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News

Get your copy of my latest novel "أشياء" ("Things" in Arabic) from jarir.com
04/10/2022
I'll be participating in a panel at the Riyadh International Book Fair 2022!
02/10/2022
My latest novel is out! You can get your copy of "Things" (in Arabic) from Tashkeell.com
06/12/2024

Media

Check out my latest speeches, interviews and media appearences here

About Me

My photo




I am 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 youngest most prolific writer in the world in 2002. My first book was published at the age of 10. Since then, I have been advocating for children, youth, women and marginalised people to become storytellers of their own narratives.

I wrote over a hundred stories, published 15 books and delivered speeches in 30 countries including a keynote speech at the United Nations and several TED talks. My books were quoted by the Chair of the Nobel Prize at the Nobel Prize Ceremony in 2015.

In 2018, I became the first Tunisian to receive a PhD from the University of Cambridge in any field ever (in more than 800 years). My books and activism earned me several awards and an appointment by the United Nations as a UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals. I was nominated by the BBC as one of the 100 most inspiring women, and classified as one of the most influential Arab women and one of the most important young leaders in the Arab region.

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15
Books
02
World records
103
Stories
34
Speeches


Books

    The last drop of ink

    My fourteenth book was published with the title “The last drop of ink”. The six stories in this book are written in a symbolic style. They meet at the point of birth from death, or the departure from a...

    Let me dream

    “Let me dream” is a story book containing 13 short stories. It was published by Chawki Publishing House and the cover was designed by Ben Sultan. The book contained a preface by the writer Attayeb Al...



    Honourable man, we bow...

    My eleventh book “Honourable man, we bow for you to pass with your walking stick” was published on the first anniversary of my father’s death. I dedicated the book to him in the preface of the book. The...

    A question mark

    “A question mark” was published as a story book containing 21 short stories that I wrote when I was in primary school. I dedicated it to my school, my classmates and my teacher. The preface of the book...





Words

I have written over a hundred short stories, poems, articles, blogs, a theatre play and a novel, in Arabic, English and French. Some of my books are translated to French. My work was quoted by the Chair of the Nobel Prize Committee at the Nobel Prize Ceremony in 2015.
Below you can read a selection of my English-translated stories, along with blogs, articles and papers I wrote in English. You can read my Arabic stories in the Arabic version of the website.

An incomplete idea

One day, three ideas met: a good idea, a cunning idea and an incomplete idea. “I am a good idea”, said the good idea, “I was born in the mind of a little girl who was looking for a solution to the poverty...

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A different story

When our mom was dying, we approached her and asked her what is wrong. She said she is not the one dying, but something in us is dying. We gathered around our home’s table thinking of the reason of...

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A sea of words

One day, three words met: An Arabic word, a Hebrew word and an empty word. “I’m an Arabic word” said the Arabic word. “I am the one who has recorded Arab history. I am the one who breathes motivation...

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Awards

I have won awards from many international and Arab organisations. For example, I was featured as one of the most influential women in the Arab world and the youngest amongst those nominated (Arabian Business Magazine, 2013). I was also featured as one of the most successful young Arabs (Golf Business Magazine, 2012). I have received the prestigious Chevening Scholarship from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and was featured as one of the most important young Arab leaders (Arabian Business Magazine, 2009). Please see below for more information about some of my awards.

Experiences

Education
& Qualifications

  • 2017 2013

    University of Cambridge

    PhD researcher in Middle Eastern Studies

    My research aims to examine the representation of Muslims in British newspapers from 1998 to 2009. The research conducts a comparative analysis between mainstream newspapers and those that cater to Muslim and Jewish communities in the United Kingdom. It looks at the similarities, differences, consistencies and changes in the discourses of these newspapers throughout this time frame.

  • 2011 2010

    University of Birmingham

    Master of Arts in Critical Discourse, Communication and Culture

    I received the prestigious Chevening Scholarship to complete my postgraduate studies. I read Discourse analysis, media, and intercultural communication amongst other courses. My dissertation looked at the reconstruction and negotiation of Tunisian national identity through multimodal and discursive Analysis.

  • 2010 2007

    Tunis Higher Institute of Human Sciences

    Bachelor Degree in Psychology

    I studied psychology in Tunisia with a focus on organizational and occupational psychology. During my studies, I was an intern at recruitment and selection agencies Cogerh Selection (2009/2010) and Al Amouri Selection (2009).




Work
Experience

  • Present 2012

    British Council, Sawty, Timsoft

    Freelance consultant

    I provided guidance and advice for the organization's Civil Society and Youth strategies by supporting it in defining its strategic goals and in adapting to changing contexts. I also facilitated the organization's strategic planning, provided assistance in developing its programs, and informed decision making with data collected and analysed with a variety of methodological tools. In 2015, I lead a regional team of debate trainers and project managers to produce a debate training manual used by the largest debate program in the Middle East and North Africa.

  • 2015 2014

    University of Cambridge

    Supervisor

    I supervised 18 undergraduate students at the University of Cambridge studying Arabic at the department of Middle Eastern Studies. With a team of lecturers and supervisors at the University of Cambridge, I provided content for the supervisions and contributed in designing the curriculum.

  • 2014 2010

    Arab Thought Foundation

    Advisory Board member

    I advised the organisation on initiatives, programs and forums that employ intellectual discourse forthe benefit of development. I actively worked on establishing and developing a youth program at the organisation that brings young people as its ambassadors and build their creative and critical thinking, entrepreneurship and communication skills.

  • 2012 2012

    United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

    Consultant

    I had a lead role in managing youth and civil society programmes, implementing strategic action plans and conducting monitoring and evaluation exercises. I also coordinated with development stakeholders to exchange knowledge and build partnerships and provided technical support to national partners.

  • 2012 2011

    British Council

    Projects Manager

    I managed and reinforced youth and civil society programmes: setting strategic plans; building partnerships and implementing Arab Partnership Initiative projects. In Tunisia, I managed and developed the first and biggest debate project in the Middle East and North Africa, coordinating a team of trainers, delivering trainings on debates and public speaking skills and mentoring debaters to international competition standards.

  • 2010 2008

    CIVICUS

    President of International Steering Committee

    I lead the international steering committee developing the programme of CIVICUS Youth Assembly and inputting directly to the development of the CIVICUS World Assembly, both taking place in Montreal, Canada.

  • 2010 2007

    League of Arab States

    Consultant

    I was a member of a consultative committee advising the League of Arab States on its youth policies and programmes, providing data analysis and assisting on the follow up of the regional strategic decisions on youth issues.






Contact

If you have
any questions or comments contact me



contact@samarsamirmezghanni.com