Interesting Facts About Qatar's Sheikha Moza

One of the world's most elegant women, Sheikha Moza, is the wife of former ruler Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and mother of Qatar's current emir. Here’s everything you need to know about her.

Royal and Personal Background

• Sheikha Moza was born in Qatar but grew up in Egypt and Kuwait.
• She returned to Qatar in 1977, at the age of 18, to marry Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, a member of Qatar’s royal family.
• She is the second of Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani’s three wives.

National Vision and Social Reforms

• Her Majesty Sheikha Moza bint Nasser plays a crucial role in advancing Qatar's National Vision, aiming to transform the country into a vibrant, knowledge-based society by 2030.
• She has been at the forefront of social and educational reforms in Qatar for over 15 years.

Educational Background

• Sheikha Moza holds a sociology degree from Qatar University.
• She has received honorary doctorates from Virginia Commonwealth University, Texas A&M University, Carnegie Mellon University, Imperial College London, and Georgetown University.

Fashion Icon

• She is widely regarded as the most fashionable woman in the Middle East.
• Sheikha Moza was named to the International Best Dressed List in 2015 and is often compared to “the Babe Paley of the Middle East.”

Awards and Recognitions

• Sheikha Moza has been honored with numerous awards, including the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy and the George Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service in 2013.
• In June 2009, she was admitted into the prestigious French organization, the Academie des Beaux Arts de l'Institut de France.
• She received the renowned Chatham House Award in 2007 for her contributions to global understanding.

Influence in Business

• The sheikha’s love for fashion has influenced business decisions, such as the Qatari royal family's purchase of London’s iconic Harrods department store for $1.7 billion in 2010 and Italy’s legendary Valentino fashion house for over $857 million in 2012.

Global Education Advocate

• Sheikha Moza actively supports global education through her roles with the United Nations (UN).
• In 2003, she was appointed as UNESCO’s Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education.
• In 2012, she became a Steering Committee Member of the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative.

Leadership Roles

• Sheikha Moza is the Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), a private non-profit organization founded in 1995.
• She served as the Vice Chair of the Supreme Council of Health from 2009-2014 and the Vice Chair of the Supreme Education Council from 2006-2012.
• She chairs the Sidra Medical and Research Centre, envisioned to become a leading institution for women and children’s specialty care.

Power and Influence

• Forbes magazine named her the 79th most powerful woman in the world in 2007, boosting her status among Arab women.
• In 2011, Sheikha Moza placed second on Vanity Fair’s International Best Dressed Women's list.

From her commitment to educational reforms and global advocacy to her influence in the fashion and business world, Sheikha Moza continues to leave an indelible mark on Qatar and beyond.

 

 

 

 

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