A lawyer, Fulbright laureate and specialist in Conflict Transformation and Peace-building, Manas was awarded the prestigious Rick Hopper Fellowship by the United Nations Foundation in 2006 and has worked since then for the United Nations internationally starting from the General Secretariat, the Department of Political Affairs in New York City.
She built her international career working for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in various emergencies and post conflict countries such as Syria, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Libya, Tunisia , Jordan and Yemen. In addition she worked on legal protection, advocacy, fundraising and policy in London and Geneva. Recently, she has been working with UNICEF on establishing their presence and child protection operations in Greece and Bulgaria in response to the European Refugees and Migrants crises.
Manas’s interests are in strengthening community engagement in facilitating access to rights, integration and rehabilitation, especially of children and young people, and the creative use of art as an educative and healing mechanism for psychological trauma resulting from loss and violence.
She is the founder of an art platform organizing exhibitions and cultural events internationally to countering negative sentiments, highlighting positive symbolism and uniting themes and connecting communities towards a peaceful coexistence that also emphasizes potential and growth.