In remarks to Al Jazeera TV, Sheikha Mozah said that the award was granted in recognition of Qatar’s social development endeavours, especially in the education sector. “I stand here on behalf of the so many Qatari nationals, who, about 12 year ago, had the courage to embark on this path and to venture into various scopes of work, including education and are now still active in their fields of work,” Sheikha Mozah said.
“It is essential to set priorities. But education is no longer a luxury or a choice. It is a must,” Sheikha Mozah told the TV channel. “We have enough references and studies to take actual steps on the grounds in this respect.”
Sheikha Mozah is the first Arab personality and the world’s first ever woman to be awarded the Chatham House Prize 2007. The decision to award the prize to Sheikha Mozah was taken in a secret vote by a panel comprising world’s most respected personalities, including the former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan, the former US vice-president Al Gore, who was lately awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the UN Special Envoy to Kosovo Martti Ahtisaari and President of Liberia Elene-Johnson Sirleaf.