Samar Samir Mezghanni

Samar Samir Mezghanni was a member of AIESEC Bardo in 2008 and 2009 where she participated in workshops and conferences organized in Tunisia. Before joining AIESEC, she has been an active member in several national and international organizations and was invited to speak in one of AIESEC conferences in 2008 where she became interested in joining AIESEC.

Samar believes in the power of education in resolving conflicts and promoting peace. Following the Tunisian revolution, she led a team of AIESECers to establish the first debate clubs in the country and the MENA region. The program trained thousands of young people to tolerate differences, express their opinions constructively and become engaged in civil society. Since the age of 9 years old, Samar shared her writing talent and public speaking skills with children and youth by organizing workshops and seminars to inspire them to become active agents in their societies. Her books celebrate peace, equality and diversity. In 2015, her stories were quoted at the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony by the Chair of the Nobel Prize Committee. In recognition of her work, the United Nations appointed her as one of the 17 UN Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Samar is a Tunisian/Iraqi writer and international speaker with two records in Guinness Book for World Records as the youngest writer in the world in 2000 and the most prolific writer in the world in 2002. She has written over a hundred short stories for children and published 14 books. Samar is the first Tunisian to obtain a PhD from the University of Cambridge ever (in more than 800 years). She delivered keynote speeches in more than 20 countries across 5 continents including at the United Nations. The BBC nominated her as one of the 100 most inspiring women. She also was classified as one of the most influential Arab women in 2013 and one of the most important young leaders in the Arab region in 2012. Samar worked with several international organizations such as the UN, the IMF, the British Council and CIVICUS. Her work and speeches focus on literature, women leadership and youth empowerment.www.samarsamirmezghanni.com