Namira Salim '92

March 2008

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Namira Salim’s selection as founder astronaut of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, the world's first commercial space-line, will make her the first Pakistani and the first UAE resident to experience space travel in 2009. After being introduced to the international press by Sir Richard Branson in early 2006, Namira was officially launched by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in Pakistan as the “first Pakistani astronaut.” With unprecedented media support, she became an international role model for the women of Pakistan, South Asia and the Gulf, encouraging them to excel in all spheres of life.

On April 21, 2007, Namira brought laurels to Pakistan by becoming the first Pakistani at the North Pole in her capacity as Pakistan’s honorary ambassador of tourism. On January 10, 2008, she travelled to the South Pole on a peace expedition as the first Pakistani national to reach 90 degrees south. She also is the first female at the North and South Poles from her two “adopted” countries, Monaco and the UAE.

Namira’s artistic creations have been exhibited and viewed at top international humanitarian summits at the United Nations and UNESCO and during the historic SAARC Summit in Pakistan in 2004. At supporting events for high-profile meetings, her art has regularly voiced peace and goodwill messages before world leaders. Namira created a specialized line of musical art objects under the theme “PEACE-MAKING with NATION-SOULS” containing built-in songs in her own voice and built-in messages in the voices of distinguished humanitarian personalities. These were first unveiled at the United Nations in New York during the UN General Assembly in 2002.

For her recent accomplishments, Namira will be receiving the “Pakistan Woman of the Year Award” and has also been nominated for the prestigious “Emirates Woman of the Year Award” from Dubai.

Namira Salim holds a bachelor’s degree in international business from Hofstra University. With a very active extracurricular life, she was a student senator at Hofstra and chairperson of the International Students Association. Her membership in AIESEC (International Association of Students in Economics and Business Management) at Hofstra led Namira to become the founding president of AIESEC in Pakistan, the largest student-run, nonprofit organization of the world, which promotes peace and cooperation through corporate and cultural exchange programs. This organization created opportunities for several foreign interns to work in Pakistan and resulted in placing several Pakistanis in permanent jobs in the United States, Europe and the Far East.

Namira also holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University with a specialty in management of innovation and entrepreneurship. She has also pursued programmes at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York.