By Dave DeFusco
When three students from the Katz School’s M.S. in Digital Marketing and Media stepped into the Best Diplomats USA 2025 Conference, they expected debate, dialogue and diplomacy. What they did not expect, at least not so vividly, was the realization that entrepreneurship and diplomacy, when fused together, can directly shape peace, justice and opportunity in post-conflict regions.
Representing India, South Africa and Denmark, respectively, Harshita Verma, Perseviarance Mbambo and Vengesai Mavengano joined young leaders from nearly 50 countries at the Marriott Hotel in Newark for a three-day Model UN-style summit tackling “Entrepreneurship in Post-Conflict Recovery” through the lens of UN Sustainable Development Goals 16, 8 and 10.
In addition, several other Katz School students took part in the Best Diplomats program, reflecting the school’s broad engagement with global leadership and diplomacy. They included Pardhu Mattupalli (M.S. in Artificial Intelligence); Munesuishe Mashinya and Jabulani Nkiwane (M.S. in Cybersecurity); and a strong cohort from the M.S. in Digital Marketing and Media: Rushil Chalke, Farai Chikamhi, Noel Gumbo, Kudzai Gutsa, Rumbidzai Whitney Machingauta, Prince P. Magoho, Tafadzwa Mlambo, Thabo Moyo, Benedict Muringakumwe, Thulani Arnold Nsingo, Sinokuthaba Sibanda and Richard Torama.
What unfolded at the summit was part training ground, part cultural exchange and part awakening—a reminder that global change does not begin in government chambers, but often in rooms filled with students, young professionals and first-time diplomats daring to redesign the future.
For Verma, serving as a simulation representative of India felt like a full-circle moment. She had grown up participating in Model UNs, later serving as an International Press head, but this conference tested her leadership in new ways. From the very first day, when participants took a pledge led by Ambassador Dr. Malik Nadeem Abid, she felt the seriousness of what it means to step into a diplomatic role.
“That was the moment you feel in your heart that you are a diplomat,” she said. “You’re bound by responsibility.”
Representing India meant balancing firmness with innovation. In negotiations, Verma joined delegates from Germany, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan to form a strategic bloc. Together, they proposed solutions that linked diplomacy with entrepreneurship, including women-focused innovation workshops and collaborative workforce-development programs across countries.
“It reminded me that conflict can be mitigated through dialogue,” she said. “To lead people, you need to be both diplomatic and creative.”
The flag procession on the final day—delegates entering the hall under their national banner—brought that message home. “Walking into that room full of people made me feel like a real leader,” she said.
For Verma, the summit also reinforced how media shapes perceptions in fragile situations. Digital storytelling, she said, can humanize global issues and spark understanding across borders, which is something she now hopes to carry into a career in digital marketing and, one day, the United Nations.
For Mbambo, who represented South Africa, the summit marked the fulfillment of a long-deferred dream. As an undergraduate, she had yearned to attend Best Diplomats, but couldn’t due to financial barriers. This year, that dream finally came true.
“I stepped onto that stage with gratitude and purpose,” she said. “It wasn’t just representation; it was a full-circle moment.”
Her background in development studies shaped her approach to the conference’s central theme: using entrepreneurship to rebuild post-conflict societies. She drew on real experiences from Zimbabwe, where small vocational programs that teach farming, horticulture, mechanics and trades had transformed local livelihoods in areas with limited formal employment.
“People think you always have to wait for someone to hire you,” she said, “but entrepreneurship can restore dignity, stability and hope.”
During negotiations, Mbambo focused on building consensus by breaking communication barriers and finding shared values among delegates. Her professional experience with Environmental Guardian Services, where she mediated between villagers and a mining company, had already taught her how to navigate conflicting interests with empathy and clarity. Above all, she advocated for the empowerment of youth, women and marginalized groups. For her, digital marketing is a powerful tool to amplify voices that are too often overlooked.
“In many communities, people don’t have access to information,” she said. “Digital platforms can help them understand their rights, find resources and tell their own stories.”
The Katz School’s digital marketing program deepened her confidence. “From the first semester, I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be,” she said. “Now I see myself as a brand, and as a future leader.”
Representing Denmark, Mavengano approached Best Diplomats with the mindset of someone who had been preparing for this moment for years. As a student leader in Zimbabwe from 2020 to 2023 and a participant in youth programs abroad, he saw diplomacy as the next step in sharpening his leadership.
The Grand Symposium on day one set the tone. Among the speakers, one stood out: a young diplomat, Cherinet Alem Hariffo, who urged participants to “be the voice of the voiceless.” The message resonated deeply.
“It gave me hope,” said Mavengano. “The world needs young people to lead.”
Day two’s intensive UN simulation was a rigorous test of coalition-building, persuasion and negotiation. Representing Denmark, a small but globally respected nation known for strong governance, shaped his diplomatic stance. He emphasized fairness, transparency and sustainable economic partnerships as foundations for long-term peace.
“The intersection of entrepreneurship and peace became crystal clear,” he said. “Peace isn’t just the absence of conflict; it requires opportunity, justice and economic hope.”
By the final day, the cultural performances and flag ceremony reminded him that diplomacy is deeply human. “Understanding people is as important as understanding policy,” he said.
Like his peers, Mavengano left the conference energized to apply diplomacy, storytelling and digital strategy to real-world challenges. Though he, Verma and Mbambo began the journey from different continents and perspectives, their takeaway was the same: entrepreneurship and diplomacy are not separate pursuits. They are mutually reinforcing pathways to peace.
“I returned to the Katz School with a renewed sense of purpose, a deeper understanding of global leadership and a belief that young people can ignite change by building, collaborating and telling stories that matter,” said Verma.
