DUBAI: Somali-American model Halima Aden jetted to Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh this week to join a panel discussion at the third edition of the World Youth Forum.
The first hijab-wearing model to make it big in the international fashion industry sat down to share her inspiring story — from a refugee who grew up in a Kenyan camp to an international supermodel who has graced the runways of renowned brands.
Aden also took to the stage during the opening ceremony, which was inaugurated by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, of the three-day event last week to deliver an empowering speech that addressed diversity and the power of engaging with one another.
“As young people, we have the power to change the world. I’ve found that our generation knows the importance in learning to understand alternative views and backgrounds and to engage across the divisions imposed by societal narratives,” stated the Minnesota-based beauty who made headlines when she competed in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant wearing her headscarf.
“Don’t change yourself. Change the game,” she urged during her speech.
The 22-year-old made sure to document every moment of her trip to the North African nation with her 1.1 million Instagram followers, sharing videos and clips on her Instagram Stories.
The first hijab-wearing model to make it big in the international fashion industry sat down to share her inspiring story. AFP
“The most beautiful place,” she wrote alongside one video, tagging the Egyptian resort town situated between the desert and the Red Sea.
She also got to casually rub shoulders with the humanoid robot Sophia.
“I can’t believe we causally got to hang out with the First Lady of Egypt and @realsophiarobot,” she captioned an image of herself with Hanson Robotics’ most advanced humanoid robot.
Launched in 2017, the World Youth Forum is a platform with a mission to enable youth from around the world to engage in key global issues and recommend initiatives to top policymakers.
This year’s topics included the industrial revolution, food security, environmental challenges, women empowerment and arts and cinema.
Also speaking at the event were a number of other inspirational figures from around the globe such as the world’s first armless pilot Jessica Cox, Emirati politician Shamma Al-Mazrui, who was the youngest government official in the world, and Egyptian filmmaker Abu Bakr Shawky, who is best known for his movie “Yommedine,” among many others.
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