and the media in restoring democracy and rule of law in The Gambia; December 2016.