In a land where the sun shines bright and people stay cool in the shade of tall towers and palm trees, a young girl named Zahra dreamed of something unexpected—ice.
She wasn’t chasing winter or snowflakes. She just wanted to skate.
Zahra was twelve when she saw a movie about figure skating. She didn’t want to copy the skaters. She wanted to find her own way—graceful, strong, and true to who she was.
So she stepped onto the rink for the very first time. The ice was cold. She slipped. She fell. And then she got up—again and again.
Zahra practiced before the city even woke up. While others were sleeping, she was gliding across the ice, wrapped in warmth and focus, her hijab gently following her every move.
When it was time to compete, some said, “You can’t wear that and skate.” But Zahra didn’t quit. She kept training, kept believing, and stood up—not just on the ice, but for her right to skate as she was.
And she made history. Zahra Lari became the first Emirati figure skater to compete internationally wearing a hijab.
She didn’t do it to be first. She did it because it felt right. And that made her a role model for girls around the world.
Now, when Zahra moves across the ice, she isn’t just performing—she’s proving that strength comes in many forms, and that you can hold onto your values while reaching for your dreams.
Because Zahra didn’t follow a path—she carved her own across the ice.