Sahira Al-Nahari is a Saudi physician, health law strategist and social entrepreneur. She is the founder of Shifā Art, an initiative that uses art and creative activities in healthcare and community settings. In 2025, she was selected as one of the United Nations Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Early life and education Al-Nahari was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and spent part of her formative years in Liverpool and Leeds in the United Kingdom. She studied medicine and surgery at Batterjee Medical College in Jeddah. During her studies, she founded and served as president of the college's first Volunteering Club. The club organised community-service projects and participated in a medical mission to Tanzania. She later pursued a master's degree in Health Law and Strategy at New York University, focusing on the relationship between healthcare, law and policy.
Medical career Al-Nahari trained in emergency medicine and serves as an emergency medicine physician at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh. Her medical interests include emergency medicine and healthcare research. She has contributed to research on diabetic ketoacidosis in emergency departments.
Shifā Art Al-Nahari founded Shifā Art in 2022. The initiative brings art into hospitals and community spaces through workshops, exhibitions, murals and storytelling. Shifā Art aims to use creativity as a means of encouraging dialogue, expression and healing. The United Nations has highlighted Al-Nahari's work in using art and creativity to address mental health and well-being. One of the projects associated with her work is the Al Maqam Exhibition, which combined Islamic art and science and was presented at the Jeddah International Book Fair.
Youth leadership Al-Nahari was a fellow of the Qimam Leadership Fellowship. The programme's alumni profile describes her medical studies at Batterjee Medical College and her establishment and leadership of the college's Volunteering Club. The United Nations identifies her as a TEDx speaker and Misk 10X Leaders Fellow.
United Nations Young Leader for the SDGs In 2025, Al-Nahari was selected as one of 17 United Nations Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals. The 2025 cohort was selected following an open call that received more than 33,000 applications from over 150 countries. The United Nations describes Al-Nahari as a physician, health law strategist and founder of Shifā Art. In 2026, she participated in United Nations programming on youth mental health and well-being. In July 2026, she joined Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier for a United Nations press conference on mental health and football. She also authored an article for the United Nations Youth Office on intergenerational leadership and youth participation titled "Unscripted: Building Connections for Hopeful Futures".
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