As a Mercator Fellow, Igor Mitchnik explores how local environmental youth activism can contribute to conflict mediation and resolution in post-soviet states. Previously, he gained work experience at the International Crisis Group in Bishkek, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, the Institute of Baltic Studies in Tartu, and at the Media Program South East Europe of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Sofia. He obtained a double master’s degree in Politics & Security at the University College London (UCL) and at University of Tartu. His interest in sociopolitical developments in post-socialist states in Eurasia was sparked during his undergraduate studies in Social Sciences in Düsseldorf, and a semester abroad at the Andrássy University Budapest.