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Maryam Hassan named UN Global Advocate for Peace
- Spoken word poet to amplify voices of youth and women in peacebuilding
- Her appointment comes amid growing global conflict and displacement
In a world increasingly shaped by conflict and division, the United Nations has turned to an unlikely but powerful voice 28-year-old Nigerian poet and spoken word artist, Maryam Hassan to champion peace on a global scale.
Hassan, known by her stage name Alhanislam, has been appointed as the UN’s first-ever Global Advocate for the Peace and Security Pillar. A native of Borno State, a region deeply affected by violence, she brings not only artistic brilliance but lived experience to this critical role.
According to Premium Times, Her performances delivered from global platforms in Rome, Kampala, and the UN Headquarters in New York have long echoed with themes of resilience, justice, and hope. But this new role is more than performance. It places her at the center of global peace efforts, using storytelling, digital engagement, and public speaking to promote the inclusion of youth and women in conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes.
“Peace is not the absence of war; it is the presence of understanding,” she wrote in a poem to mark her appointment. “Peace is a verb.” These words reflect her deep belief that peace must be active, intentional, and inclusive.
The United Nations emphasized Hassan’s unique role in advancing both the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agendas. Her appointment is jointly coordinated by the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA).
She’s no stranger to the UN system, having previously lent her voice to campaigns such as the “Peace Begins With Me” initiative and spoken at global events like the SDG Awards, TED Talks, and the World Bank Youth Summit. Her contributions have earned her international recognition, including the Sustainable Africa Award at COP28.
Hassan’s voice rooted in poetry, shaped by conflict, and driven by compassion offers a fresh, human lens to global peacebuilding efforts at a time when nearly 120 million people are displaced and global tensions are at a peak.
PREMIUM TIMES
