In late October, two women from the Gulf were honored for their significant contributions to the arts and culture of the region.

H.E. Shaikha Mai bin Mohammed Al Khalifa of Bahrain received the prestigious Watch Award at the World Monuments Fund’s Hadrian Gala on October 21 for her work in preserving Bahraini architectural and cultural heritage.

Shaikha Mai is currently the president of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and founder and president of the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Center for Culture and Research. She launched the nationwide “Invest in Culture” initiative, building an unprecedented partnership between the private and public sectors for heritage preservation, leading to the establishment of the Bahrain Fort Site Museum and the Bahrain National Theatre. In addition, Shaikha Mai champions youth capacity building programs in culture development, and has established Taa’ Al Shabab, a Bahraini youth forum for emerging talent in which cultural dialogue is cultivated.

Shaikha Mai is the first Arab to receive the Watch Award. The Watch Award was introduced in 2011 to honor individuals who exhibit an extraordinary commitment to historical preservation. She was honored at the Hadrian Gala alongside H.M. Queen Sofia of Spain.

America Abroad Media recognized Noura Al Kaabi of the United Arab Emirates at the 2015 Awards Dinner on October 28 for her efforts in media development in the UAE.

Noura Al Kaabi is the CEO of twofour54, which provides production facilities, training, and support services to Abu Dhabi’s growing media industry. Through her role as a CEO and a board member of numerous organizations, Al Kaabi works to enable a new generation of creative leaders and ensure a sustainable media industry that contributes culturally and economically to the UAE and the Middle East as a whole. She is currently chairwoman of the Emirates Media Measurement Company board and is board member of the UAE’s National Media Council, Abu Dhabi Media, Image Nation, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and the United Arab Emirates University.

Al Kaabi is the first UAE national to be ranked on Foreign Policy magazine’s Top 100 Global Thinkers list. In 2014, she was named as one of Forbes Middle East’s 30 Most Influential Women in Government; and was awarded Business Woman of the Year at the Gulf Business Industry Awards. She also received the Young Achiever Award at the AmCham Abu Dhabi’s Excellence Awards and was granted the Certificate of National Achievements Record in the category of Creativity and Excellence by the Emirates National Records Initiative. Al Kaabi was recognized for her work in expanding and sustaining the film and media industry of the UAE and the greater Middle East. She was honored alongside Turkish journalist Mithat Bereket and the films “Argo” and “Difret.”