Latifa M R Al Maktoum, also known as Latifa, is a prominent government official in Dubai. She is recognized as one of the daughters of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who holds key positions as the vice president, prime minister, and minister of defense of the United Arab Emirates. Latifa’s notable role includes serving as the Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, where she contributes to the development and promotion of cultural and artistic initiatives in Dubai.
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Career
In her career, Latifa has held various important positions. Since September 2019, she has been serving as the Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority.
Additionally, she is actively involved in several related roles, including being a member of the Dubai Council, the Vice Chairman of Emirates Literature Foundation, and the Chairperson of the development of Al Quoz Creative Zone Committee.
She also holds positions such as Chairperson of the Dubai Collection’s Steering Committee and board member of Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives.
Personal Life
Latifa was born on June 16, 1983, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She is currently 40 years old. She pursued her education at Zayed University, where she obtained an Executive Master of Business Administration with Honors and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Science, specializing in Marketing.
In her personal life, Latifa is married to Faisal bin Saud Al Qassimi, and their marriage took place in 2016.
Physical Stats
Latifa stands at a height of approximately 170 cm (5′ 7″). She has captivating black eyes and dark brown hair, which is naturally black.
Family
Latifa is part of a distinguished family. Her father is Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who holds significant political positions in the UAE
Her mother is Delila Aloula, and it is worth noting that her parents are divorced. Latifa has two sisters named Sheikha Dalal bint Mohammed Al Maktoum and Sheikha Maryam bint Mohammed Al Maktoum (I).
Relationships
Latifa is happily married to Faisal bin Saud Al Qassimi. Together, they have two sons named Mohammed bin Faisal Al Qassimi and Hamdan bin Faisal Al Qassimi, as well as two daughters named Shaikha bint Faisal Al Qassimi and Hind bint Faisal Al Qassimi.
Some Lesser Known Facts About Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
- Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is an Emirati government official. She is best known for being the daughter of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice president, prime minister, and minister of defence of the United Arab Emirates.
- Latifa is a member of the Dubai Council and the chair of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority. She serves as vice chairman of the Emirates Literature Foundation, a member of the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives board, and the honorary president of the Association of Graduates from Dubai’s Zayed University.
- According to Latifa, she is passionate about writing poetry and horse riding.
- When she was five years old, her aunt and elder sister taught her how to paint, and she developed her artistic abilities in painting as she grew older. In her childhood, she received a black belt in Taekwondo and learned Kung Fu with her sisters.
- Sheikha Latifa completed her practical training at Dubai Holding Group prior to beginning her career with the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority in 2008.
- After completing her higher education and training, Latifa began working in the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, which was founded in March 2008, in its arts and culture department. She is in charge of the cultural and creative scene, including the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy, which aims to make Dubai the preferred international location for cultural, creative, and artistic talent by 2025.
- Through a number of initiatives, most notably the construction of Dubai public libraries, she also works to support the literature industry and the culture of reading. This is done to make reading and learning accessible to everyone in Dubai by providing integrated, comfortable, and modern facilities.
- In 2019, she was appointed as the Commission’s Chairman. Sheikha Latifa promotes and funds neighbourhood cultural initiatives that help build Dubai’s cultural and creative industry’s environment and infrastructure and incorporate culture into the public sphere. The common activities include Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, Al Quoz Creative Zone, Dubai Collection, Dubai Art Season, Dubai Design Week, Dubai Watch Week, and Sikka Art Fair.
- In 2020, she gave a speech at the Global Women’s Forum in Dubai. In the same year, she participated in a “Sofa Session” with Becky Anderson, anchor of CNN’s Connect the World and managing editor of CNN Abu Dhabi, on the topic of “Accessible Creativity: Inclusivity & Diversity” during the World Conference on Creative Economy 2021, which was held at Expo 2020 Dubai.
- In September 2021, Latifa was featured on the cover of Vogue Arabia’s 50th edition in her very first cover photo.
- In May 2022, she was in the headlines for announcing a six-year strategic roadmap with the goals of transforming Dubai into a vibrant talent hub, a global cultural centre, and an incubator for local creativity. This plan aimed at various initiatives like the “Dubai Creative Economy Strategy” and sponsoring council meetings and sessions to engage with representatives from the cultural and creative community. These are aimed at promoting and supporting the growth of cultural and creative industries in the country.
- In April 2023, Latifa shared a video on social media after she organised the largest book sale in the world, with over a million discounted books from a wide range of genres, including business, cookery, children’s books, science fiction, and thrillers.
- In 2023, she made headlines after she announced the birth of her fourth child on social media. She wrote that they named her child as Hind bint Faisal.
