A Saudi princess who is also a UN goodwill ambassador and a UAE artist have been awarded honorary doctorates by a UK university.
Princess Lamia bint Majid Al Saud and Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi were awarded the degrees by the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) on Friday at a ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall.
“We are honoured to welcome both Royal Highness Princess Lamia bint Majed Al Saud and Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi into our vibrant community here at the University for the Creative Arts,” said UCA Vice-Chancellor Bashir Makhoul.
“Their remarkable achievements exemplify the transformative potential of the arts and serve as beacons of inspiration, embodying the very essence of the values we strive to instil in our students,” Prof Makhoul said.
Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi is a driving force and advocate for the arts in the Middle East and worldwide.
She is the founder of the Sharjah Art Foundation, which supports artists and artistic practices in the UAE.
She has expanded the foundation's scope to include major international touring exhibitions and artist residencies for visual art, film and music.
She has also extended commissions and production grants for emerging artists.
Princess Lamia is an author, philanthropist, and the first UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Arab region.
She has been a champion of women’s equality in the Middle East and wider world.
In 2003 she set up the Sada Al Arab publishing company, which published three magazines and operated from Cairo, Beirut and Dubai.
Her novel, Children & Blood, published in 2010, addressed honour killings and women's rights in the Middle East.
In 2016 she was named secretary general of Alwaleed Philanthropies, which supports projects in more than 160 countries.
The honorary degrees recognise the women's outstanding dedication to the promotion of arts and commitment to strengthening cultural solidarity, UCA said.
UCA has previously awarded honorary doctorates to the street artist Banksy, fashion model Naomi Campbell, architect Sir Norman Foster, Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman and musician Bob Geldof.
