On November 10, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) announced Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi, president and director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, as its 2025–26 Ambassador Extraordinary for Arab Culture.

Established in 1970, ALECSO is a specialized institution based in Tunis that operates under the League of Arab States and supports educational, cultural, and scientific initiatives in the UAE. The organization’s Ambassadors for Arab Culture program honors influential Arab individuals whose artistic and cultural achievements embody ALESCO’s mission to enhance and promote the region’s diversity. 

Al-Qasimi was selected in recognition of her pivotal accomplishments, including numerous global initiatives as well as her leadership at the Sharjah Art Foundation, which organizes the Sharjah Biennial. Aside from serving as the president of the Africa Institute in Sharjah and the International Biennial Association, she is the artistic director of the ongoing sixth Aichi Triennale in Japan and the forthcoming Biennale of Sydney, which is slated to open in 2026. Earlier this year, she was honored with France’s Order of Arts and Letters.

Mohamed Ould Amar, director-general of ALECSO, noted in a press release that the organization is eager to work with Al-Qasimi to “advance ALECSO’s cultural programs.” He added that “this honor also reaffirms the UAE’s pioneering role in fostering Arab cultural cooperation and the universal values of peace, dialogue, and tolerance.” 

Al-Qasimi described her appointment as “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.”

Joan Yiquan Chen is an editorial intern at ArtAsiaPacific.