Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned: Focusing on What Is Important

Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned is the second wife of the Emir of the State of Qatar. However, her apparently restless spirit of reform and improvement go beyond her noble title turning her into a woman of action and not just a political figure. Sheikha Mozah has helped improve Qatar’s position in the world and the life of its citizens by promoting the improvement and acquisition of education, employment and social reform. As a current figure of power and reform, Sheikha Mozah has opened the fourth United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Forum for intercultural dialogue.

Information about Qatar

The State of Qatar is located in Western Asia, bordering with Saudi Arabia to the south and otherwise surrounded by the Persian Gulf. Formerly one of the poorest states in the Gulf, it has become one of the wealthiest of the region in less than half a century, and now is in the top of the world’s richest countries by Forbes. This growth is attributed mainly to the production and export of natural gas, oil and related industries, but after going through Sheikha Mozah’s collection of accomplishments one might start to guess there is much more hidden behind the swift economic growth.

Development in Education

Education in Qatar is receiving special attention worldwide after a series of actions were taken to place the country at the forefront of educational development. As the Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, Sheikha Mozah has a lot to do with it. This non-profit organization that Sheika Mozah leads aims to help and assist in the transformation of Qatar into a knowledge economy by developing human potential. To do this, the foundation focuses on education, science and research to foster further development in Qatar’s society and culture.

An example of these changes of Qatar’s educational approach taken into practice is Education City, a fourteen square kilometre educational facility and forum where universities can share their respective research. The driving force behind the creation of this educational centre in Qatar was Sheikha Mozah herself.

Sheikha Mozah is currently the Chair of Sidra Medical and Research Center, an organization that is expected to set new standards in patient care all over the world. But this medical centre will also allow for further improvements in Qatar’s education, given some of its missions are to provide valuable opportunities for research and learning, include leading international institutions in the process and develop new institutions at the same time. This center would therefore enhance and support two of the main service areas in any country or state: health and education.

The Importance of Family

As the President of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, Sheikha Mozah brings the family unit to the centre of the discussion. With the firm belief that the family is the basis for individual development and, therefore, for the development of Qatar, Sheikha Mozah presides over a council whose aim is to care for families, examine their realities to pinpoint their needs and to help them fulfil them. The key role is to preserve the family unit by helping families develop and by protecting its members. In this way, Sheikha Mozah works to ensure an appropriate support system for the development of Qatar’s citizens from the very moment of their birth.

Attention to Future Generations

As a leading figure in Qatar’s development, Sheikha Mozah has taken many measures to ensure that the future generations that will rule the State are prepared to do so. As the chairperson of Silatech since 2008, she has been creating job opportunities for young people all over the Arab world by providing a connection between these young Arabs and the employment offers.
As regards children, Sheikha Mozah was the driving force behind Al Jazeera Children’s Channel for children between the ages of seven and fifteen, intended to encourage learning and an urge for discovery to help develop the children’s minds. The channel does so by conscientiously studying its content and making sure that it is understood by the target audience and that it agrees with the cultural context they live in. In this way, the content children and teens are exposed to is both relevant and appropriate, ensuring the best acquisition of knowledge through such a pervasive source as is television.

Sheikha Mozah has certainly used her power and wealth to influence the life of thousands of people in Qatar and helped many others by setting a precedent and an example to follow. With so many economies collapsing all around the world, having an example of economic and social growth might help us keep our focus on what is really important to make it to the other end.

Sources:

Wikipedia Resources
Silatech
State of Qatar: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Sidra Medical and Research Center
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations