1) Top Pick (most “universal” hope icon)

Malala Yousafzai (girls’ and women’s right to education)

• Why Malala? Youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2014), still actively advancing girls’ education worldwide. Her story and ongoing work are widely resonant across political and religious spectra—ideal for a broad, global readership. She also operates through a nonprofit (Malala Fund), so the media gateway is clear.

• Official interview/media route: Malala Fund newsroom & media materials; press inquiries via press@malalafund.org. General inquiries via the site’s contact form.

 

Cover/lead-angle suggestion:
“How one person’s courage can drive structural change—ten years of turning the ‘right to attend school’ into a global norm.”

2) Alternate candidates (by domain) + official routes

Humanitarian relief / disaster response

• José Andrés — Founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK). Pioneered the on‑site emergency meal model; delivered hundreds of millions of meals in crises. Interview/resources: WCK media resources page, founder bio.

Survivor advocacy & peace

• Denis Mukwege — 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. Founder of Panzi Hospital (DRC); surgical and holistic care for survivors of sexual violence. Route: Panzi Foundation/ Hospital press or admin contacts.

• Nadia Murad — 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. Yazidi survivor advocate; reconstruction and justice work. Press: Nadia’s Initiative (press@nadiasinitiative.org).

Public health & science (pandemic lessons)

• Katalin Karikó & Drew Weissman — 2023 Nobel (Physiology/Medicine) for the mRNA discovery that underpins COVID‑19 vaccines. Route: University communications (UPenn; University of Szeged) or Nobel press references.

Criminal justice & human dignity

• Bryan Stevenson — Founder, Equal Justice Initiative (EJI): exonerations, excessive sentence remedies, museum & memorial. Route: EJI contact/press.

Women & nonviolent peacebuilding

• Leymah Gbowee — 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. Led Liberian women’s nonviolent movement for peace. Route: Foundation/office media channel.

Child rights / ending exploitation

• Kailash Satyarthi — 2014 Nobel Peace Prize (co‑laureate with Malala). Global campaign against child labor. Route: Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (India/US) media contacts.

Climate & youth action

• Greta Thunberg — Sparked “Fridays for Future.” Route: FFF press channel.

Oceans & environmental tech

• Boyan Slat — Founder, The Ocean Cleanup. Press: press@theoceancleanup.com.

Literacy & community (culture & philanthropy)

• Dolly Parton — “Imagination Library” has mailed millions of free books to children. Route: Foundation/media center.

Public diplomacy (Korea connection)

• Ban Ki‑moon — Co‑chair, Ban Ki‑moon Centre (women & youth empowerment, SDGs). Route: Centre communications for media/collaboration.

3) Story angles built around “events/projects” (useful when interviews are hard)

1. mRNA innovation & pandemic response — How Karikó/Weissman’s discovery reshaped global public health.

2. “The power of a hot meal” in disasters — WCK’s on‑site meal model and scale of impact.

3. Institutionalizing women’s and children’s rights — Symbolism and policy ripple effects from Malala & Satyarthi.

4. Survivor‑centered reconstruction — The Mukwege–Murad frame linking medical care, justice, and community recovery.

5. Child hunger & citizen action — UK #EndChildFoodPoverty as a case of athlete‑led coalition building.

6. Collective problem‑solving at sea — The Ocean Cleanup’s tech + citizen participation model.

4) Outreach Playbook (practical steps)

1. Define your story mission in one sentence that shows hope in action — e.g., “The right to attend school → lived experience → policy shift.”

2. Create a one‑page pitch brief: outlet (circulation/audience), placement (cover/feature/interview), five questions, desired format (video/written), internal deadline.

3. Contact via official channels first: foundation/organization press pages or secretariat emails (listed above). You can run a parallel track through reputable speakers’ bureaus where appropriate.

4. Offer three options (give them a choice):

   • Short written Q&A (5 questions)

   • Message (100–150 words) formatted as a greeting or statement

   • Permission to quote from an existing speech/op‑ed with exact sourcing

5. Fallback path if principal declines: Interview the program lead / field partner (e.g., a WCK field chef, an EJI attorney, a KSCF campaign manager) to keep the story grounded.

6. Fact & legal checks: Verify awards, titles, and numbers against official sites (Nobel pages, organizational annual reports) before copy‑edit.

5) Common interview questions (ready to use)

1. Is the “hope” you talk about a feeling—or a skill?

2. After failure or tragedy, what single action got you moving again?

3. What’s the most underrated task in your work (invisible but essential)?

4. How does personal goodwill become structural change?

5. What new fact or shift in your thinking did you learn in the last year?

6. Your top principles for handling criticism or misunderstanding?

7. Which metrics do you use to show impact?

8. How do you protect survivor/participant agency while offering help?

9. What role do art/culture/faith play in your work?

10. What small action can a reader take this week?

11. What skills/learning pathway do you recommend for youth?

12. Complete this sentence: “Hope is the art of ____.”

6) Article template (for both people and project stories)

• Lead (3–4 sentences): Open with a scene—sound, space, concrete action.

• Nut graf: Why this story now (context, significance, one or two numbers).

• Body 1: Define the problem from the perspective of those affected.

• Body 2: The solution model (organization/policy/tech) + outcome metrics.

• Body 3: Limits, critiques, and how they’re addressed.

• Closing: Invite the next action (readers’ participation / donation / petition / learning).

• Fact box: Timeline, awards, official links (one‑line summaries with clear sources).

7) Pitch email template (short version)

 

Subject: Interview/Message Request — Hope Rising World “Icons of Hope” Feature
Dear [Title + Last Name],
Hope Rising World is a nonprofit magazine showcasing hope in action around the world. We respectfully request either a short written Q&A (5 questions) or a 100–150‑word message from [Malala/Dr. Mukwege/José Andrés …] for our upcoming feature. Audience: [brief description]. Placement: [cover/feature].
We’ve attached the questions and context. We will publish only the final, officially approved text from your office.
Thank you very much,
[Name / Title / Contact / Web]

8) Today’s action checklist

• (1) Lock the cover subject: Malala as #1, with 2–3 alternates (e.g., Mukwege, José Andrés).

• (2) Finish a one‑page pitch brief (Korean + English).

• (3) Send first‑round requests via the official press channels (in order of priority; avoid mass‑mailing).

• (4) Secure backup sources: schedule interviews with program leads/field partners.

• (5) Draft two article skeletons using the template: Interview‑led version and research‑driven version.

Reference (official sources & routes to verify facts/contact)

• Malala: Nobel Prize profile; Malala Fund newsroom/press.

• WCK / José Andrés: Organizational overview, founder bio, media resources.

• Denis Mukwege: Nobel profile; Panzi Foundation/Hospital.

• Nadia Murad: UN and Nadia’s Initiative press contact.

• Karikó & Weissman: 2023 Nobel press release/summary.

• Bryan Stevenson / EJI: Organization site and contact.

• Leymah Gbowee: Nobel press materials/biography.

• Kailash Satyarthi: Foundation contact (India/US).

• Greta Thunberg / FFF: Movement info & press channel.

• The Ocean Cleanup / Boyan Slat: Press contact.

• Dolly Parton / Imagination Library: Media center/foundation contact.

• Ban Ki‑moon: Ban Ki‑moon Centre communications.