Biography
Who is Waris Dirie?
Early life and modeling career
Waris Dirie was born in Galkayo, Somalia. She moved to London to start her career as a professional model. She worked with top brands including Chanel, Levi's, L'Oréal and Revlon. Waris was the first black woman to appear in an Oil of Olay advertisement.
Acting and writing
In 1987, she played a minor role in the James Bond film The Living Daylights. Waris wrote an autobiography called Desert Flower in 1998. This book became an international bestseller and sold over 11 million copies worldwide. This publication inspired the 2009 film Desert Flower.
Human rights activism
Waris Dirie spoke about female genital mutilation in Marie Claire magazine in 1997. That same year, she became a UN special ambassador against the practice. She served in this role until 2003. She has created a platform for raising awareness that includes foundations, campaigns, books, and documentaries.
She founded the Desert Flower Foundation in Vienna in 2002. The goal of this organization is to eradicate female genital mutilation worldwide. She also created the Desert Dawn Foundation. This organization raises money for schools and clinics in her native Somalia.
Awards and recognition
The work of Waris Dirie has been recognized with several honors. She received the German Africa Prize. In 2007, she was awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur. These awards recognize her work on eradicating female genital mutilation. She continues to use her public platform for activism.
Birthday and age
Waris Dirie was born on October 21, 1965, which makes Waris 61 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Waris shares the date with 29 other famous people.
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