Emi Mahmoud

Emi Mahmoud, a notable poet and activist renowned for her profound spoken word performances, first gained international recognition when she won the Individual World Poetry Slam Championship in 2015. A year later, she solidified her standing in the poetry scene by emerging as co-champion of the Women of the World Poetry Slam. Mahmoud's talent for artful expression was also captured in the short film "Haleema" where she performed as a poem reader. Further demonstrating her literary prowess, she published a book of poems titled "Sisters' Entrance" in 2018.

In addition to her artistic accomplishments, Mahmoud has been deeply involved in advocacy work, particularly focusing on refugee issues and peacebuilding. In 2018, she was appointed as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, a role that has seen her travel to refugee camps in Kenya, Greece, and Jordan. Her commitment to raising awareness about the plight of refugees was further exemplified when she launched the "One Girl Walk" campaign, trekking from Darfur to Khartoum to highlight the challenges faced by refugees.

Mahmoud's advocacy work has led her to numerous platforms where she has utilized her oratory skills to shed light on important issues. She has participated in the How to Do Good speaker tour, performing poetry and discussing her advocacy work in multiple cities, including New York, Oslo, and London. Notably, she recited one of her poems at the United Nations General Assembly in 2016 and was the opening speaker at a TEDxTalk in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya in 2018. These engagements, along with her talk at the TEDMED conference, underscore her ability to engage audiences on important topics through her powerful and evocative poetry.