The award recognises the Qatari royal as a role model for women in the region and for her part in placing Arab art and culture on the forefront of the global stage.
The chairperson of Qatar Museums (QM), Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, has been awarded the ‘Arab Woman Leader of the Year 2023’ by the Arab Development Council for Women and Business (ADCWB).
The Qatari royal’s latest achievement was announced via X on Wednesday by the Qatari Embassy in Beirut. The award was received by the Qatari ambassador to Lebanon, Sheikh Saud bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, on her behalf.
Upon the announcement of the award, Sheikh Saud emphasised Qatar’s commitment to supporting Arab women and providing the tools for them to be active participants in building a better future.
Taking to X, Sheikha Al Mayassa expressed her gratitude to the council for the award and to the Qatari ambassador for receiving it on her behalf.
The president of the ADCWB, Iman Ghossain, lauded Sheikha Al Mayassa as “a unique model for Arab women” and praised her “tireless efforts” in preserving Qatari culture and amplifying the cultural heritage of the Arab world globally.
Ghossain also mentioned that the celebration of Sheikha Al Mayassa’s efforts was delayed due to the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip. This decision was made out of respect for the 36,586 Palestinian men, women and children killed by Israel’s eight-month indiscriminate onslaught.
Qatar’s public servant
On her Instagram profile, the Qatari royal describes herself as a “Public Servant 24/7/365”.
Her drive to enhance the Qatari arts and culture scene began in 2006 when she assumed the position of QM’s chairperson. Over the years, her initiatives have introduced the international community to the expansive world of Arab art and design, as well as the redefinition of the concept of creative spaces through public art campaigns.
QM’s portfolio of museums, galleries, creative spaces and heritage sites is immense – ranging from the National Museum of Qatar, the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), to Msheireb’s M7 and, among so many others, the Liwan Design Studios and Labs.
In 2022, at the relaunch of MIA, Sheikha Al Mayassa described its initial opening as a “transformational moment for Qatar”.
The museum opened in 2008 under her leadership and today stands as a creative force to bridge together different cultures through its centuries’ worth of artefacts – each narrating Islam’s global history through ceramics, textiles, glasswork, jewellery, manuscripts and metalwork.
While outside of the four walls of traditional museum and gallery spaces, QM has spearheaded initiatives to transform Qatar into an open creative space.
On June 1, QM and Liwan announced public art drives, inviting the region’s creatives to submit artwork proposals to adorn Qatar’s public spaces.
QM’s public art programme displays the creativity of local and international talent across the country. Some examples include Tom Claassen’s ‘Falcon‘ outside Hamad International Airport’s departure hall, to Qatari political ARToonist, Ghada Al Khater’s ‘A Blessing in Disguise’ installation on the façade of the Fire Station.
Other achievements by the Qatari royal include establishing the Doha Film Institute to promote Arab cinema and preserve the region’s storytelling traditions. Alongside Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and Tania Fares, Sheikha Al Mayassa also established Fashion Trust Arabia.
In a 2016 interview with Q Life magazine, she said her mission of leveraging the power of art and culture goes merely beyond building bridges. “Frankly, I want to do more than that,” she said. “I would like to break the walls of ignorance between East and West.”
