Biography
Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser plays a key role in supporting the country’s National Vision – a far-reaching agenda to transform Qatar into a thriving, knowledge-based society by 2030. For more than 15 years, Sheikha Moza has been a driving force behind education and social reforms in her country. Sheikha Moza is also active on the international stage, spearheading projects to promote peace and human development throughout the world.
Domestically, she serves as Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), a private non-profit organisation founded in 1995. Its flagship project is Education City, which covers over 14 million square metres and houses branch campuses of renowned international universities and institutions. QF is also engaged in numerous scientific research and economic and social development projects. In addition to her work at Qatar Foundation, Sheikha Moza served as the Vice Chair of the Supreme Council of Health from 2009-2014 and as the Vice Chair of the Supreme Education Council from 2006-2012. In these roles, she has helped enact major top-down reforms of Qatar’s public schools and healthcare system. More recently, she chairs the Sidra Medical and Research Centre, a new training and research hospital that is envisaged to become a leading institution for women and children’s specialty care.
On a regional and international level, Sheikha Moza has launched multiple projects including the International Fund for Higher Education in Iraq, the Silatech initiative to address the growing challenge of youth employment in the Middle East and North Africa, and Education Above All (EAA), a global initiative that aims to bring new life chances and real hope and opportunities to poor and marginalised children, youth and women in the developing world. EAA is carrying out its objectives through a number of existing programmes such as Educate a Child (EAC), Protecting Education in Insecurity and Conflict (PEIC) and Al-Fakhoora.
Sheikha Moza plays an active role with the United Nations (UN) to support global education. In 2003, she was appointed as UNESCO’s Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education; in 2008 she was appointed by the Secretary General of the UN as Alliance of Civilizations (AOC) Ambassador; and in 2010 she became a member of the UN Millennium Development Goals Advocacy Group with a special emphasis on Goal 2 – universal primary education. In 2012 she was appointed as a Steering Committee Member of the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative.
Among Sheikha Moza’s many honours are the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy and the George Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service in 2013. In June 2009, she was inducted into the Academie des Beaux Arts de l’Institut de France (Academy of Fine Arts of the Institute of France), the prestigious French society that generates awareness of the arts through education and helps develop artistic relationships on an international level. In 2007, Sheikha Moza was presented the prestigious Chatham House Award for her contributions to improving international relations.
Sheikha Moza graduated from Qatar University with a degree in sociology and has been awarded honorary doctorates from Virginia Commonwealth University, Texas A&M University, Carnegie Mellon University, Imperial College London and Georgetown University.
Vision
Her Highness Sheikha Moza believes that the character and potential of the Qatari people is the nation’s most valuable asset. Her vision is for the Qatari people to secure their future in the global marketplace by building a knowledge-based economy at home, while remaining rooted in their deep cultural and religious heritage.
Her Highness’s ambition is to enable the Qatari people to access quality education and healthcare, supported by social development. She extends this vision to her global work and initiatives which advocate for access to quality education and quality healthcare as a right for all that can lead the world to a new future of prosperity and peaceful coexistence.
Roles
» Chair, Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF)
Qatar Foundation was established in 1995 and is playing a central role in Qatar’s transformation into a knowledge-based society through unlocking human potential.
» Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
In 2003, Sheikha Moza was appointed as UNESCO’s Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education in recognition of her ongoing work in education.
» Advocate, United Nations Millennium Development Goals
In June 2010, Sheikha Moza was invited by the United Nations Secretary General to be a member of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Advocacy Group with a special focus on Millennium Development Goal number 2 –universal primary education. Presently, she also is the co-leader of the Education and Health cluster of this group.
» Member of the Steering Committee of the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative
In September 2012, Sheikha Moza joined the Secretary General of the United Nations in New York, in her capacity as a member of the UN Millennium Development Goals Advocacy Group, in launching the Global Education First Initiative. The initiative aims to put every child in school, improve the quality of learning, and foster global citizenship.
» Ambassador, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
In 2005, Sheikha Moza was invited to be part of the High Level Group of the Alliance of Civilization (AOC), a group launched by the United Nations Secretary General to foster intercultural dialogue. Subsequently, she was appointed as Alliance of Civilizations Ambassador.
» Chair, Silatech
Launched in 2008 to address the critical and growing issue of youth unemployment in the Arab world, Silatech connects young people with employment and enterprise opportunities and promotes job creation and training.
» Chair, Education Above All
Education Above All is a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve access to high quality education for vulnerable and marginalized people in the developing world.
» Chair of the Board of Trustees, Arab Democracy Foundation
Founded in 2007, the Doha-based Arab Democracy Foundation supports citizens’ initiatives across the Middle East by strengthening their institutional capacities and promoting democratic values.
» Founder, Shafallah Centre for Children with Special Needs
Founded in 1999, the Shafallah Centre offers special education and cutting-edge therapeutic care for children in Qatar with disabilities.
» Chair, Sidra Medical and Research Centre
Announced in 2004, the Sidra Medical & Research Centre, due to open in 2015 and backed by a $7.9 billion endowment, is envisaged to be one of the world’s leading centre’s for medical training, research and treatment related to women and children’s health.
» Chair, World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH)
The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is a high-profile initiative that aims to promote and facilitate innovation in the delivery of healthcare around the globe through an international network of health reformers.
» Chair, World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE)
The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) is an international, multi-sectoral platform for creative thinking, debate and purposeful action in order to build the future of education through innovation.
Former:
Chair, Supreme Council for Family Affairs, 1998-1999
Founded in 1998, the Supreme Council for Family Affairs plays an important role in policies and legislation that affect families.
Vice Chair, Supreme Education Council, 2006-2012
Formed in 2002, the Supreme Education Council is responsible for directing Qatar’s education policy and developing and implementing Qatar’s education reform efforts.
Vice Chair, Supreme Council of Health, 2009-2014
Founded in 2009, the Supreme Council of Health is working to build a national health system that is able to provide world-class care specific to the needs of the people of Qatar.
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