Board of Trustees

HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa

Chairman

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa – the Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain – has been the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Isa Award for Service to Humanity ever since the award was instituted in 2009. He began his public service as a magistrate in 1961, and later in 1970, he was part of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission where he was involved in negotiations (with the United Kingdom and Iran) that led to Bahrain’s independence. He is a member of the Supreme Defence Council since 1973, and also served as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1971 to 2005. During his tenure as Minister, he was involved in negotiations for resolving the boundary and maritime disputes between Bahrain and Qatar. The International Court of Justice ruled the judgment in favour of Bahrain. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed is married with four children.

HE Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa

First Deputy - Chairman

Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa – Deputy Prime Minister since 2010 – began his career as a roads engineer in 1966 and rose through the ranks within the Directorate of Works. He served as Minister of Housing from 1975 to 1995, as Minister of Housing, Municipalities and Environment from 1995 to 2001, and is currently serving as Minister of Housing & Agriculture from 2002. He has also been responsible for establishing the Bahrain Housing Bank and serving as the Chairman of its Board of Directors from 1979 to 2002. One of the key highlights of his career was the development of Hamad Town, a housing facility for Bahraini citizens.

Mr. Taqi Mohammed Al Baharna

Second Deputy - Chairman

Mr. Taqi Al Baharna – Second Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Isa Award for Service to Humanity – has led a richly diverse professional career that has spanned the financial, business, political and literary world. He served as Bahrain’s Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt between 1971 and 1974 during which he was awarded the First Class Order of Merit by President Anwar Sadat. He represented Bahrain at the Arab League, and from 1993 to 2003, he was a member of the Bahrain Shura Council and led its Committee for Foreign Relations. Mr. Al Baharna has authored numerous covering literary criticisms to poetry and biographies. His autobiography,’Coloured Papers’ was published in 1998.

HE Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa

Board of Trustees Member

Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa – the Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2005 – began his career in the very ministry he now leads prior to moving to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 1995. Here he worked as the Chief Liaison Officer responsible for maritime delimitations and territorial disputes between Bahrain and Qatar. His contributions were deeply appreciated and he was awarded the Bahrain Second Class Medal by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. After a period of service at the Court of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Shaikh Khalid was appointed as Bahrain’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland. He is also a member of the Supreme Defence Council, the Economic Development Board and number of ministerial committees.

Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa

Board of Trustees Member

H.E. Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa – A leading figure in the Arab culture and art scenes, H.E. has spearheaded national efforts to develop the cultural infrastructure for heritage conservation and the growth of sustainable tourism. President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, after holding the Ministry of Culture & Information and then the Ministry of Culture. As the founder of the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research, she launched the nation-wide “Invest in Culture” initiative, building an unprecedented partnership between the private and public sectors for heritage preservation. H.E. was honored by International institutions and received the highest decorations from France, Italy, Morocco, Bahrain among others.

Mr. Ali Abdulla Khalifa

Board of Trustees Member / Secretary General of the Award

A writer, poet, researcher and cultural enthusiast, Mr. Ali Abdulla Khalifa has been the Director of Cultural Research at the Royal Court since 2001 and the Secretary-General of the International Organisation of Folk Art (IOV) since 2016. Amongst his many published works are ‹Gulf of Songs,’ ‹Folklore Inspiration in Creative Works’ and ‹Folk Arts – Nations in Unison’ in addition to a diverse array of poetry collections and operettas.
He holds an honorary PhD from Giuseppe Scicluna International University Foundation in 1987. His work has earned him wide repute, winning him a number of international awards including the Cultural Competence Medal by the late President Bourguiba of Tunisia in 1973, the International Grand Prize for Arts in 2006 Romania and the Competency First Class Medal of H.M. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Mr. Mohammed Al-Khuzai

Board of Trustees Member

The Bahraini scholar, translator and critic, Mr. Mohammed Al-Khuzai grew up in the Kingdom of Bahrain and studied at Cairo, Leeds, London and Columbia Universities. He is one of the most prominent critics and translators in the Arabian Gulf.
Mohammed Al-Khuzai has worked as a teacher, lecturer and director of recognized academic and executive programmes. He also worked in the cultural sector as a programmer and director of culture and publication departments. Many of his works have been translated into Arabic and English. He published several studies on literary criticism and drama. His study on “The Development of Early Arab Theater” is an essential reference in many Arab and foreign universities.

Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Aradi

Board of Trustees Member

H.E. Advisor Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Aradi is a Shura Council member and a founding member of a number of international institutions and organizations. He has been a keynote speaker and international expert at several international and regional conferences.
Al-Aradi has worked in legal consultancy for more than 15 years in the public and private sectors in the Kingdom of Bahrain. At the international level, he has held a number of important diplomatic and legal posts. He holds a Masters Degree in Management Engineering from George Washington University and he is also specialized in international law.