<p><strong>By: Yomna Walid&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>At just 26, Mariam Solika has made history as the first Egyptian woman to join the United Nations Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2025. Selected from more than 33,000 applicants across 150 countries, she is the first Egyptian ever to receive this global recognition.</p>
<p>Her achievement was celebrated by Egypt&rsquo;s Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, who praised her for representing Egyptian youth &ldquo;on the world stage with creativity and purpose.&rdquo; Through her platform &lsquo;The Good News,&rsquo; Solika has redefined media as a tool for optimism and social change&mdash;highlighting stories that inspire, empower, and give hope.</p>
<p><strong>NileFM explores Mariam&rsquo;s journey, from the moment she got the news to what it means to her to be named among the 'UN&rsquo;s 2025 Young Leaders for the SDGs.'</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://ibb.co/SDGysBPM"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/4w3tmp7X/1.png" alt="1" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Who is Mariam Solika beyond the titles and achievements?</strong></p>
<p>I&rsquo;m 26 years old, the founder and CEO of &lsquo;The Good News,&rsquo; and part of the UN Young Leaders for the SDGs 2025 cohort. I&rsquo;m an artist; I love music, painting, and human connection.<br />I believe vulnerability is how we evolved as humankind; it&rsquo;s a strength, not a weakness. I love being hopeful; it&rsquo;s one of the things that has truly shaped who I am.</p>
<p><strong>What first inspired you to use media and storytelling as tools for positive change?</strong></p>
<p>I&rsquo;ve always loved storytelling. When COVID hit in 2020, the news was overwhelmingly negative, and I wanted to show a different side, a more hopeful one. &lsquo;The Good News&rsquo; started as a way to cope with that stress, but as I studied positive psychology, it became much deeper.<br />When things get tough, people instinctively look for hope; it&rsquo;s part of survival. &lsquo;The Good News&rsquo; was born out of that instinct, and five years later, it&rsquo;s still growing.</p>
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<p><strong>Who has been your biggest influence or source of motivation?</strong></p>
<p>My family, without question. They&rsquo;ve always believed in me and pushed me to see myself differently. Their faith in me gave me confidence to move forward and to lead with purpose.</p>
<p><strong>How did you feel when you learned you&rsquo;d been selected as one of the UN Young Leaders for 2025?</strong></p>
<p>It&rsquo;s a funny story; I actually found out while sitting in a meeting at the UN Country Office in Egypt with Felipe Paullier, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth. I received the email during that meeting and told him right away, and he was shocked! Out of 33,000 applicants, only 17 were chosen. It felt surreal.</p>
<p>When I looked at previous cohorts, I didn&rsquo;t see anyone who looked like me or advocated for the same causes. So I thought, This is my chance to represent my people and my work on a global stage.</p>
<p><a href="https://ibb.co/KpfSXWXb"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/bMCDPXPQ/2.png" alt="2" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>What do you think made your initiative, &lsquo;The Good News,&rsquo; stand out to the selection committee?</strong></p>
<p>It's heart. The Good News was built on empathy and community engagement; it&rsquo;s not just a media platform, it&rsquo;s a movement. It&rsquo;s about connection, compassion, and the small acts of kindness that change lives.</p>
<p><strong>Tell us more about The Good News. How does positive storytelling create real impact?</strong></p>
<p>&lsquo;The Good News&rsquo; is a space where people lift each other. We&rsquo;ve supported youth through internships, showcased their creative projects, and shared stories of hope in difficult times.</p>
<p>Positive storytelling is powerful; it reminds people they&rsquo;re not alone and helps build stronger, more compassionate communities.</p>
<p><strong>Has there been one story or project that has had a deep emotional impact on you?</strong></p>
<p>Yes. When Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi was martyred. He was known for his warmth and optimism. His death broke my heart.</p>
<p>I didn&rsquo;t know how to tell people that the voice of hope had been silenced. But I found strength in his words and continued sharing his messages. It reminded me that &lsquo;The Good News&rsquo; isn&rsquo;t a luxury; it&rsquo;s a necessity. People need hope to survive.</p>
<p><strong>As the first Egyptian woman to receive this UN recognition, what does it mean for you and for Egyptian women?</strong></p>
<p>It&rsquo;s a huge honor. There was one Egyptian man in the 2020 cohort, but no woman before me. This recognition proves that Egyptian women are confident, driven, and expressive.</p>
<p>It challenges stereotypes and shows that women in the Arab world are powerful contributors to change, not just participants.</p>
<p><a href="https://ibb.co/bgP9672Z"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/QFfwJXCR/Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-info.png" alt="Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-Copy-of-info" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>How do you see Egyptian youth contributing to the UN&rsquo;s Sustainable Development Goals?</strong></p>
<p>Egyptian youth are already doing incredible work. From student-led initiatives to startups and community projects, they&rsquo;re tackling real problems with creativity and resilience.</p>
<p>We face challenges, yes! But that&rsquo;s what makes us resourceful and determined to create impact.</p>
<p><strong>What&rsquo;s the biggest lesson you&rsquo;ve learned from your work in media and community development?</strong></p>
<p>That nothing matters if you don&rsquo;t have a good heart. People can sense authenticity. For me, it&rsquo;s more important to do the work with love, care, and integrity than just to do it for recognition.</p>
<p><strong>What message would you share with young changemakers who want to make a difference but don&rsquo;t know where to start?</strong></p>
<p>Don&rsquo;t give up on what you want. The spaces you aspire to join might not always be welcoming; build your own chair if you need to. Create your own table. Believe that your presence has value.</p>
<p><strong>Looking ahead, what are your next goals as part of your journey with the UN and beyond?</strong></p>
<p>I want to amplify the voices of young Egyptians and bring their stories to a global audience. I also hope to build partnerships with organizations that share the same vision, to create impact through creativity, empathy, and storytelling.</p>

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