The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, with all its people, culture and norms, owns a distinguished place on the world map. The South Asian nation is full of talented citizens who have gained global prominence, with one such individual being the recent Harvard graduate, Hamza Haroon. Hamza’s recent commencement address at Harvard Kennedy school, a rare and distinguished honour, went viral across Pakistani social media. Among the few Pakistanis who have gained exceptional fame for the country on a global level, Hamza Ali Haroon stands at the forefront. Born into a military family, Hamza has a deep sense of patriotism from early childhood and was highly inspired to contribute the best towards his country and its people. After pursuing his Bachelors from Indiana University Bloomington, Kelly School of Business, he worked in corporate America for seven years, becoming a rising star in a multi-national firm. Committed to serving his country, he left the lucrative private sector in the US and returned home, working in the Government of Pakistan as the Special Advisor and later Director Strategic Initiatives to the Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Minister of Science and Technology before joining Harvard. “First in class doesn’t mean first in life” – a quote Hamza often uses to show that as a young boy he was more passionate about activities outside of class than inside. In his case, he learned how to play golf at age eleven and soon after started winning local tournaments. Fast forward to 2007, he became the National Junior Golf Champion of Pakistan. It was an exceptional achievement that led him to represent Pakistan in the World Junior Golf Championship in San Diego, USA, a standing example of his consistent and incomparable devotion to Pakistan. Hamza recognizes the need for strong leadership at every level so collectively we can eliminate brain drain. Hamza envisions progress in Pakistan through technology adaptation to unlock new opportunities and solve existing challenges such as climate change. He believes that youth should not be marginalized to voting and jalsas alone but must have increased political participation in law making through strengthening digital democracy, and their skill set must be continuously developed to improve employability globally. Hamza has time and time again stressed that the current political system of the country is a result of lacklustre leadership, bad governance, and dynastic political influence. Pakistan now stands far behind others in the region and needs to course correct quickly to protect the more than 50 percent of the population that falls under severe poverty and many more that may be heading there. He adds that the country is full of unique talents, expertise, and passion in almost every industry, but they are not thriving due to lack of meritocracy. Hamza believes that blaming the system is easy and unproductive. We are all part of this system and thus we all have a part to play in building our country’s future. For him, quitting a well-established, highly secure job in the world’s top multi-national firm was a tough decision but his passion to serve Pakistan and support from his family paved the way. His family always encouraged him to dream bigger, set higher goals and walk the difficult, but purposeful, path. According to Hamza, the first and the most important element to consider is ensuring that we create leaders across all sectors and levels. The “know-it-all mentality” and the myth that politicians are magicians who have all the answers needs to end. He believes that societies must lead and come together to tackle tough issues, rather than displacing responsibility on others. Societies must diagnose and fix underlying loyalties and identities that are leading to recurring failures. He stresses that young leaders must develop stronger listening skills, curiosity and empathy. Hamza wants to lead by example, and that is why he chose to leave it all and come back to serve his country. He believes that our system and governance has failed the youth and that it only serves the elite. The youth of today are our biggest assets representing approximately 60 percent of our population. At present, however, the youth prioritizes leaving the country rather than staying back. “The Pakistani dream has become leaving Pakistan”, he explained yet he does not blame the youth for leaving, “it is their right to choose a better life for themselves” he said. He believes that urgent and comprehensive policy changes in Pakistan must help youth find their purpose at home. He also wants to lead the youth in choosing public service and careers in politics. He believes that lasting change can only be achieved when the youth decide to participate in policy making. Recent examples of young leaders such as Jacinda Arden, Justin Trudeau, Sanna Marin have shown the impact young leaders can have on the social and economic trajectory of their countries. Finally, compared to other developing Asian countries, Pakistan now ranks extremely low when it comes to women empowerment. In the recent Women, Peace and Security Index, a measure of women’s well-being in home, communities and societies, Pakistan is ranked among the 12 worst performing countries. Hamza firmly believes, that women participation in labour, parliaments and senior management can lead to wonders for our economy and steer the country into a more equitable one.