Hamida A. Alireza is a founding member of the Mansoojat Foundation. Born in the US and educated in Switzerland, she now lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In 1987, Hamida co-founded The Barakat Trust, a UK registered charity devoted to the study and preservation of Islamic art and heritage, which to date has offered scholarships and research funding to over 700 grantees across the globe. With The Barakat, she has organised cultural and educational trips to Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt. Hamida co-organised the History of Islamic Art, Collectors, Collections and Scholars’ conference at the V&A Museum, London, and has curated several exhibitions on Middle Eastern art and costumes, including ‘World cultures Through Traditional Costumes’ for the Singapore National Heritage Board. In addition to traditional costumes, Hamida’s interest include contemporary ceramics, Islamic art and calligraphy.