The LEGO Group has partnered with TIME for the first-ever Girls of the Year list, recognising 10 young leaders around the world.
The 2025 TIME Girls of the Year list, curated by TIME's editorial team, was created in partnership with the LEGO Group with the aim of celebrating girls and young women. It features 10 honorees:
- 17-year-old Rutendo Shadaya, an advocate for young authors in New Zealand
- 15-year-old Coco Yoshizawa, an Olympic gold-medalist in Japan
- 15-year-old Valerie Chiu, a global science educator in China
- 15-year-old Zoé Clauzure, an anti-bullying crusader in France
- 12-year-old Clara Proksch, a scientist prioritising child safety in Germany
- 17-year-old Ivanna Richards, a racing driver shattering stereotypes in Mexico
- 17-year-old Kornelia Wieczorek, a biotech innovator in Poland
- 17-year-old Defne Özcan, a trailblazing pilot in Turkey
- 12-year-old Rebecca Young, an engineer tackling homelessness in the United Kingdom
- 12-year-old Naomi S. DeBerry, an organ donation advocate and children’s book author in the United States
The young women have been recognised with LEGO-fied TIME covers, depicting each of the girls and their respective causes and passions.
“At TIME, we’ve long believed that leadership has no age requirement,” said TIME CEO Jessica Sibley. “This belief is reflected in the inspiring young women named to our first-ever TIME Girls of the Year list, who are shaping their communities with courage and purpose. Thanks to our partnership with the LEGO Group, we are proud to spotlight those who are turning imagination into real-world impact.”
As well the still covers, the LEGO Group and TIME Studios has created an animated cover, set to the 'She Built That' song, in line with the LEGO Group's annual female empowerment campaign.
“These girls are part of a generation that's reshaping what leadership looks like today," said TIME’s Senior Editor Dayana Sarkisova. "Their generation understands that change doesn't require waiting for adulthood – it starts with seeing problems and refusing to accept them as permanent. TIME’s Girls of the Year, who are all between the ages of 12 and 17, prove that changing your community and inspiring those around you can send ripple effects around the globe.”
According to research cited by the LEGO Group, women’s achievements remain largely invisible to children, according to a survey of 32,605 parents and children across 21 countries. Kids are twice as likely to credit major inventions to men, with most believing that Wi-Fi (69%), fridges (63%), and even the moon landing software (68%) were invented by men – when in fact, all of those milestones were pioneered by women.
“When girls don’t see it, they don’t believe it – the world risks missing out on the next big breakthrough," said Julia Goldin, LEGO Group Chief Product & Marketing Officer. "There’s no stopping what girls can build. TIME’s Girls of the Year is a step in giving the next generation the role models they deserve, recognizing young women globally who are not just imagining a better world but actively creating it.
"Together with TIME, we hope these stories will inspire a future generation of unstoppable female builders to dream big and continue making their mark on the world.”
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