Tirana, Albania - February 15, 2024 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mission in Albania is pleased to announce the appointment of the Albanian-born journalist, author, CEO and Founder of Global Woman Magazine Ms. Mirela Sula, as its first-ever national Goodwill Ambassador. 

Ms. Sula, now a distinguished entrepreneur of the Albanian diaspora, embarked on her successful journey from humble beginnings as a teacher in a small village in Puka. In 2012 she took the challenging decision to relocate to the UK to pursue a better life for herself and her child.

“I know what it means to be abused, to feel isolated, to be scared for your life and your child’s wellbeing, to feel lost in the world and not be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But I learned how to get out of this. It gave me strength to work harder and build a platform to help other women to become leaders of themselves too,” said Mirela. 

Mirela brings over two decades of expertise in media, education, and advocacy, focusing on human rights and women's empowerment. Her vision birthed Global Woman Magazine, which became a global movement for women, helping them share their stories with over 27 clubs worldwide. Ms. Sula is an activist for migrant women’s empowerment and has created the Migrant Woman Talks platform, inviting women expats to contribute with their narratives, expertise and real-life experiences to empower and inspire other women around the world. 

She intends to use her new platform as a national Goodwill Ambassador of IOM Albania to amplify the voices of migrants, their contributions to society and to counter negative narratives on migration. 

Expressing her commitment, Ms. Sula remarked, “I believe in the transformative power of migration; it provided me with new opportunities and shaped who I am today. With great pride I join IOM Albania as the first National Goodwill Ambassador, pledging to advocate for those navigating the challenging paths of migration and championing the voices and stories of migrants.”

IOM Albania Head of Office Alma Jani stated, “IOM Albania is excited to welcome Ms. Mirela Sula as our National Goodwill Ambassador and ensure the voices of migrants are heard and valued. Her dedication to empowering migrant women and her remarkable journey represent the resilience and strength within our migrant and diaspora communities.”

Established in 1951, and operationally present in Albania since 1992, IOM is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. IOM joined the United Nations system as a related organization in 2016.

Read more about the nine new IOM Goodwill Ambassadors here.

* * *

For more information, please contact: 

Press requests: Marinela Gremi, mgremi@iom.int; infotirana@iom.int  

Goodwill Ambassador program requests: Karima Zerrou, kzerrou@iom.int