Her Highness Sheikha Hoor Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, has been appointed the 2025–2026 Ambassador Extraordinary for Arab Culture by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) in recognition of her transformative role in advancing contemporary art and fostering cultural exchange across the region and internationally.
The announcement was made during a ceremony held on 10 November 2025 in Africa Hall, Al Manakh, Sharjah in the presence of government officials, leaders and directors from various cultural institutions across Sharjah.
Through her leadership of Sharjah Art Foundation and numerous global initiatives, she has created platforms that amplify Arab voices, preserve cultural heritage and promote dialogue among diverse communities.
Speaking about her appointment, Her Highness Sheikha Hoor said: ‘I am deeply honoured to be appointed ALECSO Ambassador Extraordinary for Arab Culture. This recognition is a testament to the collective efforts of many individuals and institutions dedicated to nurturing, promoting and preserving our shared cultural heritage. I look forward to working closely with ALECSO to strengthen cultural dialogue and foster deeper understanding across the region and beyond.’
The ALECSO Ambassadors for Arab Culture Programme recognises distinguished Arab figures whose cultural and artistic contributions advance the organisation’s objectives and highlight the richness and diversity of Arab culture. Ambassadors serve as advocates for ALECSO’s mission across national, regional and international platforms, promoting values of creativity, peace and coexistence.
His Excellency Dr Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of ALECSO commented: ‘We look forward to working closely with Her Highness Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi to advance ALECSO’s cultural programmes and promote culture as a driver of sustainable development and shared values across the Arab world. This honour also reaffirms the UAE’s pioneering role in fostering Arab cultural cooperation and the universal values of peace, dialogue and tolerance.’
Her Highness Sheikha Hoor has directed the Sharjah Biennial since 2003, curating landmark exhibitions that foreground Arab and Global South narratives, including Sharjah Biennial 15 (2023) and Hassan Sharif: I Am The Single Work Artist (2017–2018). She also serves as President of The Africa Institute and the International Biennial Association, advancing cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration across regions. In 2023, she was named an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture in recognition of her contributions to the arts.
Sharjah Art Foundation is an advocate, catalyst and producer of contemporary art within the Emirate of Sharjah and the surrounding region, in dialogue with the international arts community. The Foundation advances an experimental and wide-ranging programmatic model that supports the production and presentation of contemporary art, preserves and celebrates the distinct culture of the region and encourages a shared understanding of the transformational role of art. The Foundation’s core initiatives include the long-running Sharjah Biennial, featuring contemporary artists from around the world; the annual March Meeting, a convening of international arts professionals and artists; grants and residencies for artists, curators and cultural producers; ambitious and experimental commissions and a range of travelling exhibitions and scholarly publications.
Established in 2009 to expand programmes beyond the Sharjah Biennial, which launched in 1993, the Foundation is a critical resource for artists and cultural organisations in the Gulf and a conduit for local, regional and international developments in contemporary art. The Foundation’s deep commitment to developing and sustaining the cultural life and heritage of Sharjah is reflected through year-round exhibitions, performances, screenings and educational programmes in the city of Sharjah and across the Emirate, often hosted in historic buildings that have been repurposed as cultural and community centres. A growing collection reflects the Foundation’s support of contemporary artists in the realisation of new work and its recognition of the contributions made by pioneering modern artists from the region and around the world.
Sharjah Art Foundation is a legally independent public body established by Emiri Decree and supported by government funding, grants from national and international nonprofits and cultural organisations, corporate sponsors and individual patrons. Hoor Al Qasimi serves as President and Director. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.
The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO) is a specialised institution based in Tunis, operating under the umbrella of the League of Arab States. It is primarily concerned with the development of education, culture and science across the Arab world.
ALECSO was established pursuant to Article 3 of the Arab Cultural Unity Charter, and its official founding was announced in Cairo on 25 July 1970.
According to Article One of the Organisation’s Constitution, ALECSO was created with the aim of ‘fostering intellectual unity throughout the Arab world through education, culture and science, and raising the educational, cultural and scientific standards within the Arab nation so that it may fulfil its duty to contribute to global civilisation and participate positively therein.’
In pursuit of this overall objective, ALECSO undertakes a wide range of missions, foremost among them: working to enhance human development in Arab countries; advancing educational, cultural, scientific, environmental and communication systems; promoting and developing the Arabic language; consolidating Arab-Islamic culture within the Arab world; and introducing it internationally through building bridges of dialogue and cooperation with other cultures around the globe.
Sharjah is the third largest of the seven United Arab Emirates, and the only one bridging the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Reflecting the deep commitment to the arts, architectural preservation and cultural education embraced by its ruler, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Sharjah is home to more than 20 museums and has long been known as the cultural hub of the United Arab Emirates. It was named UNESCO's Arab Capital of Culture for 1998 and the UNESCO World Book Capital for 2019.
Alyazeyah Al Marri
alyazeyah@sharjahart.org
+971 (0)6 5444113
Her Highness Sheikha Hoor Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, accepting her appointment as Ambassador Extraordinary for Arab Culture (2025–2026) from HE Dr Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization. Africa Hall, Sharjah, 2025. Image courtesy of Sharjah Art Foundation, 2025. Photo: Motaz Mawid