Her Royal Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser Al-Missned, the wife of the former Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, is a fashion icon regionally and globally and a keen philanthropist. The 63-year-old mother of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the current Emir of Qatar, is actively engaged in promoting education and other social reforms in Qatar and across the globe.
She is well known for serving as the Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF). The matriarch has also taken part in many key development projects, both nationally and internationally. Keep reading to learn all about her ground-breaking initiatives aimed at children, women and education.
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As Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation (QF), which was launched in 1995, Her Highness oversaw the flagship project Education City, an educational hub housing some of the world’s leading universities and institutions. The 12 square kilometre campus not only holds educational centres, but technology parks, start-up incubators, cultural institutions and heritage sites too. QF is furthermore engaged in numerous scientific research and social development projects. The foundation aims to transform Qatar into a knowledge-based society by tapping into the potential of its people.
In January 2003, Sheikha Moza was appointed UNESCO Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education due to her commitment and perseverance in the promotion of education. She works with the United Nations to support global education and has launched various projects with their coordination, such as the International Fund for Higher Education in Iraq in 2003 and the Reach Out to Asia Foundation in 2005, which promotes education in Asia and the Middle East.
It is clear that Sheikha Moza is a strong advocator for the global right to education. Her Highness once said, “… give me 10 reasons why educating the world’s out-of-school children can wait and I’ll give you 10 million reasons why it cannot.”
The Education Above All Foundation, launched in 2012 by Sheikha Moza, brings all her international programmes under one umbrella. These include Al-Fakhoora, Educate A Child, PEIC (Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict) and ROTA (Reach Out To Asia). As President of the foundation, Her Highness aims to reduce the number of children who are out of school and deliver quality education to the hardest-to-reach children. Her efforts are in hopes to start a global movement that focuses on areas affected by poverty, disaster and conflict.
In a 2022 interview with CNBC International TV, Sheikha Moza shared, “In 2012, I promised to educate 10 million children in 5 years. We achieved that in 6 years… but at least we achieved that.” In fact, Her Highness believes there is always more to do and new goals to reach, as she has previously concurred, “…it’s a mission in my life”.
Due to her ambitions and accomplishments, Sheikha Moza was awarded the George Bush Award for Excellence in 2013 and the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy that same year. Often referred to as the noble prize of philanthropy, the honour recognizes those who use their private wealth for the good of the public.
Besides her efforts to support global education, Sheikha Moza has been acclaimed for her fashionable sense of style and has even been dubbed by some as “the most elegant in the world.” Her modest and sophisticated style is renowned for its attention to detail and contemporary twist.
Sheikha Moza currently serves as the Honorary Chair of Fashion Trust Arabia, which was founded by Tania Fares and Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani with her patronage. The non-profit initiative, launched in 2018, is dedicated to “nurturing design talent across the MENA region.”
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