“I am truly honoured, humbled and very proud to receive this award for something I love doing every day.” Words from community champion of Somaliland heritage Ali Abdi.
He has continually brought groups of young people from different communities together to take actions on issues important to them and was appointed the National Lead for Black, Asian, and Ethnic Minority Youth by Race Council Cymru following the 2018 Black History Month Wales celebration of Brilliant, Black and Welsh.
With Citizens Cymru Wales, Ali Abdi works with and empowers local residents in Butetown and surrounding area to become active citizens and leaders. He also creates opportunities while raising awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion.
For Cardiff University, Ali has been developing long-lasting, mutually beneficial and meaningful relationships between Cardiff University and communities in and around Grangetown with the Community Gateway project. Ali joined Cardiff University in 2015 and since then has grown a strong network across all Colleges and Professional Services in Cardiff University, Government representatives, third sector organisations, and individual community members.
Using sport as the catalyst, he has engaged young people in activities and brokered relationships between many notable national bodies to address health inequalities and making their sport accessible.
Ali Abdi received his British Empire Medal at City Hall in December from Her Majesty the Queen’s representative to South Glamorgan Lord-Lieutenant Mrs Morfudd Meredith for his work with BAME communities in Wales.
When it comes to Ali’s heritage and where his parent come from Somaliland, there is a noticeable Diaspora living here in Wales. Ali regularly raises the profile of Somaliland with Welsh Government, Hub Cymru Africa and the Wales 4 Africa programme. On 18th May 2020, on the anniversary of 30th Independence Day of Somaliland as a Republic, Ali managed to negotiate for the two iconic buildings in Cardiff to light up in the colours of Somaliland. Both Cardiff Castle and the Wales Millennium Centre together beamed in the colours of Somaliland and the gesture by Cardiff as a City and Wales as a Nation was well received in Somaliland and across Diaspora communities across the World as they shared images of Cardiff Castle and the WMC draping in Green, White and Red colours of the flag.
Ali continued to say: “My family are very proud of what I have achieved, and when I told my parents they was beaming with pride. I am so pleased that I am in a position everyday to serve my community and give help to people when they often have no one else to turn to. It’s an absolute privilege to have been honoured at a national level.”
