Ayaan Hirsi Ali is an internationally recognised human rights advocate, author, and scholar. Her work addresses some of the most pressing issues of our time, from the defence of women’s rights to the challenges of immigration and integration in liberal democracies. She is known for her ability to tackle sensitive subjects with clarity and conviction, drawing on her own life story to shed light on complex social issues.

Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Ayaan’s early life was marked by experiences that would later shape her mission. She fled a forced marriage in 1992, seeking asylum in the Netherlands, where she mastered Dutch, studied political science at the University of Leiden, and began working with Somali immigrants. These encounters deepened her awareness of the tensions between traditional cultural practices and the principles of individual freedom.

From 2003 to 2006, she served in the Dutch Parliament, focusing on the integration of non-Western immigrants and defending the rights of Muslim women. Her collaboration with filmmaker Theo van Gogh on the short film Submission brought her international attention and underscored her willingness to confront controversial topics.

Relocating to the United States, she founded the AHA Foundation in 2007 to combat honour-based violence and harmful traditional practices. She is currently a Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and host of The Ayaan Hirsi Ali Podcast.

Ayaan is the author of several best-selling books, including Infidel, Nomad, Heretic, and her most recent book Prey, in which she examines issues of religion, migration, and women’s rights. Her insights are informed by a rare combination of personal experience, political engagement, and academic research.