Global affairs magazine Foreign Policy (FP) has named slain social activistSabeen Mahmud in its annual list of 100 Leading Global Thinkers. Sabeen’s legacy as the founder and driving force of The Second Floor (T2F) has been honoured alongside the work of 11 other ‘Advocates’.
FP has chosen Sabeen ‘’for creating a safe space in an illiberal society’’.
Sabeen founded T2F in 2007 as place to talk about under-discussed topics and free creative expression. She fearlessly championed many causes including domestic violence and was the brains behind Pakistan’s first hackathon.
She believed that a dialogue always helps in reaching a solution. She was shot on April 24 after a divisive talk at T2F.
100 Leading Global Thinkers is an annual list of individuals who have contributed to the betterment of the world. Doctors and lawyers, musicians and artists, activists and entrepreneurs are recognised for their work as ‘Decision-makers’, ‘Challengers’, ‘Advocates’, ‘Innovators’, ‘Artists’, ‘Moguls’, ‘Healers’, ‘Stewards’ and ‘Chroniclers’. The list also doesn’t differentiate on the basis of gender or race and the people chosen belong to almost all continents. Also, for the first time ever, the list includes more women than men.
After Sabeen’s demise, her mother Mehnaz carried forward her vision and initiated the Sabeen Mahmud Foundation which sustains Sabeen’s many projects, including Peace Niche, Faraar Gallery and Art Bazaar.
While her organisation PeaceNiche was nominated for one of the leading humanitarian award, Human Rights Tulip, Sabeen was awarded South Asian Meeto Memorial Award in October this year.
