Suzanne Mubarak
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Suzanne Saleh Mubarak ( , []; born 28 February 1941) is the widow of Egyptian former President of Egypt, president Hosni Mubarak and was the First Lady of Egypt during her husband's presidential tenure from 14 October 1981 to 11 February 2011. She has served as Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and founded the Cairo Child Museum in collaboration with the
British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...
.


Early life and education

Suzanne Saleh Thabet was born in Al Minya Governorate, located on the
Nile River The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the longest river i ...
about 250 kilometres to the south of
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, on 28 February 1941. She was the daughter of an Egyptian paediatrician, Saleh Thabet, and Welsh nurse Lily Palmer, a native of
Pontypridd Pontypridd ( , ), Colloquialism, colloquially referred to as ''Ponty'', is a town and a Community (Wales), community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, approximately 10 miles north west of Cardiff city centre. Geography Pontypridd comprises the ...
. Her parents married in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
in 1934, when Thabet was a medical student at
Cardiff University Cardiff University () is a public research university in Cardiff, Wales. It was established in 1883 as the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire and became a founding college of the University of Wales in 1893. It was renamed Unive ...
and Palmer was a nurse working at The Infirmary on Camden Road, Islington. Mubarak has an older brother, Mounir Sabet, who is a former president of the Egyptian Olympic Committee. She attended St. Claire School in Heliopolis, Cairo. She met her future husband, Egyptian Air Force officer Hosni Mubarak, when she was 16 years old. The couple married when she was 17 years old and had two sons;
Alaa Mubarak Alaa Mohammed Hosni El Sayed Mubarak (;  ; born 26 November 1960) is an Egyptian businessman and the elder of two sons of Hosni Mubarak, the former President of Egypt who served from 1981 to 2011, and his wife, Suzanne Mubarak. Early li ...
and Gamal Mubarak. She returned to school ten years after her marriage. She is a Christian. Mubarak graduated from American University in Cairo (AUC) in 1977 with a
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
in
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
and then received a
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
in sociology from AUC in 1982. Her
thesis A thesis (: theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: D ...
is entitled "Social Action Research in Urban Egypt: Case study of primary school upgrading in
Bulaq Boulaq ( from "guard, customs post"), is a district of Cairo, in Egypt. It neighbours Downtown Cairo, Azbakeya, and the River Nile. History The westward shift of the Nile, especially between 1050 and 1350, made land available on its eastern si ...
".


First Lady of Egypt

Mubarak became First Lady of Egypt upon her husband's accession to the presidency on 14 October 1981 and served as First Lady until her husband's resignation on 11 February 2011. Mubarak's activities in projects relating to human trafficking and family affairs became prominent in Egypt.Hendawi, Hamza. "Court: Remove Mubarak name from public facilities – Yahoo! News." 21 April 2011

She led the Egyptian U.N. delegation in conferences relating to women and children. In 1985 she founded the Child Museum of Cairo in collaboration with the
British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...
. In 2005, she opened the Hurghada branch of Mubarak's Public Library. In October 2008, she was nominated as Goodwill Ambassador of the
Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; . (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Its Latin motto, , translates ...
of the United Nations (FAO). She was a patron of the children's television series, '' Alam Simsim'' (Arabic for "Sesame's World"), Egypt's version of the American series, ''
Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational television, educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Worksh ...
''. In March 2008, Egyptian journalist Ibrahim Eissa was arrested for reporting on Hosni Mubarak's health problems in August 2007. Mubarak then gave a rare television address to allege that Hosni was actually healthy and reporters who suggested otherwise deserve to be punished."Egyptian Journo Jailed For Prez Reports"
cbsnews.com, 26 March 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2015.


Family

Suzanne Mubarak has two sons, Alaa and Gamal, a granddaughter, and two grandsons, one of whom, 12-year-old Muhammad Mubarak, died on 18 May 2009, in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
after a two-day health crisis.Thurber, John
"Suzanne Mubarak's Literary Career"
''Los Angeles Times'', 18 May 2011.
On 12 March 2021, the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
lifted the sanctions against nine Egyptian individuals including the Mubarak family, in place since 2011.


Honours

*2006: Ibsen Centennial Commemoration Award, presented by Queen Sonja of Norway in Egypt on the occasion of the Ibsen Year * The 1989 UNICEF Executive Board conferred upon Mubarak its highest honour, the "Maurice Pate Award", in recognition of her efforts for child survival, protection and development. * Given the highest Award in 1989 by the Rehabilitation International Centre for her outstanding services and support to disabled children. * Given an Honorary Fulbright Award, in recognition of her efforts in the field of child development and education, * The "Together for Peace Foundation" bestowed upon Mubarak "The 1992 Enrique de la Mata International Prize for Peace" in recognition of her promotion of child development and alleviating the suffering of victims of natural disasters. * The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International named Mubarak in 1992 a "Paul Harris Fellow" in appreciation of the assistance for the furthering of better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world. * The "Health for All Gold Medal", the highest distinction awarded by the
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
, was conferred upon Mubarak in June 1994 in recognition of her contributions to improving the quality of life of the women and children of Egypt and her commitment to international efforts aimed at integrating health in the development process. * Mubarak received the International Book Committee, International Book Award in April 1995 in recognition of her efforts to promote reading in Egypt. * Soka University bestowed upon Mubarak its Award of Highest Honour in April 1995. * Westminster College, New Wilmington, honoured Mubarak with the degree of Doctor of Laws in recognition of her achievement for the people of Egypt and in causes valued by the international community. * "The American World Book Association for Publication Award" in recognition of her role in the publication of books and her efforts in supporting the campaign of "Reading for All". * "Award of the Arab Publishers Federation" in recognition of her efforts in promoting Arab literature. Cairo, 1996. * The UNESCO Avicenna Medal in recognition of her role in promoting cultural activities in Egypt, 1997. The award "honours heads of state and other personalities who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of UNESCO’s goals". * "Prize of Tolerance", European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Salzburg, 1998. * "The Degree of Professor Counsellor", Shanghai University, April 1999. * "Honorary Doctor Degree", Iwa University, Seoul, for her efforts to promote women's education and social development in Egypt, April 1999. * The "Rotary Award" for her efforts in combating polio, June 1999. * "Honorary Doctor Degree for Humane letters", American University in Cairo, February 2000. * "Honorary Doctor Degree", American University in Spain, in recognition of her efforts in the social field in Egypt, February 2000. * "Honorary Doctor Degree", Azerbaijan State Economic University, in recognition of activities in field of education and her efforts to protect and promote women and children rights across the Arab world. November 2009 * The Alexandria Regional Center for Women's Health and Development was formerly called The Suzanne Mubarak Regional Centre for Women's Health and Development, in recognition of her work on behalf of women in Egypt. * In December 2006 Mubarak received the Dr Rainer Hildebrandt Human Rights Award endowed by Alexandra Hildebrandt.


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mubarak, Suzanne 1941 births Living people The American University in Cairo alumni First ladies of Egypt People from Minya Governorate Egyptian people of Welsh descent Egyptian Christians Grand Crosses of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece) Suzanne Dames Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic