Sheikha Hussa Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah

Sheikha Hussa Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah will receive the Issam M. Fares Award for Excellence for 2017. Sheikha Hussa is the founder and director general of the Dar Al-Athar Al-Islammiyah (DAI), home to the world's largest collection of art and artifacts from Islamic societies and from pre-Islamic times in the Middle East. The DAI is a global leader in the protection of art from Islamic lands through preservation, public education, and cultural programs. During decades of inspired service, Sheikah Hussa has lectured on topics related to Islamic art and culture at universities and cultural institutions in the Middle East, Europe, North America, and Asia and has contributed to scholarly publications. She is also active in architectural preservation, working to ensure that traditional buildings in Bahrain and Egypt are protected and restored to the original design.