21st Century

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese visual artist and activist, a leading figure in contemporary art. Known for his monumental installations and politically engaged works, he denounces human rights abuses and censorship by the Chinese regime, which earned him surveillance, imprisonment, and exile.

Alyssa Milano is an American actress who rose to fame on television in the 1980s and 1990s. In October 2017, she revived the #MeToo hashtag on social media, helping to turn it into a global movement against sexual violence.

A physicist turned German politician, Angela Merkel led Germany as Chancellor from 2005 to 2021. The first woman to hold this position, she is one of the most influential political figures in contemporary European history.

First Iranian woman and first private space tourist to travel to space in 2006. An Iranian-American businesswoman, she funded the Ansari X Prize to encourage space tourism.

American director, producer, and screenwriter, Ava DuVernay has established herself as a major voice in socially engaged cinema. With Selma (2014) and the documentary 13th (2016), she explores the struggle for civil rights and racial inequality in the United States.

Benjamin Radford is an American writer, investigator, and skeptic who specializes in the rational analysis of paranormal phenomena and urban legends. He notably investigated the chupacabra myth and cryptozoology by applying the scientific method.

Honduran environmental activist of Lenca origin, co-founder of COPINH (Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras). Winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015, she was assassinated in 2016 for her fight against the Agua Zarca dam.

Nigerian writer

Christina Lamb is a British journalist and writer, born in 1965, specializing in war reporting. A renowned foreign correspondent, she has covered Afghanistan, Pakistan, and many other conflicts, and co-wrote the memoir 'I Am Malala' with Malala Yousafzai.

Argentine lawyer and politician, she was the first woman elected president of Argentina (2007–2015). Wife of President Néstor Kirchner, she embodied Kirchnerism, a left-wing Peronist movement, before becoming vice-president (2019–2023).

Dierk Lange is a German historian and Africanist specializing in the pre-colonial history of West Africa, particularly the Kanem-Bornu Empire and the peoples of the Lake Chad basin. His work explores hypothetical links between West Africa and the ancient Near East.

Geneviève Fraisse, born in 1948, is a French philosopher and historian of feminist thought. A research director at the CNRS, she made gender equality and the genealogy of women's emancipation a genuine philosophical subject.

Swedish climate activist, born in 2003. In 2018 she launched a school strike in front of the Swedish Parliament, inspiring the global Fridays for Future movement. A symbol of youth commitment in the fight against climate change.

Isabel Allende is a Chilean novelist born in 1942, considered one of the most widely read Hispanic authors in the world. Her work blends magical realism, political history, and women's destinies. Her first novel, The House of the Spirits (1982), brought her international fame.

J.K. Rowling is a British novelist born in 1965, author of the Harry Potter saga (1997-2007), one of the best-selling literary series in history. A single mother at the time she wrote the first volume, she became a major figure in children's and young adult literature worldwide.

Jacinda Ardern is a New Zealand stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2017 to 2023. Elected at age 37, she was the world's youngest head of government at the time and the second leader in history to give birth while in office.

Insufficient data: no verifiable information (full name, dates, attested facts) is available for this figure. A reliable educational profile cannot be produced without sources.

Kamala Harris is an American politician, the first woman, first Black person, and first American of South Asian descent to become Vice President of the United States in 2021. A former Attorney General of California and U.S. Senator, she represents a historic turning point in American political representation.

Saudi women's rights activist, imprisoned from 2018 to 2021 for demanding the right to drive and gender equality. Her struggle contributed to lifting the driving ban for women in Saudi Arabia.

Pakistani activist for girls' education

Saudi women's rights activist who rose to international prominence in 2011 after posting a video of herself driving in Saudi Arabia, defying the ban imposed on women. Her arrest sparked a global movement for women's right to drive.

Brazilian politician, city councillor of Rio de Janeiro, and activist for the rights of Black women and LGBTQ+ people. Assassinated on March 14, 2018, she became a global symbol of the fight against violence against women and racial inequality.

Mary Kom is an Indian boxer born in 1983 in the state of Manipur. A six-time amateur world champion and Olympic bronze medalist in 2012, she became an icon of women's sport in India. Nicknamed "Magnificent Mary," she also serves as a member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha.

Mata Amritanandamayi, nicknamed “Amma” (the Mother), is an Indian spiritual figure born in 1953 in Kerala. Known for the embraces (darshan) she has given to millions of people, she leads a vast humanitarian and spiritual movement.

American international footballer, two-time world champion and Olympic champion. A major figure in the fight for gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights, she left her mark on women's football through her activism as much as through her performances.

An American sociologist and feminist, Patricia Hill Collins is one of the leading theorists of Black feminist thought. She developed the concept of intersectionality as applied to the relationships between race, gender, and social class.

American lawyer and activist, founder of Girls Who Code in 2012, an organization aimed at closing the gender gap in technology careers. She also ran for the U.S. Congress and advocates for women's inclusion in tech.

Prime Minister of Finland from 2019 to 2023, Sanna Marin became, at the age of 34, one of the youngest heads of government in the world. A member of the Social Democratic Party, she led a gender-equal coalition and steered Finland toward NATO membership in 2022.

Chief Operating Officer of Facebook (Meta) from 2008 to 2022, Sheryl Sandberg is one of the most influential women in Silicon Valley. Author of *Lean In* (2013), she is a prominent advocate for women's leadership in the corporate world.

Iranian lawyer and human rights activist, she is the first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. She defends the rights of women, children, and political prisoners in Iran, at the risk of her own freedom.

Slovenian philosopher and essayist born in 1949, a major figure of contemporary critical thought. He blends Lacanian psychoanalysis, German idealism (Hegel) and Marxism to analyze ideology, popular culture and globalized capitalism.

Tarja Halonen is a Finnish stateswoman who served as President of Finland from 2000 to 2012. The first woman to hold this office in her country, she also served as Minister for Foreign Affairs and has been a lifelong advocate for human rights.

Yemeni journalist, human rights activist, and politician, a leading figure of the 2011 uprising against Saleh's regime. In 2011, she became the first Arab woman and the youngest laureate at the time to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Yemeni activist for human rights and press freedom, 2011 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Nicknamed “the mother of the Yemeni revolution”, she played a central role in the Arab Spring in Yemen.

First female president of Taiwan, elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. A lawyer by training, she leads the Democratic Progressive Party and defends Taiwanese sovereignty against Chinese pressure.

Alex Eskin is an American mathematician born in 1965, a specialist in dynamical systems and geometry. He is famous for the “Magic Wand Theorem” proved with Maryam Mirzakhani.

Andrea Ghez is an American astrophysicist born in 1965 who specializes in observing the galactic center. Her work provided proof of the existence of a supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. She received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2020.

Anne L'Huillier is a French-Swedish physicist born in 1958, a pioneer of attosecond physics. She received the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics for her work on generating ultra-short pulses of light that make it possible to observe the motion of electrons.

Benjamin Radford is an American writer, investigator, and skeptic who specializes in the rational analysis of paranormal phenomena and urban legends. He notably investigated the chupacabra myth and cryptozoology by applying the scientific method.

Swiss psychiatrist and aeronaut born in 1958, Bertrand Piccard completed the first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight in 1999. He then became the driving force behind Solar Impulse, the solar-powered aircraft that completed the first fuel-free circumnavigation of the globe in 2015–2016.

Carol Greider is an American molecular biologist born in 1961. In 1984 she discovered telomerase, the enzyme that protects the ends of chromosomes, which earned her the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009.

American chemist born in 1966, a pioneer of bioorthogonal chemistry. She developed chemical reactions capable of taking place inside living organisms without disrupting their functioning. She received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2022.

An American astronaut and chemist, Catherine Coleman completed three spaceflights, including a 159-day stay aboard the International Space Station in 2010–2011. A US Air Force officer, she contributed to scientific experiments in microgravity.

French mathematician born in 1973, awarded the Fields Medal in 2010 for his work on the Boltzmann equation and optimal transport. Director of the Institut Henri-Poincaré, then a member of the National Assembly.

Curtis McMullen is an American mathematician born in 1958, a professor at Harvard University. A specialist in dynamical systems, hyperbolic geometry, and complex analysis, he was awarded the Fields Medal in 1998.

Ellen Ochoa is an American engineer and astronaut, the first woman of Hispanic origin to travel into space in 1993. A specialist in optical systems, she flew four missions aboard the space shuttle and later directed NASA's Johnson Space Center.

A French microbiologist and geneticist, she co-develops the CRISPR-Cas9 technique with Jennifer Doudna. This revolution in genome editing earns her the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020.

French-American economist born in 1972, a specialist in development economics. She reshaped the fight against poverty by relying on rigorous field experiments. In 2019, she became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Prize in Economics.

American computer scientist of Chinese origin, pioneer in artificial intelligence and computer vision. She created ImageNet, an image database that revolutionized deep learning. A professor at Stanford, she advocates for ethical and inclusive AI.

American chemist and pioneer of directed protein evolution. She received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2018 for applying the principles of natural evolution to enzyme design. Her work is revolutionizing biochemistry and the pharmaceutical industry.

Francisca Nneka Okeke is a Nigerian physicist and professor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. A specialist in geophysics, she studies the electric currents of the ionosphere (the equatorial electrojet) and their link to the climate. In 2013, she received the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science.

Gérard Mourou is a French physicist born in 1944, a specialist in lasers. Together with Donna Strickland, he invented the chirped pulse amplification (CPA) technique, which earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018.

Russian mathematician born in 1966, famous for proving the Poincaré conjecture in 2003, one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems. He refused the Fields Medal (2006) and the Clay Prize of one million dollars (2010).

Dutch computer scientist born in 1956, Guido van Rossum is the creator of the Python programming language, which he began developing in 1989. Python is today one of the most widely used languages in the world, particularly in programming education and artificial intelligence.

American biochemist and pioneer of CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Her work revolutionized genome editing, opening up enormous possibilities in medicine and biotechnology. She received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020 alongside Emmanuelle Charpentier.

Hungarian biochemist and pioneer of messenger RNA technology. Her research, long overlooked, made mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 possible. She received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023.

An American immunologist, Kizzmekia Corbett played a central role in developing the mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 at the NIH. Her work ushered in a new era in vaccination.

Linda Brown Buck is an American biologist born in 1947. She unraveled how the olfactory system works by discovering the large family of genes that encode odor receptors. Her work earned her the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2004, shared with Richard Axel.

Finnish computer engineer born in 1969, Linus Torvalds is the creator of the Linux kernel in 1991, which became the most widely used open source operating system in the world. He also developed Git, a version control tool used by millions of developers.

Luke Yuan is a 21st-century scientist whose contributions fall within the field of contemporary science. His career path illustrates the internationalization of global scientific research.

May-Britt Moser is a Norwegian neuroscientist and psychologist born in 1963. Together with her colleague Edvard Moser, she discovered “grid cells,” neurons that form the brain's positioning system. This work earned her the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2014.

An American NASA astronaut, Peggy Whitson is the woman who has spent the most time in space (665 cumulative days). She commanded the International Space Station on two separate occasions.

Israeli-American theoretical computer scientist and pioneer of modern cryptography. Co-recipient of the 2012 Turing Award with Silvio Micali, she laid the mathematical foundations of probabilistic cryptography and zero-knowledge proofs.

Tebello Nyokong is a South African chemist born in 1951, a specialist in phthalocyanines. She develops a photodynamic therapy against cancer, an alternative to conventional chemotherapy, and works on cleaning up water through photochemistry.

Terence Tao is an Australian-American mathematician born in 1975, considered one of the greatest living mathematicians. A Fields Medal recipient in 2006, he has made major contributions to harmonic analysis, number theory, and partial differential equations.

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese visual artist and activist, a leading figure in contemporary art. Known for his monumental installations and politically engaged works, he denounces human rights abuses and censorship by the Chinese regime, which earned him surveillance, imprisonment, and exile.

A physicist turned German politician, Angela Merkel led Germany as Chancellor from 2005 to 2021. The first woman to hold this position, she is one of the most influential political figures in contemporary European history.

American statesman, 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017. The first African American elected to the presidency, he left a lasting mark on the political history of the United States and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.

Honduran environmental activist of Lenca origin, co-founder of COPINH (Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras). Winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015, she was assassinated in 2016 for her fight against the Agua Zarca dam.

French mathematician born in 1973, awarded the Fields Medal in 2010 for his work on the Boltzmann equation and optimal transport. Director of the Institut Henri-Poincaré, then a member of the National Assembly.

French business lawyer and politician, the first woman to head the International Monetary Fund (2011) and later the European Central Bank (2019). She had previously served as France's Minister of the Economy and Finance.

Argentine lawyer and politician, she was the first woman elected president of Argentina (2007–2015). Wife of President Néstor Kirchner, she embodied Kirchnerism, a left-wing Peronist movement, before becoming vice-president (2019–2023).

Brazilian economist and politician, she became in 2011 the first woman president of Brazil. A member of the Workers' Party (PT), she was removed from office by impeachment in 2016 amid an economic and political crisis.

Swedish climate activist, born in 2003. In 2018 she launched a school strike in front of the Swedish Parliament, inspiring the global Fridays for Future movement. A symbol of youth commitment in the fight against climate change.

Jacinda Ardern is a New Zealand stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2017 to 2023. Elected at age 37, she was the world's youngest head of government at the time and the second leader in history to give birth while in office.

Jafar Panahi is an Iranian filmmaker born in 1960, a major figure in contemporary auteur cinema. A multiple award winner at the great film festivals, he was banned by the regime from making films and from leaving Iran, becoming a symbol of creative freedom.

Janet Yellen is an American economist specializing in the labor market and monetary policy. She chaired the Federal Reserve of the United States from 2014 to 2018, becoming the first woman to hold this position, and later served as Secretary of the Treasury from 2021 to 2025 — again the first woman appointed to this office.

Kamala Harris is an American politician, the first woman, first Black person, and first American of South Asian descent to become Vice President of the United States in 2021. A former Attorney General of California and U.S. Senator, she represents a historic turning point in American political representation.

Liberian pacifist activist, she led the women's peace movement in Liberia, helping to end the second civil war in 2003. Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.

Saudi women's rights activist, imprisoned from 2018 to 2021 for demanding the right to drive and gender equality. Her struggle contributed to lifting the driving ban for women in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi women's rights activist who rose to international prominence in 2011 after posting a video of herself driving in Saudi Arabia, defying the ban imposed on women. Her arrest sparked a global movement for women's right to drive.

Brazilian politician, city councillor of Rio de Janeiro, and activist for the rights of Black women and LGBTQ+ people. Assassinated on March 14, 2018, she became a global symbol of the fight against violence against women and racial inequality.

Mary Kom is an Indian boxer born in 1983 in the state of Manipur. A six-time amateur world champion and Olympic bronze medalist in 2012, she became an icon of women's sport in India. Nicknamed "Magnificent Mary," she also serves as a member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha.

Nigerian economist and politician, twice Minister of Finance of Nigeria and Director-General of the World Trade Organization since 2021. She is the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO.

American lawyer and activist, founder of Girls Who Code in 2012, an organization aimed at closing the gender gap in technology careers. She also ran for the U.S. Congress and advocates for women's inclusion in tech.

Prime Minister of Finland from 2019 to 2023, Sanna Marin became, at the age of 34, one of the youngest heads of government in the world. A member of the Social Democratic Party, she led a gender-equal coalition and steered Finland toward NATO membership in 2022.

Iranian lawyer and human rights activist, she is the first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. She defends the rights of women, children, and political prisoners in Iran, at the risk of her own freedom.

Slovenian philosopher and essayist born in 1949, a major figure of contemporary critical thought. He blends Lacanian psychoanalysis, German idealism (Hegel) and Marxism to analyze ideology, popular culture and globalized capitalism.

Tarja Halonen is a Finnish stateswoman who served as President of Finland from 2000 to 2012. The first woman to hold this office in her country, she also served as Minister for Foreign Affairs and has been a lifelong advocate for human rights.

Yemeni journalist, human rights activist, and politician, a leading figure of the 2011 uprising against Saleh's regime. In 2011, she became the first Arab woman and the youngest laureate at the time to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Yemeni activist for human rights and press freedom, 2011 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Nicknamed “the mother of the Yemeni revolution”, she played a central role in the Arab Spring in Yemen.

First female president of Taiwan, elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. A lawyer by training, she leads the Democratic Progressive Party and defends Taiwanese sovereignty against Chinese pressure.

Russian statesman, President of the Russian Federation since 2000 (with an interlude as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2012). A former KGB officer, he concentrated power, pursued authoritarian policies, and launched the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Yánis Varoufákis is a Greek economist and politician, a professor of economics renowned for his work on game theory. He served as Greece's Minister of Finance in 2015, at the heart of the debt negotiations during the eurozone crisis.

Indian Bollywood actor born in 1976, son of the famous actor Amitabh Bachchan. He made his mark in Hindi cinema during the 2000s and in 2007 married the actress Aishwarya Rai, a wedding that drew enormous media attention.

An American-Senegalese singer, songwriter, and producer, Akon rose to global fame in the 2000s with worldwide hits blending R&B, pop, and African influences. He is also an entrepreneur, most notably through his project to bring electricity to Africa.

Alyssa Milano is an American actress who rose to fame on television in the 1980s and 1990s. In October 2017, she revived the #MeToo hashtag on social media, helping to turn it into a global movement against sexual violence.

British director, screenwriter, and editor born in 1973, Andrew Haigh is acclaimed for his intimate films exploring human relationships and LGBTQ+ identity. He is best known for Weekend (2011) and 45 Years (2015).

American actress born in 1982, Anne Hathaway has established herself as one of Hollywood's biggest stars. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2013 for her portrayal of Fantine in Les Misérables.

American director, producer, and screenwriter, Ava DuVernay has established herself as a major voice in socially engaged cinema. With Selma (2014) and the documentary 13th (2016), she explores the struggle for civil rights and racial inequality in the United States.

Icelandic singer, composer, and artist born in 1965 in Reykjavík, pioneer of experimental electronic music and avant-garde pop. She is also an actress, awarded at Cannes in 2000 for Dancer in the Dark.

Bong Joon-ho is a South Korean director and screenwriter born in 1969, a major figure in contemporary cinema. Blending social criticism, satire, and dramatic tension, he has established himself as one of the most influential filmmakers of the 21st century.

Italian mezzo-soprano born in 1966 in Rome, Cecilia Bartoli is one of the greatest opera singers of her generation. A specialist in baroque and classical repertoire, she has brought to light many forgotten works by Vivaldi, Salieri, and Agostino Steffani.

Fan Bingbing is a Chinese actress and film producer, considered one of the most famous and highest-paid stars in Asia. She rose to meteoric fame before becoming embroiled in a tax scandal in 2018.

Francia Raisa is an American actress of Honduran and Mexican descent, known for her roles in television series such as “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” She became widely known to the public after donating a kidney to her friend, the singer Selena Gomez, in 2017.

Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress, producer and former model, born in 1985. Brought to prominence by the Fast & Furious saga and then known worldwide for her role as Wonder Woman, she is one of the major figures of Hollywood superhero cinema.

Jafar Panahi is an Iranian filmmaker born in 1960, a major figure in contemporary auteur cinema. A multiple award winner at the great film festivals, he was banned by the regime from making films and from leaving Iran, becoming a symbol of creative freedom.

American director born in 1951, Kathryn Bigelow became in 2010 the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director for The Hurt Locker. A pioneer of action cinema, she explores war and violence with striking documentary-style realism.

Kelly Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to fame as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, and later pursued a solo career and television personality work.

Lars von Trier is a Danish director, screenwriter, and producer born in 1956. A leading figure in European auteur cinema, in 1995 he co-founded the Dogme 95 movement and has made provocative films honored at the major festivals.

American singer and songwriter born in 1969, Mariah Carey is one of the best-selling artists in history with over 200 million albums sold. Known for her exceptional five-octave vocal range and whistle register, she dominated the American charts throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

American producer, mother of actress Scarlett Johansson. From very early on she accompanied her daughter to auditions and acted as an informal manager, and later as a producer, in her film career.

Nicki Minaj is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter of Trinidadian descent, born in 1982. A major figure in 2010s hip-hop, she established herself as one of the most influential and best-selling female rappers of her generation.

South Korean director and screenwriter born in 1963, a leading figure in the revival of Korean cinema. Known for his polished aesthetic and tales of revenge, he made his mark on the international scene with *Oldboy* (2003), which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

Quentin Tarantino is an American director, screenwriter, producer, and actor born in 1963. A major figure in American independent cinema, he is famous for his highly personal style blending sharp dialogue, stylized violence, fractured storytelling, and tributes to popular genres.

Ruth Hogben is a British director and video artist born in 1982, specializing in fashion. A former assistant to photographer Nick Knight, she has established herself as a leading figure in experimental fashion film and in art direction for music videos and runway shows.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an Indian director, producer, and composer born in 1963, a major figure of Bollywood cinema. He is renowned for his sumptuous romantic epics, with their opulent staging and keen visual sense.

Solange Knowles is an American singer, songwriter, and producer, a leading figure in alternative R&B and contemporary soul music. The younger sister of Beyoncé, she has established herself as a avant-garde artist celebrated for her album A Seat at the Table (2016).

A pioneering American playwright, Suzan-Lori Parks was the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, for *Topdog/Underdog* in 2002. Her work explores African-American identity, collective memory, and history through experimental and poetic language.

Wes Anderson is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer born in 1969 in Texas. Recognizable by his highly codified visual style — symmetry, pastel palettes, and meticulous framing — he is the author of bittersweet comedies that have become cult classics.

French playwright, novelist, and actress born in 1959, Yasmina Reza made her mark with *Art* (1994), a philosophical comedy about friendship and the value of art. Her plays, translated into more than 35 languages, sharply examine the cracks in human relationships and social hypocrisies.

Co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates revolutionized personal computing with the Windows operating system. Having become one of the wealthiest people in the world, he went on to dedicate himself to philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Serbian-American economist specializing in the study of income inequality on a global scale. A former lead economist in the World Bank's research department, he is one of the leading contemporary theorists on the measurement of global inequality.

French business lawyer and politician, the first woman to head the International Monetary Fund (2011) and later the European Central Bank (2019). She had previously served as France's Minister of the Economy and Finance.

Dambisa Moyo is a Zambian economist specializing in macroeconomics and development. She is famous worldwide for her radical critique of international aid to Africa, which she considers counterproductive.

Brazilian economist and politician, she became in 2011 the first woman president of Brazil. A member of the Workers' Party (PT), she was removed from office by impeachment in 2016 amid an economic and political crisis.

American-South African entrepreneur and businessman, Elon Musk is co-founder of Tesla and founder of SpaceX. He embodies the archetype of the 21st-century tech entrepreneur, with a sweeping influence on the automotive industry, private space exploration, and social media.

French-American economist born in 1972, a specialist in development economics. She reshaped the fight against poverty by relying on rigorous field experiments. In 2019, she became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Prize in Economics.

Gita Gopinath is an American economist of Indian origin, specializing in international macroeconomics, exchange rates, and trade. She became the First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2022, having previously served as its chief economist.

Heterodox South Korean economist, professor at Cambridge and later at SOAS in London. A critic of dogmatic free-trade ideology, he champions the role of the state in economic development and highlights the place of protectionism in the history of industrialization among today's wealthy countries.

Janet Yellen is an American economist specializing in the labor market and monetary policy. She chaired the Federal Reserve of the United States from 2014 to 2018, becoming the first woman to hold this position, and later served as Secretary of the Treasury from 2021 to 2025 — again the first woman appointed to this office.

Founder of Amazon in 1994, Jeff Bezos transformed global commerce through e-commerce and cloud computing. He is one of the wealthiest people in the world and founded Blue Origin for private space exploration.

American economist born in 1943, winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on information asymmetries. A former chief economist of the World Bank, he has become a leading critic of neoliberal globalization.

British economist born in 1970, she is known for having designed "Doughnut Economics," an economic model aiming to reconcile human needs with the ecological limits of the planet. Her major work renewed thinking about sustainable development.

Co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, Larry Ellison built one of the largest enterprise software empires in the world. A pioneer of relational databases, he is one of the wealthiest people on the planet.

Co-founder of Google with Sergey Brin in 1998, Larry Page revolutionized access to information on the Internet through the PageRank algorithm. He led Google then Alphabet, one of the most highly valued companies in the world.

Co-creator of Mosaic (1993), the first mainstream web browser, and then co-founder of Netscape, Marc Andreessen revolutionized access to the Internet. He went on to become one of Silicon Valley's most influential investors, co-founding the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.

Mariana Mazzucato is an Italian-American economist born in 1968, a professor at University College London. She is known for her work on the driving role of the state in innovation and on value creation in the economy.

American computer scientist and entrepreneur born in 1984, co-founder of Facebook in 2004. He transformed global communication by creating the first mass social network, and now leads Meta Platforms.

Nigerian economist and politician, twice Minister of Finance of Nigeria and Director-General of the World Trade Organization since 2021. She is the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO.

Paul Krugman is an American economist born in 1953, a specialist in international trade and economic geography. Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2008, he is also an influential columnist at the New York Times.

Richard Thaler is an American economist and a leading figure in behavioral economics. He showed how psychological biases influence economic decisions, challenging the assumption of perfect rationality. He received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2017.

Sergey Brin is an American entrepreneur of Russian origin, co-founder of Google with Larry Page in 1998. He revolutionized Internet search through the PageRank algorithm. He also led the experimental projects of Google X.

Chief Operating Officer of Facebook (Meta) from 2008 to 2022, Sheryl Sandberg is one of the most influential women in Silicon Valley. Author of *Lean In* (2013), she is a prominent advocate for women's leadership in the corporate world.

Co-founder of Apple Inc., Steve Jobs revolutionized personal computing, digital music, and mobile telephony. A visionary entrepreneur like no other, he transformed entire sectors of the global economy.

CEO of YouTube from 2014 to 2023, Susan Wojcicki is one of Silicon Valley's pioneers. She was Google's 16th employee, and in 1998 she rented her garage to Larry Page and Sergey Brin to house the company's first servers. Her leadership turned YouTube into the world's leading online video platform.

Thomas Piketty is a French economist born in 1971, a specialist in economic inequality and wealth distribution. A director of studies at the EHESS and a professor at the Paris School of Economics, he is renowned worldwide for his work on capital and inequality.

Yánis Varoufákis is a Greek economist and politician, a professor of economics renowned for his work on game theory. He served as Greece's Minister of Finance in 2015, at the heart of the debt negotiations during the eurozone crisis.

Annika Sörenstam is a Swedish professional golfer, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of women's golf. A dominant force on the LPGA Tour throughout the 1990s and 2000s, she won 72 tournaments before retiring from competition in 2008.

South African athlete specializing in the 800 metres, two-time Olympic champion (2012, 2016) and three-time world champion. Her career was marked by controversy over the eligibility rules tied to testosterone levels in intersex women in sport.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese footballer born in 1985, regarded as one of the greatest players in history. A prolific goal scorer, he has won five Ballon d'Or awards and shone at the biggest European clubs as well as with the Portugal national team.

Hou Yifan is a Chinese chess player born in 1994, considered the best female player of her generation. Having become an international grandmaster at 14, she won the Women's World Championship title several times, becoming the youngest world chess champion in history.

Kobe Bryant was an American basketball player, considered one of the greatest in NBA history. He spent his entire professional career (1996-2016) with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five championship titles. He died in a helicopter crash in 2020.

Dutch sailor born in 1995, Laura Dekker became in 2012 the youngest person to complete a solo circumnavigation by sailboat, at just 16 years old. Her 518-day voyage aboard her sailboat Guppy took her around the globe, departing from the Netherlands.

LeBron James is an American professional basketball player, considered one of the greatest of all time. Playing in the NBA since 2003, he became the league's all-time leading scorer in 2023.

Li Ling is a Chinese artistic gymnast specializing in apparatus events. She represented China in high-level international competitions in the early 21st century.

Argentine footballer born in 1987, considered one of the greatest players in history. A playmaker and forward, he has won a record number of Ballons d'Or and led Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup.

An American long-distance swimmer, Lynne Cox set world records by crossing some of the coldest and most dangerous waters on Earth. She is best known for her 1987 crossing of the Bering Sea, swimming from Alaska to the USSR at the height of the Cold War.

Magnus Carlsen is a Norwegian chess player, considered one of the greatest in history. World champion from 2013 to 2023, he held the record for the highest Elo rating ever achieved.

Marta Vieira da Silva, born in 1986 in Dois Riachos, Brazil, is a footballer regarded as one of the greatest players in history. Six times named the world's best player by FIFA, she has become a symbol of the struggle for the recognition of women's football.

Mary Kom is an Indian boxer born in 1983 in the state of Manipur. A six-time amateur world champion and Olympic bronze medalist in 2012, she became an icon of women's sport in India. Nicknamed "Magnificent Mary," she also serves as a member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha.

American international footballer, two-time world champion and Olympic champion. A major figure in the fight for gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights, she left her mark on women's football through her activism as much as through her performances.

Michael Phelps is an American swimmer regarded as the greatest Olympian of all time. With 23 Olympic gold medals, he holds the all-time record for the most titles at the Olympic Games.

German Formula 1 racing driver, considered one of the greatest in the history of the sport. A seven-time world champion, he dominated the discipline, notably behind the wheel of Ferraris in the early 2000s.

An extreme South African-Swiss adventurer born in 1966, Mike Horn is one of the most daring explorers of our time. He has completed unprecedented expeditions in the most hostile regions of the globe, including a solo circumnavigation of the world without motorized assistance.

Serbian tennis player born in 1987, considered one of the greatest in the history of the sport. He holds the record for the most men's Grand Slam titles and dominated the professional tour for over a decade.

Rafael Nadal is a Spanish tennis player born in 1986, considered one of the greatest in history. Nicknamed “the King of Clay,” he has won a record number of titles at Roland-Garros.

Roger Federer is a Swiss tennis player, considered one of the greatest in the history of the sport. Winner of 20 Grand Slam tournaments, he left his mark on tennis in the early 21st century through his elegance and his longevity.

Sarah Storey is a British Paralympic athlete, one of the most decorated in her country's history. First a swimmer and then a cyclist, she has amassed a record number of gold medals over several decades of competition.

American tennis player considered one of the greatest in the history of sport. She dominated the professional circuit for more than two decades, winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles, a record in the Open Era.

Simone Biles is an American artistic gymnast, considered the greatest in the history of her discipline. A multiple Olympic and world champion, she left her mark on the sport with never-before-seen skills and by speaking out about the mental health of elite athletes.

American golfer born in 1975, considered one of the greatest players in the history of golf. Winner of 15 major tournaments, he profoundly revived the popularity and worldwide audience of the sport.

Jamaican sprinter widely regarded as the fastest man in history. The world-record holder in both the 100 m and the 200 m, he dominated his sport across three consecutive Olympic Games.

First Iranian woman and first private space tourist to travel to space in 2006. An Iranian-American businesswoman, she funded the Ansari X Prize to encourage space tourism.

Swiss psychiatrist and aeronaut born in 1958, Bertrand Piccard completed the first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight in 1999. He then became the driving force behind Solar Impulse, the solar-powered aircraft that completed the first fuel-free circumnavigation of the globe in 2015–2016.

Co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates revolutionized personal computing with the Windows operating system. Having become one of the wealthiest people in the world, he went on to dedicate himself to philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

An American astronaut and chemist, Catherine Coleman completed three spaceflights, including a 159-day stay aboard the International Space Station in 2010–2011. A US Air Force officer, she contributed to scientific experiments in microgravity.

Ellen Ochoa is an American engineer and astronaut, the first woman of Hispanic origin to travel into space in 1993. A specialist in optical systems, she flew four missions aboard the space shuttle and later directed NASA's Johnson Space Center.

American-South African entrepreneur and businessman, Elon Musk is co-founder of Tesla and founder of SpaceX. He embodies the archetype of the 21st-century tech entrepreneur, with a sweeping influence on the automotive industry, private space exploration, and social media.

Dutch computer scientist born in 1956, Guido van Rossum is the creator of the Python programming language, which he began developing in 1989. Python is today one of the most widely used languages in the world, particularly in programming education and artificial intelligence.

Founder of Amazon in 1994, Jeff Bezos transformed global commerce through e-commerce and cloud computing. He is one of the wealthiest people in the world and founded Blue Origin for private space exploration.

Co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, Larry Ellison built one of the largest enterprise software empires in the world. A pioneer of relational databases, he is one of the wealthiest people on the planet.

Co-founder of Google with Sergey Brin in 1998, Larry Page revolutionized access to information on the Internet through the PageRank algorithm. He led Google then Alphabet, one of the most highly valued companies in the world.

Finnish computer engineer born in 1969, Linus Torvalds is the creator of the Linux kernel in 1991, which became the most widely used open source operating system in the world. He also developed Git, a version control tool used by millions of developers.

Co-creator of Mosaic (1993), the first mainstream web browser, and then co-founder of Netscape, Marc Andreessen revolutionized access to the Internet. He went on to become one of Silicon Valley's most influential investors, co-founding the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.

American computer scientist and entrepreneur born in 1984, co-founder of Facebook in 2004. He transformed global communication by creating the first mass social network, and now leads Meta Platforms.

American lawyer and activist, founder of Girls Who Code in 2012, an organization aimed at closing the gender gap in technology careers. She also ran for the U.S. Congress and advocates for women's inclusion in tech.

Sergey Brin is an American entrepreneur of Russian origin, co-founder of Google with Larry Page in 1998. He revolutionized Internet search through the PageRank algorithm. He also led the experimental projects of Google X.

Israeli-American theoretical computer scientist and pioneer of modern cryptography. Co-recipient of the 2012 Turing Award with Silvio Micali, she laid the mathematical foundations of probabilistic cryptography and zero-knowledge proofs.

Chief Operating Officer of Facebook (Meta) from 2008 to 2022, Sheryl Sandberg is one of the most influential women in Silicon Valley. Author of *Lean In* (2013), she is a prominent advocate for women's leadership in the corporate world.

Co-founder of Apple Inc., Steve Jobs revolutionized personal computing, digital music, and mobile telephony. A visionary entrepreneur like no other, he transformed entire sectors of the global economy.

CEO of YouTube from 2014 to 2023, Susan Wojcicki is one of Silicon Valley's pioneers. She was Google's 16th employee, and in 1998 she rented her garage to Larry Page and Sergey Brin to house the company's first servers. Her leadership turned YouTube into the world's leading online video platform.

Tebello Nyokong is a South African chemist born in 1951, a specialist in phthalocyanines. She develops a photodynamic therapy against cancer, an alternative to conventional chemotherapy, and works on cleaning up water through photochemistry.

Abra is a contemporary Filipino rapper and a prominent figure in the Philippine hip-hop scene. He is known for his unique style blending rap with local musical influences.

An American-Senegalese singer, songwriter, and producer, Akon rose to global fame in the 2000s with worldwide hits blending R&B, pop, and African influences. He is also an entrepreneur, most notably through his project to bring electricity to Africa.

British singer and songwriter born in 1983, Amy Winehouse is celebrated for her deep, distinctive voice and her style blending soul, jazz, and R&B. Her album *Back to Black* (2006) earned her five Grammy Awards in a single night. She died at the age of 27 in 2011, joining the infamous 27 Club.

Icelandic singer, composer, and artist born in 1965 in Reykjavík, pioneer of experimental electronic music and avant-garde pop. She is also an actress, awarded at Cannes in 2000 for Dancer in the Dark.

Italian mezzo-soprano born in 1966 in Rome, Cecilia Bartoli is one of the greatest opera singers of her generation. A specialist in baroque and classical repertoire, she has brought to light many forgotten works by Vivaldi, Salieri, and Agostino Steffani.

Daft Punk was a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. A major figure of the French touch movement, the group—famous for its robot helmets—left a profound mark on electronic music worldwide before disbanding in 2021.

Iggy Azalea is an Australian rapper, songwriter, and model born in 1990. Having left for the United States at 16, she made her mark on American rap with her hit “Fancy” in 2014, becoming one of the few non-American female artists to break through in the genre.

Kaija Saariaho (1952-2023) was a Finnish composer and pioneer of spectral and electroacoustic music. Based in Paris, she collaborated with IRCAM and composed major works including the opera L'Amour de loin (2000).

Kelly Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to fame as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, and later pursued a solo career and television personality work.

American singer, rapper, and producer, Lauryn Hill is one of the defining figures of neo-soul and hip-hop from the 1990s–2000s. Her debut solo album 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' (1998) won five Grammy Awards and remains a landmark record worldwide.

Lucy Durán is a British ethnomusicologist, producer and radio presenter, a specialist in the music of West Africa, particularly Mali. Her work is authoritative on the Mande griots and singers such as Siramori Diabaté.

American singer and songwriter born in 1969, Mariah Carey is one of the best-selling artists in history with over 200 million albums sold. Known for her exceptional five-octave vocal range and whistle register, she dominated the American charts throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

An American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer, Missy Elliott is a pioneer of hip-hop and R&B. She revolutionized the 1990s–2000s with avant-garde music videos and a unique musical style blending rap, funk, and electronica.

Nicki Minaj is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter of Trinidadian descent, born in 1982. A major figure in 2010s hip-hop, she established herself as one of the most influential and best-selling female rappers of her generation.

Sati is a contemporary Lithuanian singer. She is part of the Baltic music scene, bringing Lithuanian musical culture to the international stage.

Solange Knowles is an American singer, songwriter, and producer, a leading figure in alternative R&B and contemporary soul music. The younger sister of Beyoncé, she has established herself as a avant-garde artist celebrated for her album A Seat at the Table (2016).

Tegan and Sara Quin are Canadian twin sisters, musicians, and LGBTQ+ activists. Formed in Calgary in 1995, their indie pop duo evolved toward accessible synthpop, earning them international recognition.

Tinariwen is a Tuareg music group formed in 1979 in the refugee camps of the Sahara. Pioneers of the “desert blues,” they blend electric guitars with Tuareg tradition, and won a Grammy Award in 2012.

Unsuk Chin (born 1961 in Seoul) is a South Korean composer of contemporary classical music. A student of György Ligeti in Hamburg, she has established herself as one of the most original voices in contemporary art music, blending Korean influences with the European avant-garde.

A researcher in letters and humanities, Ana García conducts academic work in the field of human and literary sciences. Identified by her ORCID, she contributes to contemporary international research.

Japanese novelist born in 1964, Banana Yoshimoto is world-renowned for her novel Kitchen (1988). Her work sensitively explores solitude, grief, and inner healing.

Nigerian writer

Christina Lamb is a British journalist and writer, born in 1965, specializing in war reporting. A renowned foreign correspondent, she has covered Afghanistan, Pakistan, and many other conflicts, and co-wrote the memoir 'I Am Malala' with Malala Yousafzai.

Dierk Lange is a German historian and Africanist specializing in the pre-colonial history of West Africa, particularly the Kanem-Bornu Empire and the peoples of the Lake Chad basin. His work explores hypothetical links between West Africa and the ancient Near East.

South Korean novelist born in 1970, Han Kang is one of the most important voices in contemporary Asian literature. Her work explores violence, traumatic memory, and the fragility of the human body. She is the first Asian author to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer born in 1949, one of the most widely translated contemporary novelists in the world. His work blends realism and the fantastic, exploring the loneliness and unease of the individual in modern Japan.

Isabel Allende is a Chilean novelist born in 1942, considered one of the most widely read Hispanic authors in the world. Her work blends magical realism, political history, and women's destinies. Her first novel, The House of the Spirits (1982), brought her international fame.

J.K. Rowling is a British novelist born in 1965, author of the Harry Potter saga (1997-2007), one of the best-selling literary series in history. A single mother at the time she wrote the first volume, she became a major figure in children's and young adult literature worldwide.

Mo Yan, the pen name of Guan Moye, is a Chinese novelist and short story writer born in 1955 in Shandong. A major figure in contemporary Chinese literature, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2012 for a body of work blending magic realism, folk tales, and the history of rural China.

Polish novelist born in 1962, laureate of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature. Her work explores collective memory, identity, and the boundaries between living beings through fragmented and mythical narratives.

British-American writer of Indian origin born in 1947, a major figure in English-language postcolonial literature. Known worldwide for his novels blending magical realism with the history of India, as well as for the fatwa issued against him after the publication of The Satanic Verses.

A pioneering American playwright, Suzan-Lori Parks was the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, for *Topdog/Underdog* in 2002. Her work explores African-American identity, collective memory, and history through experimental and poetic language.

Tahar Ben Jelloun is a French-Moroccan writer and poet born in 1944 in Fès. A French-language author, he explores exile, immigration, and the condition of Maghrebi societies. He received the Prix Goncourt in 1987 for The Sacred Night.

Tracy Chevalier is an American novelist born in 1962 and based in London. She is known worldwide for her historical novel *Girl with a Pearl Earring* (1999), inspired by Vermeer's painting and adapted for film in 2003.

Vikram Seth is an English-language Indian writer and poet born in 1952. He is world-renowned for his vast novel *A Suitable Boy* (1993), a sweeping portrait of post-independence India. His work blends poetry, the verse novel, and travel writing.

Yan Lianke is a contemporary Chinese novelist born in 1958 in Henan province. A leading figure of social satire, he is known for his critical works—often censored in China—that blend raw realism with grotesque absurdity.

French playwright, novelist, and actress born in 1959, Yasmina Reza made her mark with *Art* (1994), a philosophical comedy about friendship and the value of art. Her plays, translated into more than 35 languages, sharply examine the cracks in human relationships and social hypocrisies.

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese visual artist and activist, a leading figure in contemporary art. Known for his monumental installations and politically engaged works, he denounces human rights abuses and censorship by the Chinese regime, which earned him surveillance, imprisonment, and exile.

British director, screenwriter, and editor born in 1973, Andrew Haigh is acclaimed for his intimate films exploring human relationships and LGBTQ+ identity. He is best known for Weekend (2011) and 45 Years (2015).

Anish Kapoor is a British sculptor of Indian origin, born in 1954 in Bombay. A major figure in contemporary art, he is renowned for his monumental sculptures that play with space, color, emptiness, and perception. He notably created Chicago's "Cloud Gate."

Icelandic singer, composer, and artist born in 1965 in Reykjavík, pioneer of experimental electronic music and avant-garde pop. She is also an actress, awarded at Cannes in 2000 for Dancer in the Dark.

Cindy Sherman is an American photographer born in 1954 and a major figure in contemporary art. Famous for her staged self-portraits in which she disguises herself and embodies a wide range of characters, she questions female stereotypes and the construction of identity through images.

Damien Hirst is a British visual artist born in 1965, a leading figure of the Young British Artists (YBA) movement. He is famous for his provocative works exploring death, science and the value of art, including animals preserved in formaldehyde.

Jafar Panahi is an Iranian filmmaker born in 1960, a major figure in contemporary auteur cinema. A multiple award winner at the great film festivals, he was banned by the regime from making films and from leaving Iran, becoming a symbol of creative freedom.

Kara Walker is an African American artist born in 1969, famous for her cut-out black paper silhouettes that stage, with violence and irony, the history of slavery and racism in the United States. Her work questions memory, power, and racial representations.

Kerry James Marshall is an American painter born in 1955, famous for his large canvases depicting figures with deep black skin. His work reinserts Black figures into the great tradition of Western painting, from which they had historically been absent.

Danish-Icelandic contemporary artist born in 1967, famous for his immersive installations playing on light, color, water and perception. His work questions the viewer's relationship to nature and the environment.

Quentin Tarantino is an American director, screenwriter, producer, and actor born in 1963. A major figure in American independent cinema, he is famous for his highly personal style blending sharp dialogue, stylized violence, fractured storytelling, and tributes to popular genres.

Ruth Hogben is a British director and video artist born in 1982, specializing in fashion. A former assistant to photographer Nick Knight, she has established herself as a leading figure in experimental fashion film and in art direction for music videos and runway shows.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an Indian director, producer, and composer born in 1963, a major figure of Bollywood cinema. He is renowned for his sumptuous romantic epics, with their opulent staging and keen visual sense.

Tracey Emin is a British contemporary artist and a leading figure of the Young British Artists. Her deeply autobiographical work explores intimacy, sexuality and personal suffering through installation, neon, drawing and embroidery.

Wangechi Mutu is a Kenyan-American visual artist born in 1972 in Nairobi. She is famous for her monumental collages, sculptures, and installations that explore the Black female body, post-colonialism, and African identity.

Wes Anderson is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer born in 1969 in Texas. Recognizable by his highly codified visual style — symmetry, pastel palettes, and meticulous framing — he is the author of bittersweet comedies that have become cult classics.

Yinka Shonibare is a British visual artist of Nigerian descent, born in 1962. He is famous for his installations and sculptures using wax fabric — that colorful cloth associated with Africa but with complex colonial origins — to question identity, colonialism, and cultural hybridity.

Abra is a contemporary Filipino rapper and a prominent figure in the Philippine hip-hop scene. He is known for his unique style blending rap with local musical influences.

British singer and songwriter born in 1983, Amy Winehouse is celebrated for her deep, distinctive voice and her style blending soul, jazz, and R&B. Her album *Back to Black* (2006) earned her five Grammy Awards in a single night. She died at the age of 27 in 2011, joining the infamous 27 Club.

American actress born in 1982, Anne Hathaway has established herself as one of Hollywood's biggest stars. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2013 for her portrayal of Fantine in Les Misérables.

Japanese novelist born in 1964, Banana Yoshimoto is world-renowned for her novel Kitchen (1988). Her work sensitively explores solitude, grief, and inner healing.

Fan Bingbing is a Chinese actress and film producer, considered one of the most famous and highest-paid stars in Asia. She rose to meteoric fame before becoming embroiled in a tax scandal in 2018.

Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress, producer and former model, born in 1985. Brought to prominence by the Fast & Furious saga and then known worldwide for her role as Wonder Woman, she is one of the major figures of Hollywood superhero cinema.

American director born in 1951, Kathryn Bigelow became in 2010 the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director for The Hurt Locker. A pioneer of action cinema, she explores war and violence with striking documentary-style realism.

An American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer, Missy Elliott is a pioneer of hip-hop and R&B. She revolutionized the 1990s–2000s with avant-garde music videos and a unique musical style blending rap, funk, and electronica.

Sati is a contemporary Lithuanian singer. She is part of the Baltic music scene, bringing Lithuanian musical culture to the international stage.

Tegan and Sara Quin are Canadian twin sisters, musicians, and LGBTQ+ activists. Formed in Calgary in 1995, their indie pop duo evolved toward accessible synthpop, earning them international recognition.

Tinariwen is a Tuareg music group formed in 1979 in the refugee camps of the Sahara. Pioneers of the “desert blues,” they blend electric guitars with Tuareg tradition, and won a Grammy Award in 2012.

Catherine Malabou, born in 1959, is a French philosopher and a student of Jacques Derrida. She developed the concept of “plasticity,” bringing together continental philosophy, neuroscience, and politics.

American philosopher, theologian, and public intellectual, a major figure of African-American pragmatism. A professor at Harvard and Princeton, he brings together philosophical thought, social critique, and a commitment to racial justice.

Geneviève Fraisse, born in 1948, is a French philosopher and historian of feminist thought. A research director at the CNRS, she made gender equality and the genealogy of women's emancipation a genuine philosophical subject.

Anglo-Ghanaian philosopher born in 1954, professor at New York University, specializing in ethics, identity, and cosmopolitanism. He advocates an ethics of obligations toward all human beings, beyond national and cultural borders.

American philosopher born in 1947, professor of law and ethics at the University of Chicago. Together with the economist Amartya Sen, she developed the capabilities approach, which measures human development by the real freedoms available to individuals. She is one of the leading voices in contemporary moral and political philosophy.

An American sociologist and feminist, Patricia Hill Collins is one of the leading theorists of Black feminist thought. She developed the concept of intersectionality as applied to the relationships between race, gender, and social class.

Iranian lawyer and human rights activist, she is the first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. She defends the rights of women, children, and political prisoners in Iran, at the risk of her own freedom.

Slovenian philosopher and essayist born in 1949, a major figure of contemporary critical thought. He blends Lacanian psychoanalysis, German idealism (Hegel) and Marxism to analyze ideology, popular culture and globalized capitalism.

Senegalese philosopher and historian of science born in 1955, professor at Columbia University. A specialist in Islamic philosophy, the history of mathematics, and African thought, he is a leading figure in intercultural dialogue and in translation as a philosophical method.

First Iranian woman and first private space tourist to travel to space in 2006. An Iranian-American businesswoman, she funded the Ansari X Prize to encourage space tourism.

Swiss psychiatrist and aeronaut born in 1958, Bertrand Piccard completed the first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight in 1999. He then became the driving force behind Solar Impulse, the solar-powered aircraft that completed the first fuel-free circumnavigation of the globe in 2015–2016.

An American astronaut and chemist, Catherine Coleman completed three spaceflights, including a 159-day stay aboard the International Space Station in 2010–2011. A US Air Force officer, she contributed to scientific experiments in microgravity.

Ellen Ochoa is an American engineer and astronaut, the first woman of Hispanic origin to travel into space in 1993. A specialist in optical systems, she flew four missions aboard the space shuttle and later directed NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Dutch sailor born in 1995, Laura Dekker became in 2012 the youngest person to complete a solo circumnavigation by sailboat, at just 16 years old. Her 518-day voyage aboard her sailboat Guppy took her around the globe, departing from the Netherlands.

An American long-distance swimmer, Lynne Cox set world records by crossing some of the coldest and most dangerous waters on Earth. She is best known for her 1987 crossing of the Bering Sea, swimming from Alaska to the USSR at the height of the Cold War.

An extreme South African-Swiss adventurer born in 1966, Mike Horn is one of the most daring explorers of our time. He has completed unprecedented expeditions in the most hostile regions of the globe, including a solo circumnavigation of the world without motorized assistance.

An American NASA astronaut, Peggy Whitson is the woman who has spent the most time in space (665 cumulative days). She commanded the International Space Station on two separate occasions.

Honduran environmental activist of Lenca origin, co-founder of COPINH (Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras). Winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015, she was assassinated in 2016 for her fight against the Agua Zarca dam.

Mata Amritanandamayi, nicknamed “Amma” (the Mother), is an Indian spiritual figure born in 1953 in Kerala. Known for the embraces (darshan) she has given to millions of people, she leads a vast humanitarian and spiritual movement.

Tenzin Palmo, born Diane Perry in 1943 in London, is a Tibetan Buddhist nun of the Drukpa Kagyü school. She is famous for having spent twelve years on meditation retreat in a cave in the Himalayas, three of them in strict seclusion.