Sidra Asif

Redefining Representation, Mariam Mohamed, An Emirati Voice On The Global Miss Universe Stage By Sidra Asif Making history as the first Emirati woman to represent the United Arab Emirates at Miss Universe 2025, Mariam Mohamed embodies a moment of profound pride, purpose, and possibility. For Mariam, this achievement is not merely the fulfillment of a personal dream but the beginning of a larger responsibility to her community and her nation. Standing on one of the world’s most visible stages means carrying her values, her culture, and her aspirations with intention and grace. She sees this milestone as an opportunity to uplift others, especially young women, reminding them that their ambitions are valid, achievable, and worth pursuing. Beyond the crown and the spotlight, Mariam is eager to showcase the UAE’s extraordinary creative talent, from designers to artisans, and to share the beauty, innovation, and cultural richness of her country with a global audience. Mariam’s journey is shaped by a rare blend of disciplines. With an academic foundation in Economics from the University of Sydney and ongoing fashion studies at ESMOD Dubai, she seamlessly bridges analytical thinking with creative expression. Economics fuels her curiosity about how the world works and how systems can be improved, while fashion provides her artistic outlet and lifelong passion. Together, these worlds inform her approach to leadership and advocacy.  Mariam envisions building a fashion business rooted not only in creativity but also in impact, one that gives back through charity, empowers others, addresses abuse in all forms, including online harassment, and contributes to reducing global poverty. As a self-described voice for Emirati women, Mariam is determined to challenge outdated perceptions. On the Miss Universe stage, she wants the world to see Emirati women as strong, ambitious, educated, creative, and deeply grounded in their values. She represents a generation that is modern and forward-thinking while remaining proudly connected to its cultural identity. Her message is clear: women can lead, innovate, and dream boldly without losing sight of who they are. Emirati women support one another, uplift their communities, and excel across education, business, fashion, and humanitarian work. Mariam’s sense of identity is deeply rooted in traditional Emirati pastimes such as falconry and camel riding. These experiences connect her to her heritage and instill values of patience, discipline, resilience, and respect for nature. Rather than seeing these traditions as relics of the past, she embraces them as sources of strength in global spaces, providing clarity about where she comes from and grounding her presence on international stages. This connection to heritage is powerfully expressed through her introductory Miss Universe costume, inspired by the falcon. A symbol of courage, freedom, and pride, the falcon reflects the spirit Mariam hopes to embody and project. Through this design, she sought to portray Emirati women as fearless, ambitious, and deeply proud of their culture. It also serves as a modern artistic celebration of her passion for falconry. Like the falcon, Mariam believes that success requires movement and courage. Dreams can only be reached when one dares to fly rather than remain still. Sustainability is another key pillar of Mariam’s advocacy, particularly within the fashion industry. She views the UAE as a leader in shaping a future where innovation and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. From sustainable materials to supporting local artisans, she believes the region has the potential to redefine responsible fashion. Her ambition is to collaborate with brands and designers to create collections that are glamorous yet ethical, creative yet community-focused. Through her platform, she also aims to spotlight local designers internationally, champion Arab fashion, and show that Arab women can thrive and lead in the global fashion industry. Mariam’s vision extends beyond fashion into tangible social impact. As her Miss Universe journey unfolds, she hopes to launch a business that celebrates Arab creativity while directing a portion of its profits toward charitable causes, particularly those addressing poverty and supporting women in developing communities. She is also committed to using her platform to advocate for kindness, self-confidence, and digital safety. Having witnessed the harm caused by cyberbullying, Mariam aspires to help create online spaces that inspire people to uplift one another rather than tear each other down. Balancing modern ambition with cultural heritage comes naturally to Mariam, as both are integral to her identity. Raised with values such as respect, generosity, and pride in her roots, she carries these principles into every aspect of her life. At the same time, the UAE’s culture of ambition has taught her that dreaming big is something to embrace, not suppress. For Mariam, tradition provides strength while ambition offers direction, together shaping the woman she is becoming. As she prepares to stand alongside contestants from more than 130 countries, Mariam believes the most resonant part of her story is her personal growth. Choosing to rise above challenges, find her voice, and build confidence from within has defined her journey. Her message to a global audience is one of courage and self belief. Confidence begins when you stop listening to negativity and start trusting yourself. Dreams, she believes, do come true when pursued with determination, authenticity, and heart. Looking beyond Miss Universe 2025, the legacy Mariam hopes to leave is rooted in kindness, empowerment, and unity. She wants future pageant hopefuls in the UAE and young Arab women everywhere to know that success does not require fitting into a stereotype or changing who you are. As a natural introvert, she has proven that courage is not about being loud, but about believing in yourself and stepping outside your comfort zone when it matters. Her message is simple yet powerful. Stand tall, be yourself, protect your confidence, and never allow anyone to diminish your worth. Uniqueness is not something to hide. It is something to celebrate, because it is what makes every woman truly special.

Nouf Al Qadi A New Generation Of Emirati Climate Voices Bringing People Back Into The Climate Conversation By Sidra Asif Across the UAE, climate conversations are evolving. For years, they were shaped mainly by data, policy language, and global agreements. Today, a new kind of voice is emerging in the country’s sustainability space: young Emiratis who believe that environmental action begins with human connection. Among these voices is Nouf Al Qadi, a young environmental professional whose approach blends scientific knowledge with community-driven awareness. Nouf does not position herself as an activist in the traditional sense. She does not speak in slogans or alarmist tones. Instead, she believes that the most powerful environmental progress happens when people feel a direct emotional bond with the land and sea around them. For her, climate action is not only about meeting targets. It is also about understanding heritage, valuing place, and recognizing the deep cultural relationship Emiratis have always shared with nature. Young Emiratis are bringing heart back into the conversation, she explains, highlighting a shift away from purely technical communication. We are sharing lived experiences and real stories, not only numbers. Sustainability in the UAE is part of who we are, not just a policy goal. Her approach reflects an important moment in the region. As the UAE expands its renewable energy programs, conservation projects, and sustainability initiatives, individuals like Nouf are ensuring that public engagement grows along with them. The Role of Storytelling in Science Nouf’s background gives her a strong foundation in environmental research, but she is equally committed to storytelling. She believes that climate action becomes meaningful only when people personally relate to it. Data alone does not move people, she says. Stories do. Science gives me the facts, but storytelling gives those facts a soul. Her method is straightforward: translate technical knowledge into everyday language so people understand why environmental protection is necessary, not just what it requires. This combination of clear communication and scientific accuracy is increasingly valuable in the UAE, where sustainability is now a key pillar of national strategy. Youth Initiatives Turn Awareness Into Action For many, youth involvement in climate discussions is still associated with awareness campaigns and educational workshops. Nouf sees something much stronger happening. According to her, young people in the UAE are not only learning about environmental responsibility. They are actively shaping it. She points to initiatives such as mangrove restoration projects, zero-waste community programs, and nature-focused content platforms run by young Emiratis. Youth-led initiatives are now catalysts for real on-ground action, she notes. We are showing that creativity and collaboration can drive climate efforts, not only policy directives. This perspective reflects a broader national movement. The UAE has created platforms for youth voices in government, business, and science. Nouf represents the spirit of that involvement: practical, informed, and consistent. Building Connections Across Generations One of the strongest ideas in Nouf’s approach is the need to connect generations. She believes sustainable progress is not possible without learning from those who lived closer to nature in the past. The wisdom of older generations and the innovation of youth must meet in the middle, she says. This concept is especially relevant in the UAE, where previous generations survived through resource awareness, limited consumption, and deep respect for natural surroundings. Their lived knowledge, Nouf notes, can guide modern approaches to environmental planning and sustainable resource use. Her work emphasizes dialogue rather than division. She sees elders as partners in climate understanding, not as voices of a different era. This balanced view strengthens her credibility among diverse audiences, from professional environments to youth circles and community groups. Lessons From Environmental Fieldwork While many young climate voices focus on advocacy or communication, Nouf’s grounding in field research shapes her ideas. Her work with seabirds offered valuable insight into environmental adaptation and ecological sensitivity. Seabirds navigate land, water, and sky. Observing how they respond to changing conditions taught me what resilience really means. This experience did not lead her to dramatic conclusions. Instead, she gained a practical understanding of environmental balance: ecosystems shift, species adjust, and survival depends on awareness and flexibility. She applies this perspective to human systems as well, believing that societies must stay informed and adaptive in order to protect natural heritage. Responsibility in Development and Infrastructure One of the most impactful parts of Nouf’s professional journey is her role at GHD, where she works as a terrestrial ecologist. Her responsibility involves assessing land ecosystems and sharing environmental considerations with developers and infrastructure teams. Her goal is not to slow development, but to guide it responsibly. We cannot care about something we do not know exists, she explains. She believes awareness drives better decisions, especially in rapidly developing regions. By introducing stakeholders to local species, land characteristics, and ecosystem needs, she supports thoughtful planning. This reflects a growing belief in the UAE: sustainable progress does not mean choosing between nature and growth. It means understanding both and making informed decisions. Ithra by Nouf Like many impactful ideas, Ithra by Nouf began quietly. It was a personal outlet for sharing environmental experiences and reflections. Over time, it attracted people who felt the same desire to reconnect with nature in everyday life. The platform soon became a space for shared learning, appreciation, and simple sustainable habits. Ithra did not require a formal campaign to gain attention. It succeeded by being genuine, inclusive, and grounded in accessible language. Followers recognized themselves in the content, and a community formed naturally. In a digital era, where environmental messaging can often feel heavy or urgent, Ithra stands out for its calm, encouraging tone. Youth Impact Without Spotlight Among the many moments in her journey, one stands out. Nouf recalls watching young volunteers lead mangrove cleanups and restoration without waiting for formal direction, recognition, or media attention. To her, this represented the true spirit of environmental responsibility: quiet, sincere, and motivated by care rather than visibility. She believes change often begins in silence — through steady actions rather than dramatic declarations.

Marisse Aranas, Cultivating Change Through Education, Soil, and Sustainability By Sidra Asif There is something quietly sacred about the act of planting. To touch the soil, to feel its grain slip between your fingers, to watch something small and fragile push through it toward the light, it is a ritual that speaks of patience, hope, and connection. For Marisse Aranas, an educator and sustainability advocate at the Higher Colleges of Technology, this ritual is more than a metaphor; it is the foundation of a philosophy, one where education is not just instruction, but cultivation. “I still remember the soil between my fingers,” she recalls softly. “Cool, dark, and full of promise.” As a child, Marisse spent afternoons beside her grandmother’s garden wall, filling seedling bags of pepper plants with her cousins. What seemed like play at the time, rewarded with snacks and laughter, was, in truth, her first classroom. “She never told us we were learning,” Marisse smiles. “But through those moments, she taught patience, care, and the quiet power of nurturing life.” Years later, as an educator, Marisse returned to that memory. The lessons from her grandmother’s garden became the blueprint for a deeper kind of learning, one that connects classrooms to farms, and minds to soil. In her world, sustainability isn’t a chapter in a syllabus; it’s a lived experience that begins with the earth itself. Learning Beyond Walls In the heart of her campus community garden, the usual hierarchies dissolve. Professors kneel beside students, puzzling over yellowing tomato leaves. Administrators discover the meditative calm of harvesting herbs between meetings. Faculty and staff trade cuttings and growing tips like neighbors swapping recipes. The garden becomes a living metaphor, a space where titles blur, where everyone becomes a grower, a learner, a caretaker. “Someone once asked me why this mattered so much,” Marisse recalls. “I told them, because it brings me peace. And because the best things I’ve learned in life came from someone who made me feel joy while learning them.” That philosophy that joy is the root of transformation defines her work. For Marisse, education becomes a movement when it stops feeling like instruction and starts feeling like an invitation; when learning is not imposed, but discovered through community, care, and connection. From Soil to Soul: Linking Minds with the Land Her passion for linking classrooms with farms is both scientific and spiritual. “Someone once told me, ‘Plants are like your children, you nurture them from the womb and watch them grow.’ Those words stayed with me,” she says. In her teaching, Marisse draws powerful parallels between tending soil and cultivating the mind. “Your mind is the soil where everything begins,” she explains. “If it’s too acidic with doubt, too depleted with stress, nothing will grow there, no matter how many opportunities you plant.” In her community gardens, students learn this truth through their own hands. They test soil pH, balance nutrients, and watch their seedlings transform from frail stems into flourishing plants. In that transformation, something profound takes root within them. “They realize that just as soil can be adjusted and renewed, so can they,” Marisse says. “They learn that conditions, whether in nature or within themselves, can always be changed.” It’s this intersection of ecology and empathy that fuels her mission. When a student’s lettuce finally grows after weeks of tending, or a staff member finds calm after an hour among the plants, she witnesses what she calls “education in its purest form.” It’s not about grades or lectures, but about creating conditions for growth, of both food and faith in oneself. “The ecosystem beneath the soil mirrors the ecosystem within communities,” she reflects. “We grow better together. When the conditions are right, when there’s support, patience, and shared purpose, extraordinary things can grow.” Rediscovering Roots in a Modern World For young Emiratis, Marisse believes the path to sustainability begins with rediscovery, of heritage, of ancestral wisdom, of balance. “During one of my sessions, a student said, ‘Ms., that’s how my father used to do it.’ That simple line reminded me, this is more than gardening; it’s remembering identity,” she says. Before cities rose from the sands, Emiratis lived in harmony with the desert, reading winds, mastering falaj irrigation, coaxing life from arid soil. Farming wasn’t just labor; it was faith in nature’s rhythm. Today, when students touch the soil, they’re not just learning sustainability; they’re reconnecting with a legacy. “To return to the soil is to return to self,” Marisse explains. “Progress and tradition are not opposites, they are roots and branches of the same tree.” In her view, modern innovations like hydroponics and smart irrigation are simply contemporary expressions of ancestral resilience. “Technology doesn’t erase tradition,” she says. “It amplifies it.” Cultivating Leadership: A Woman’s Journey Marisse’s own journey has been one of perseverance. Entering a field dominated by technical expertise, she faced her share of skepticism. “There were times my ideas were called too idealistic,” she admits. “But the soil taught me resilience. Growth takes time. Roots must struggle before they find depth.” Her leadership philosophy is grounded, literally and figuratively. “When projects fail, I look to the earth,” she says. “Even the richest soil needs rest; even the strongest roots need renewal.” What keeps her grounded are the faces of her students and colleagues, their laughter during planting sessions, their pride when they harvest their first lettuce. “Leadership, like farming, isn’t about control,” she reflects. “It’s about cultivation.” Each time she steps into the garden, Marisse finds herself reminded of what truly matters: not perfection, but persistence; not instruction, but inspiration. Turning Awareness into Action In an age of digital learning, Marisse insists that true sustainability cannot be taught; it must be experienced. “Awareness begins in conversation, but transformation begins in practice,” she says. Through her projects at HCT, students grow, harvest, and share food, bridging theory with tangible impact. Many have launched start-ups rooted in upcycling and sustainable business innovation. “They don’t just meet academic requirements, they become changemakers,” she explains. By connecting innovation