From icons to leaders and innovators to pioneers, Arab minds have been at the forefront of some of the world’s leading inventions and movements. Now is the time to celebrate our regions’ most influential people, and allow the next generation of Arabs to be inspired. It’s one thing to see a familiar face make it to the Times’ 100 Most Influential People list – it’s another when those names have Arab roots.

Nasrin Sotoudeh

‘Nasrin Sotoudeh is an exemplary Iranian woman and lawyer who for years has been struggling to restore women’s rights.’

The prominent lawyer has become an icon for female liberation in her home country and even in the region, where gender equality can still sometimes be seen as a far-away fantasy. Sotoudeh not only advocates for women, but has also defended and spoken up for juveniles who had received a death sentence, and succeeded on many occasions. She had been sentenced to prison several times because of the work she does, and yet that hasn’t stopped her from fighting for those who needed it most. Last year, a documentary film based on her remarkable life was released for the world to see her life’s work and mission. It is women like Sotoudeh that we are indebted to for being able to enjoy our basic freedoms.

Muna & Mohammed El-Kurd

‘Through online posts and media appearances, sibling activists Mohammed and Muna El-Kurd provided the world with a window into living under occupation in East Jerusalem this spring—helping to prompt an international shift in rhetoric in regard to Israel and Palestine.’

The El-Kurds made headlines globally with their live coverage of the chaos that took place in Palestine earlier this year. The siblings were two of several people that had faced the possibility of having their home taken from them in Sheikh Jarrah, and they made sure to film and share their live daily experiences for the world to see. It’s safe to say that for the first time, the world’s outlook on Israel and Palestine had shifted, and the El-Kurds undeniably had a large part to play in it.