HH Sheikha Moza Awarded Honorary Doctorate

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The University of Johannesburg (UJ) Wednesday conferred a PhD Honoris Causa on Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation and Education Above All, in recognition of her work in defence of human rights, placing children's education at the centre of global policy, and investing in progress and social reform.

Coming days after South Africa's National Heritage Day, in a nation whose history embodies the defence of human dignity and freedom against oppression, the University conferred the honorary doctorate at its graduation ceremony, presided over by Professor Letlhokwa George Mpedi, vice-chancellor and principal.

The honorary doctorate was received on behalf of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser by Mubarak bin Nasser al-Khalifa, Qatar's ambassador to South Africa.

The university noted that the honour comes at a time of significant global disruption, in which the protection of human rights and access to education have become central to the pursuit of sustained peace and development, a cause to which few individuals have devoted themselves as consistently as Sheikha Moza bint blade-->

“The values that Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser embodies align with those of the University of Johannesburg, including visionary leadership in education, social justice, and a lifelong dedication to equity and sustainable progress. She has led numerous impactful initiatives that directly contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We are delighted to confer an honorary doctorate on Sheikha Moza for her profound global impact and for inspiring the UJ community and society at large,” said UJ vice-chancellor and principal, Professor Letlhokwa George Mpedi.

Al-Khalifa, receiving the honorary doctorate on Sheikha Moza bint Nasser's behalf, said:“Since the founding of Qatar Foundation in 1995 by the late Father Amir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser has built Education City into a hub for world-class universities and research institutions. In 2012, she founded Education Above All, whose efforts led to United Nations Security Council resolution 2601 (2021), the first to explicitly condemn attacks on schools, teachers and students, and to the establishment of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. Programmes under her leadership have since reached millions of children across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, including those displaced by conflict in Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine and several African states.

The university stated that the values embodied by Her Highness, her visionary leadership in education and her sustained dedication to equity, are examples of its founding core principles of inclusivity, transformation, accessibility, and academic excellence.

University of Johannesburg HH Sheikha Moza PhD Honoris Causa Qatar Foundation

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