Maryam Bukar Hassan will collaborate with UN Peace Operations and Political and Peacebuilding Affairs to amplify political solutions and foster sustainable peace.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
Nigerian spoken word artist and poet, Maryam Bukar Hassan, popularly known as Alhanislam, has been appointed as the United Nations’ first-ever Global Advocate for Peace.
The historic appointment positions her as a key voice in advancing the UN’s peace and security priorities, with a focus on women’s rights, youth representation, and community empowerment through art and storytelling. Maryam Bukar Hassan will collaborate with UN Peace Operations and Political and Peacebuilding Affairs to amplify political solutions and foster sustainable peace.
Born in northern Nigeria, Hassan’s childhood was shaped by insurgency and displacement, experiences that deeply inform her artistic vision. Her latest poem, “Peace is a Verb”, written to mark her new role, emphasizes that peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of understanding. Notably, earlier this year, she collaborated with Afrobeats superstar, Davido, on the spoken-word intro, “Five By Alhanislam”, which opened his album, 5ive.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, head of UN Peace Operations, described her appointment as “a powerful step to increase awareness of the peace and security priorities of the United Nations”, while Rosemary DiCarlo, head of UN Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, added that “art has the power to move hearts, inspire action, and bring communities together”.
With conflicts and forced displacement at record levels globally, Maryam Bukar Hassan’s designation highlights the UN’s recognition of creative voices as vital partners in the pursuit of peace.