We are honored to present a special video message from Rasha Qandeel, President of Icons of Change – MENA Region (Middle East and North Africa), as we celebrate the Icons of Change International Awards 2025. This message serves as a strategic touchpoint for our global community, reflecting the accelerating momentum of transformational leadership across one of the world’s most dynamic and consequential regions.
In her address, Rasha conveys a warm salute to this year’s Icons of Change awardees across the MENA region—leaders whose work is redefining nation-building, strengthening institutional trust, and expanding the ecosystem for sustainable development. She commends their contributions to accountability, transparency, and community empowerment, highlighting how each changemaker is actively shaping resilient social infrastructures capable of withstanding geopolitical, economic, and climate-driven pressures.
Rasha reflects on the MENA region’s pivotal role within the global sustainability agenda. Positioned at the crossroads of cultural heritage, economic ambition, and geopolitical complexity, the region continues to navigate rapid demographic growth, energy transitions, climate vulnerabilities, and evolving governance frameworks. Within this context, she highlights Sustainable Development Goal 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions as a mission-critical driver for long-term resilience, social cohesion, and inclusive growth.
As she notes, the region’s future will be determined not only by policy reform or economic diversification, but by leaders who champion ethical governance, reinforce public trust, and accelerate institutional innovation—qualities embodied by this year’s Icons of Change awardees.
To anchor the message, Rasha brings the full weight of her professional journey—a body of work that spans two decades at the intersection of investigative journalism, conflict analysis, public policy, and global media. Her leadership profile includes:
- Editor-in-Chief, Times for Palestine
- Former Lead Presenter, BBC World Arabic, where she interviewed presidents, dissidents, and global decision-makers
- Senior Fellow, Centre for International Policy, engaging on issues of governance, war economies, and human rights
- DIG Award Winner – Best Long Investigation (Syria and Captagon)
- Scholar with an MSc in International Relations (Critical War Studies) from the London School of Economics
Her groundbreaking investigations—from narcotics trafficking within conflict zones to the political economies of militarization—have influenced global discourse and informed policy conversations across governments, think tanks, and multilateral bodies. Rasha has also served as a mentor to emerging journalists, trained professionals operating in complex environments, and engaged with UN agencies on media ethics, peacebuilding, and institutional reform.
As the President of Icons of Change MENA, Rasha Qandeel brings a visionary approach to regional engagement—bridging high-integrity journalism, systems thinking, and sustainability-driven leadership. Her stewardship signals a renewed commitment to amplifying voices across the region, mobilizing cross-sector partnerships, and expanding the changemaker pipeline aligned with SDG 16 and the broader 2030 Agenda.
In her closing message, Rasha calls on all awardees, partners, and stakeholders to sustain momentum through collaboration, foresight, and ethical leadership. She emphasizes the importance of building institutional capacity, fostering community-level trust, and championing resilience in the face of accelerating global disruptions.
Her words reflect a shared mandate: to shape a MENA region that is future-proof, inclusive, and grounded in transparent governance—where empowered citizens and accountable institutions move in lockstep toward long-term sustainable progress.
We are privileged to have her leadership guiding our regional efforts as we honor the Icons of Change International Awards 2025.
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