Aya Hijazi
Belady Foundation: An Island For Humanity (Egypt / United States of America)
Born to an to an Egyptian mother and a Lebanese father, Aya Hijazi is an American citizen who became interested in social activism. To further her understanding of social justice, she studied Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University in the United States and law at Cairo University in Egypt. During the Arab Spring, she returned to her native homeland, Egypt. Along with her husband, Mohamed Hassanein, she established an NGO, “Belady”, an Island for humanity.
During the crackdown on NGOs, police forces raided Belady and arrested Aya. She was imprisoned on fabricated charges for three years and was released after her case received international attention. She is now back in the US where she restarted Belady to defend humanity and freedom.
