HH Sheikha Manal Bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum will be honored by CITYarts

Her Highness, who is the first Arab to receive this recognition, will be honored at a special ceremony held on the occasion of the 41st anniversary of CITYarts. The celebration will be held at CITYarts' Annual Benefit, Auction, and Awards Ceremony on Monday, May 18, 2009 at Sotheby's in New York.

CITYarts will mark its 41st Anniversary of 'Making a Difference Through the Arts' by celebrating A Year of Peace and honoring three extraordinary global women leaders: HH Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Women Establishment, and patron and supporter of women in the arts; Louise Bourgeois, internationally acclaimed artist; and Lisa Dennison Chairman of Sotheby's North and South America and previous Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York.

By thinking globally and acting locally, CITYarts empowers children and youth through collaborations with artists and youth on projects that highlight social issues and encourage youth to become active participants in shaping their communities and their own futures. This year's three honorees exemplify CITYarts' mission to build bridges of understanding among youth from divergent cultures and backgrounds through participation in the arts.

HH Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has been involved in several initiatives in the UAE that reflect her continuous commitment to artistic and cultural development of the youth, such as 'The Sheikha Manal Young Artists Award' and the 'Art Exchange Programme.'

CITYarts mentioned that the three global women honorees are essential leaders in bringing world youth together through the arts in their quest for peace.

In celebration of this momentous event, CITYarts will also exhibit a selection of works from their flagship project that began in 2002, Pieces for Peace with Youth from Around the World. This ongoing, international project is designed to build cultural understanding by bringing American youth and their peers from around the globe into contact and in dialogue with each other and with society as a whole.