Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned
Encyclopedia
Sheikh
a Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, DBE
is the second of the three wives of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar.
in northern Qatar
. She is the daughter of Nasser bin Abdullah Al Missned (died in 2007), who was an opponent of Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdallah Al Thani, father of the current Emir. The family lived in exile in Egypt and Kuwait, but returned to Qatar for the Sheikha’s marriage. She married the Emir (at the time Heir Apparent) in 1977 at the age of 18, while she was attending Qatar University
. She received her BA
degree in Sociology
from there in 1986.
since 1995, Chairperson of Silatech
since 2008, Chairperson of the Arab Democracy Foundation
, President of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs since 1998. Also, she is Vice-President of the Supreme Education Council since 2002 and was UNESCO
's Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education in 2003. Currently, she serves as a member of the Board of Overseers for Weill Cornell Medical College. Besides this, she is also currently Chair of Sidra Medical and Research Center in Doha and the organisation "Your Link".
Unlike many other monarchical wives in the Middle East, Sheikha Mozah has been a high-profile figure in her nation's politics and society, actively involved in Qatar's government. She was a driving force behind Education City
and Al Jazeera Children's Channel
. Additionally, she has been named as one of Forbes' 100 Most Powerful Women at #74.
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
a Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, DBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is the second of the three wives of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar.
Early life and education
Sheikha Mozah was born in the coastal city Al KhorAl Khor
Al Khor is a coastal city in northern Qatar, located 50 kilometers north of the capital, Doha. The name of the city means creek in Arabic as the town is located on a creek...
in northern Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
. She is the daughter of Nasser bin Abdullah Al Missned (died in 2007), who was an opponent of Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdallah Al Thani, father of the current Emir. The family lived in exile in Egypt and Kuwait, but returned to Qatar for the Sheikha’s marriage. She married the Emir (at the time Heir Apparent) in 1977 at the age of 18, while she was attending Qatar University
Qatar University
Qatar University is a public university in Qatar, located on the northern outskirts of the capital Doha. In 2009 there were 8,221 students, of whom 73% were female. Courses are taught in Arabic or English . The university is the only government university in the country...
. She received her BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
from there in 1986.
Career
Sheikha Mozah is Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community DevelopmentQatar Foundation
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is a government-funded, chartered, non-profit organization in the state of Qatar, founded in 1995 by decree of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar and chaired by Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned...
since 1995, Chairperson of Silatech
Silatech
Silatech is a social enterprise established in 2008.Its mission is to address the growing need to create jobs and economic opportunities for young people by promoting large-scale job creation, entrepreneurship, and access to capital and markets for young people, starting first in the Arab world,...
since 2008, Chairperson of the Arab Democracy Foundation
Arab Democracy Foundation
The Arab Democracy Foundation is an independent international Arab civil society organization advocating democracy as a culture, a way of life, and the best system for good governance. ADF was established on May 27, 2007 at the initiative of Arab democracy advocates, and with support from the...
, President of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs since 1998. Also, she is Vice-President of the Supreme Education Council since 2002 and was UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education in 2003. Currently, she serves as a member of the Board of Overseers for Weill Cornell Medical College. Besides this, she is also currently Chair of Sidra Medical and Research Center in Doha and the organisation "Your Link".
Unlike many other monarchical wives in the Middle East, Sheikha Mozah has been a high-profile figure in her nation's politics and society, actively involved in Qatar's government. She was a driving force behind Education City
Education City
Education City is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Located on the outskirts of Doha, the capital of Qatar, Education City covers 14 square kilometers and houses educational facilities from school age to research level and branch campi of some of...
and Al Jazeera Children's Channel
Al Jazeera Children's Channel
Al Jazeera Children's Channel is a Pan-Arab edutainment channel addressing an audience between 7 and 15 years old. With the mission to encourage the love of learning and discovery, JCC is dedicated to create & provide quality programs that enlighten the child’s mind.This goal is realized by...
. Additionally, she has been named as one of Forbes' 100 Most Powerful Women at #74.
Titles and styles
- Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned (1959–1977)
- Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned (1977–present)
Honours
- Honorary Dame of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(DBE) (2010, UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) - Member of the Académie des Beaux-ArtsAcadémie des beaux-artsThe Académie des Beaux-Arts is a French learned society. It is one of the five academies of the Institut de France.It was created in 1795 as the merger of the:* Académie de peinture et de sculpture...
(2009, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) - Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian RepublicOrder of Merit of the Italian RepublicThe Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
(2007, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) - Doctor of Humane LettersDoctor of Humane LettersThe degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science, government, literature or religion, which are awarded degrees of Doctor of Science, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, or Doctor of...
(D.H.L.) from Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
(2003, Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
)
Family
She has seven children, five sons and two daughters:- H.H. Sheikh Jasim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-ThaniJasim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al ThaniSheikh Jasim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was the former heir apparent of Qatar. He is the third son of the current Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the first child of the Emir with his second wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned.-Education and career:Sheikh Jasim was...
– former Heir Apparent of Qatar - H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Crown Prince of Qatar – the current Heir Apparent
- H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-ThaniJoaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al ThaniSheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani is a close member of Royal House of Thani. He is the fifth son of the current Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the third child of the Emir with his second wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned.-Education and career:Sheikh Joaan...
- H.E. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- H.E. Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-ThaniAl-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-ThaniSheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani is the 14th child of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the current Emir of Qatar, and the eldest daughter of the Emir with his second wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned....
- H.E. Sheikha Hind bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.