Member of the European Parliament Samira Rafaela. (© European Union 2020 - Source: EP)
THE HAGUE--Member of the European Parliament Samira Rafaela of Dutch Caribbean descent has been nominated by the prestigious magazine Harper’s Bazaar Women Nederland for the 2020 Woman of the Year Awards.
The magazine announced the 16 nominees last Friday. The 16 were nominated for their positive contribution during the worldwide COVID-19 crisis, or as the magazine puts it: “for making a difference during a year when the world was upside-down.”
In Rafaela’s case, she was nominated for her input for the Caribbean parts of the Dutch Kingdom during the coronavirus crisis. “This versatile, progressive, feminist Euro Parliamentarian has an Islamic-Jewish, Caribbean, Dutch and West-African background. That is why she is the right woman to promote physical and financial health for everyone during corona, also in the Caribbean part of our Kingdom.”
Rafaela, who is a member of the Democratic Party D66 and part of the Renew Europe group, said she was elated with her nomination. “What an honour to be nominated for the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Award 2020. I am honoured to be celebrated alongside great women like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the many women working in the health sector on Dutch and Caribbean soil. These women have been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 and their commitment has been indispensable, both in Europe and the Caribbean parts of our Kingdom.”
Some of the other 15 nominees include: health care journalist Anna Dijkman, writers Zadie Smith and Hilary Mantel, US Congress Member Ocasio-Cortez, Netflix’s Marketing Executive Bozoma Saint John, virologist Marion Koopmans, bag designer Elza Wandler, photographer Viavane Sassen, journalist/writer Fidan Ekiz and, very special, all the women working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
People are encouraged to vote online for their favourite nominee on https://acties.harpersbazaar.nl/woty-2020. The winner will be announced on November 19.
