Afghan-Canadian Author I Artist I Producer I Social Entrepreneur I Founder of We The Women I Member of UNICEF Germany & EU’s AWLF Committee
Nahid Shahalimi, a renowned Afghan-born Canadian author, artist, and filmmaker, established We The Women, a social impact company devoted to empowering women, girls, and youth through a range of global consultancy and advocacy projects. Residing in Munich, Germany, with her two daughters, Shahalimi has forged an impressive career as a human rights activist, international consultant, global speaker, and social impact entrepreneur. Her passion for art and humanitarianism took root during her college years while studying Fine Arts, Politics, and Southeast Asian studies, with an emphasis on human rights.
In 2012, Shahalimi leveraged her artistic talents to collaborate with the German Football Association (DFB), painting portraits of the 2014 World Cup-winning German national soccer team. This initiative, “German Soccer for Life-2012,” served to raise funds and awareness for UNICEF’s “Let Us Learn” project in Afghanistan and DFB foundation projects.
As a creative storyteller, Shahalimi has raised awareness and funds for worldwide issues related to women’s roles and has been a staunch advocate for global solidarity. Her successful projects include the highly acclaimed “We The Women” series, which features portrait paintings, books, booklets, and documentary films, and the “Stand Up For Unity” campaign, which fosters unity through diversity.
Shahalimi’s philanthropic endeavors encompass auctioning her paintings and creative global projects to benefit humanitarian causes, including UNICEF, with whom she serves as a member of their National Committee in Germany. Additionally, she consults for international institutions, offering her expertise in empowerment, sustainability and Afghanistan related programs in four of the six languages she speaks.
Shahalimi’s latest book, “WE ARE STILL HERE,” published by Penguin Canada in 2022, quickly gained recognition, reaching the top 10 bestseller books lists in Canada within five days of its release, further solidifying her status as an influential and accomplished author. As a global consultant, she advises governmental and non-governmental organizations worldwide, advocating for social impact causes and creating significant change through her unwavering commitment and dedication.
Shahalimi’s ongoing projects include scholarship programs for midwifery in rural Afghanistan, as well as various health education programs running actively; launched in September 2021 and 2023, in collaboration with a local all-female education facility within the country. Additionally, she is member to several international committees focusing on Afghanistan-related issues.
Moreover, Shahalimi has taken a dive into her ultimate passion, music production, with a focus on youth and reviving the culture of Afghanistan through its rich musicology – re-producing the Afghan National Anthem with Afghan diaspora youth, in an opera rendition sang by world class Mezzo Sopran Nina Yaqob. Her multifaceted career showcases the synergy between her personal and professional experiences, positioning her as a remarkable figure in the realms of art, humanitarianism, and social entrepreneurship.