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Ghada Hijjawi Qaddumi (1945 – April 1, 2021) was a celebrated scholar and advocate of Islamic art and culture. She served as the President of the World Crafts Council - Asia Pacific Region and was recognized for her contributions to the preservation and promotion of traditional crafts.

Biography
Dr. Ghada Hijjawi Qaddumi was born in 1945 in Nablus, Palestine, and later became a Kuwaiti national. She pursued her higher education in Islamic art, earning a Ph.D. in the History of Islamic Art and Architecture from Harvard University in 1990. She also studied at the American University of Beirut (AUB), earning a BA in Economics in 1969 and a BA and MA in Arabic Literature in 1971 and 1975, respectively. She furthered her education with a BA in Fine Arts from the Lebanese American University in 1976.

Career
Dr. Hijjawi Qaddumi's career was marked by her leadership in various cultural and arts organizations. She held numerous prominent positions, including curator of the Islamic Art Museum and deputy director for culture at the Department of Antiquities and Museums, National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters in Kuwait. In the early 1990s, she became a researcher at the Kuwait National Museum and later the Deputy Director for Culture, Department of Antiquities and Museums.

In 2000, she was appointed Director of the Department of Publishing and Distribution at the National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters. By 2001, she founded and directed Research & Cultural Studies. In 2004, she returned to Harvard for a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Islamic Art.

Dr. Hijjawi Qaddumi joined the World Crafts Council (WCC) in 2004 as Vice President for the West Asia Sub-Region before rising to become Senior Vice President for the Asia Pacific Region (2009-2012). In 2013, she was elected President of WCC-Asia Pacific Region, a position she held until 2020. In 2021, she was elected as the first Arab woman President of the World Crafts Council - International (AISBL).

Academic Contributions
Dr. Hijjawi Qaddumi authored several significant works on Islamic art and culture, including:
 * "A Medieval Islamic Book of Gifts and Treasures: Translation, Annotation and Commentary on the Kitab al-Hadaya wa al-Tuhaf" (PhD dissertation, Harvard University, 1990).
 * "Book of Gifts and Rarities (Kitāb al-Hadāyā wa al-Tuḥaf): Selections Compiled in the Fifteenth Century from an Eleventh-Century Manuscript on Gifts and Treasures" (Harvard University Press, 1996).
 * "Islamic Art and Patronage: Treasures from Kuwait" (1990).
 * "Islamic Textiles" (2011), edited by Dr. Hijjawi Qaddumi and published by the Kuwait Islamic Arts Center.

Her scholarly work focused on translating and annotating medieval Islamic manuscripts, which provided valuable insights into Islamic history and culture.

Leadership Roles
As President of the World Crafts Council - Asia Pacific Region, Dr. Hijjawi Qaddumi was instrumental in launching the World Craft Cities program and the Award of Excellence for Handicrafts. She was known for her dedication to promoting traditional crafts and supporting artisans globally.

Dr. Hijjawi Qaddumi played a key role in organizing significant events such as the World Crafts Council General Assembly in Isfahan (2016) and the Inaugural Festival of Handicrafts in Kokand (2019). She was also involved in creating the Online Encyclopedia of Crafts for the Asia Pacific Region.

Advocacy and Recognition
Dr. Hijjawi Qaddumi was a strong advocate for the preservation of traditional crafts. She was honored by multiple international organizations, including receiving the Gulf Cooperation Council Award for Achievements in the field of Antiquities and Museums. Her work included serving on the selection committee for the Selvedge World Fair, where she was known for her enthusiasm and passion.

Legacy
Dr. Hijjawi Qaddumi's legacy lives on through her contributions to Islamic art and the organizations she supported and led. Her work continues to inspire scholars, artists, and advocates for cultural preservation. Her establishment of the Online Encyclopedia of Crafts for the Asia Pacific Region is a testament to her enduring impact.

She is remembered for her dynamic personality, exuberant energy, and dedication to the cause of handicrafts and craftspeople. Her efforts have left a lasting impact on the global craft community, and her example continues to inspire those who follow in her footsteps.