Judging Panel

Safiya Saeed is a Somali-British community leader, activist, and the 128th Lord Mayor of Sheffield, making history as the first Black woman wearing a hijab to hold this role. A proud Burngreave resident and single mother of five, she has dedicated nearly two decades to fostering unity, inclusion, and empowerment across Sheffield’s diverse communities. As a councillor, she has served as Deputy Lord Mayor and Chair of the North East Local Area Committee, acting as a vital bridge between residents, the council, schools, and the NHS. Safiya is also the founder of Reach Up Youth, a grassroots organisation empowering young people—particularly those from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds—through mentorship, leadership, and community engagement. Her work has built platforms for youth voices, strengthened trust between communities, and promoted equality and opportunity for all. With her mayoral theme centred on networking and connection, Safiya aims to transform Sheffield into a thriving hub of collaboration and shared success, continuing her lifelong mission to ensure that every voice, no matter how quiet, is heard in the heart of the city.

Dr. Ahmed Al Baghdadi completed his primary, secondary, and university education in Baghdad. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Baghdad, his Master’s from the University of Westminster in London, and his Doctorate from the Islamic University in London.He has worked in teaching and educational management in several high schools across Iraq and abroad and served as Deputy of the Iraqi Cultural Attaché at the Iraqi Embassy in London from 2008 to 2014.
Since moving to London, Dr. Al Baghdadi has contributed extensively to Arabic supplementary education, serving as a teacher, deputy headmaster, headmaster, founder, and curriculum developer. He is the author of the “Arabic Book” series, an eight-level curriculum designed to teach Arabic to children of expatriate communities, now officially accredited in many schools in Britain and abroad.

Shatha Altowai is a Yemeni visual artist, creative practitioner, and performer based in Edinburgh. Her artistic journey, spanning painting, digital art, printmaking, and collaborative theatre and music projects, is shaped by her experience of the Yemeni civil war and her commitment to artistic activism. A recipient of the IIE Artist Protection Fund Fellowship, she has been an artist-in-residence at Edinburgh Printmakers and Art27Scotland, and currently serves as a UNESCO RIELA Affiliate Artist in partnership with musician Saber Bamatraf.
Shatha’s work explores themes of displacement, identity, and heritage, and has been showcased in exhibitions and festivals across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. She is a winner of the Scottish Women’s Award for Arts & Culture (2022) and the John Byrne Award (2021). Through her art, performances, and public speaking — including at the National Museum of Scotland, PeaceRep workshops, and TEDxLIUSanaa — she continues to champion cultural expression, resilience, and inclusion as tools for peacebuilding and social change.

Mona Adam is an elected Green Party Councillor for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and the Founder and CEO of Shaman, a social organization dedicated to dialogue and community empowerment. She also serves as a Board Member at Paddington Development Trust. Her work focuses on fostering open dialogue, driving community-led change, and promoting social and cultural diplomacy.

AbdulRahman Aljaberi is a UK-based social media activist and real estate professional. He is dedicated to supporting Arab creatives and entrepreneurs in Britain and actively contributes to community initiatives that promote collaboration, innovation, and a positive image of Arabs within British society.

Samira Mellouki is a Moroccan journalist and correspondent for Akhbarna Al-Jalia and Maroc Media 24, and a social activist who has lived in London for more than 31 years. Alongside her journalistic work, she is a prominent digital influencer who uses her platforms to engage with the Moroccan and wider Arab communities. Her work focuses on social awareness, family protection, and the prevention of domestic violence, driven by her belief that strong families are the foundation of strong societies. Samira’s media mission reflects her conviction that words carry responsibility and that journalism should be a force for awareness, compassion, and community connection.

Dr. Samer Jamous is an academic and strategic management consultant working with Cranfield University on its Executive Leadership Development Program. He leads Arabic content development and project evaluation for the Cranfield Leadership Development Program, funded by the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) in Saudi Arabia. He is also the Director of the King George V Social Centre and the Arabic School in Derby. Dr. Jamous previously held senior leadership roles, including Executive Director of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Consulting Group (Qatar), Advisor to the Minister of Youth and Sports (Qatar), Head of Strategic Planning at Al Rayyan Media Group, and Senior Manager at Palladium Consulting – Middle East.

Katia Youssef is a Lebanese-British journalist based in London and a correspondent for Al-Araby Al-Jadeed (The New Arab). She holds a degree in Political and Administrative Sciences from the Lebanese University and covers social and political issues affecting Arab and diaspora communities in the UK. Passionate about the power of media to drive positive change, she is dedicated to using her journalism to support volunteer initiatives and strengthen Arab presence and engagement in British public life.

Tahrir Waswas is a Palestinian-born business consultant and community activist based in Edinburgh and a mother of six talented children. She has founded and led several initiatives promoting Arab and Islamic identity among families and younger generations in Edinburgh, with a focus on positive and safe integration within Scottish society. She co-founded the Amal Edinburgh community, which brings together over 500 families, and serves on the boards of Amal Edinburgh School and Al-Manar School for Arabic language education. Deeply committed to supporting Arab refugees and advocating for their rights, she also organizes cultural and awareness events highlighting the Palestinian cause and has helped establish multiple charitable organizations in Scotland.