In this presentation, Namira Salim will share with audiences her remarkable story. Namira was born with a dream to conquer the stars. As a child, she would cry and tell her parents she didn’t want to play with toys but would rather go to space. By the time Namira was a teenager, she confidently declared to her cousins and friends in Pakistan that she would grow up to become an astronaut. At the dawn of our new space age—the commercialization of space—the final frontier became accessible to all sectors. Namira’s dream came closer to reality when she bought a ticket to go to space in 2006 with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. The government of Pakistan introduced her to a nation of over 230 million people as the first Pakistani astronaut—a prized title for Namira, whose story has inspired millions. After 17-plus years of waiting, she finally flew to space on October 6, 2023, aboard Galactic 04 with Virgin Galactic. In a deeply motivational and inspiring talk, Salim proves anyone can reach for the stars and make their dreams come true, no matter how big or small.

Namira Salim is the Founder and Executive Chairperson of Space Trust, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that advocates space as the new frontier for peace on Earth via Space Diplomacy, which mobilizes world leaders and governments to utilize space as a sustainable tool for peace-making on Earth. Our new space age makes space accessible to all sectors. So why not open space to politicians and world leaders to inspire them with the overview effect—the view of Earth from space, where borders and boundaries appear to dissipate—and override what divides us on Earth with what unites us in space? Being a thought leader on Space Diplomacy, Namira has spearheaded (ZeroGravity) 0G Summit, which has been one of the side events during the UN General Assembly, inspired by G Summits on Earth. Namira is an avid promoter of 0G Summit 2030–the first peace summit in orbit at a commercial space station to inspire conflict resolution in space.

Namira Salim promotes STEM education via her non-profit, Space Trust, which advocates space as the new frontier for peace on Earth. Being a thought leader in Space Diplomacy, Namira’s work in the space industry is regarded as groundbreaking. Having just returned from space as the first Pakistani astronaut, she is currently working on Space Trust’s maiden mission to Space, (ZeroGravity) 0G Peace Mission 2030 (0G 2030), which is a STEM education, student-built three-unit cube satellite, awarded a free launch to space by the United Nations. The mission will promote skills between students of developed and developing countries to promote STEM education, especially for young girls to advance careers in science. The satellite will broadcast messages of peace in orbit and back to earth in the voices of world leaders, peacemakers, civil society and youth. The peace mission will stay in orbit for a couple of years to inspire peace-making on Earth and to galvanize our common humanity by harnessing the power of space to override what divides us on Earth with what unites us in space.