MENA librarians named recipients of QIMAM: Qatar-IFLA Award for Aspiring Minds
22 July 2025
Qatar National Library (QNL), home of the IFLA Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional Office, named Raghad Ghanem Alqahtani of Saudi Arabia and Salma Mohamed Ayoub of Egypt as the first recipients of the QIMAM: Qatar-IFLA MENA Award for Aspiring Minds, recognising their leadership potential and professional contributions.
Established to nurture the next generation of library leaders in the MENA region, the QIMAM Award offers early-career librarians the opportunity to attend the IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) in Kazakhstan, 18–22 August 2025. The award also reinforces QNL’s role in regional capacity building as the first IFLA MENA Regional Office, a designation it received in 2024.
The first round of the award attracted 40 applicants from across the region, with eight finalists from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon selected for final interviews in June. Candidates were selected based on their professional impact, leadership potential, and commitment to expanding the role of libraries in their communities.
A distinguished panel of experts evaluated the applicants, including
- Professor Hassan Awad AlSereihi, President of the Special Libraries Association, Arabian Gulf Chapter
- Dr. Heba Ismail, Vice President of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information (AFLI) and IFLA Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning (CPDWL) Section member
- Mrs. Anfel Toafek from Algeria, IFLA MENA Regional Division Committee member
- Mr. Mohammed Saif, Director of Communication at QNL
- Mr. Maxim Nasra, Head of the Preservation and Conservation Center at QNL
Professor AlSereihi called the award a “brilliant initiative” and praised the depth of talent, while Dr. Ismail noted its role in strengthening a regional community dedicated to innovation and growth. QNL leaders Abeer S. Al Kuwari and Ms. Eiman Al-Shammari emphasised the award’s alignment with the Library’s mission to empower young professionals and foster collaboration across the MENA region.
We congratulate Raghad Ghanem Alqahtani and Salma Mohamed Ayoub on this well-deserved recognition and look forward to welcoming them at WLIC 2025 in Kazakhstan.