Samira Ahmed wins GDST Alumna of the Year 2021

We are delighted to announce that this year’s winner of the GDST Alumna of the Year Award – by one of the largest votes ever – is Wimbledon High School alumna, Samira Ahmed (Class of 1986).

Samira was presented with her award by Fionnuala Kennedy last week at school and took the time to answer questions from Year 12 and 13 students. You can view the award presentation at https://youtu.be/0ha9lqtziig. 

A multi-award-winning journalist, writer and broadcaster, Samira works on a range of prestigious programmes including Art of Persia on BBC4, Front Row on Radio 4, Newswatch on BBC1 and the podcast How I found My Voice, and Channel 4 News.

Presenting Samira with her trophy, Wimbledon High School’s Head, Fionnuala Kennedy said, “What an unmitigated pleasure it is to welcome Samira Ahmed back to Wimbledon High, her alma mater, and to have the honour of presenting to her the award for GDST Alumna of the Year 2021. In a field of brilliant women, Samira clearly stood out, and has been recognised for her bravery in her work. She won an award for her special report on the corrective rape of lesbian women in South Africa; and of course in 2020, successfully filed legal proceedings against the BBC, under the Equality Act 2010, leading the way on equal pay for women everywhere.”

In response, Samira said, ““At school I was taught to work hard, aim high and seek to be judged on my own abilities. That’s still all I’ve ever asked, so I wasn’t afraid to go to tribunal. I wanted everyone to see the truth. I hope my case has shown how ingrained discrimination still is in the work place, the need for women and men to work together as allies, the importance of being in a union to protect hard won rights, and I am proud that Ahmed v BBC is now a landmark case that stands in the history books as we continue try and end sex discrimination once and for all.”