https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLvKFg2bV5s&ab_channel=LutfiaRabbaniFoundation
Building Bridges. Investing in People.
Where Our Story Began
The story of the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation begins with the transformative power of education.
Our founder, Mahmoud Salim Rabbani, was a Palestinian refugee who received a scholarship to study in the Netherlands. The opportunity profoundly shaped his life, and over time the Netherlands became a second home.
Moving between the Arab and European worlds, Mahmoud developed a deep understanding of both and became a prominent voice in Euro-Arab dialogue. His own experience strengthened his conviction that Arabs and Europeans had much to learn from one another.
Inspired by this belief, Mahmoud and his wife, Anisa, established the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation in 1979.
Throughout his life, Mahmoud championed dialogue and cooperation as constructive alternatives to division and conflict. He became Honorary Consul of the State of Kuwait to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and an influential voice for Euro-Arab understanding.
He passed away in the Netherlands on 30 May 2002, aged 68. His son, Salim Rabbani, currently serves as Chair of the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation.
The Story Behind Our Name
The Foundation was named in honour of Mahmoud Rabbani’s mother, Lutfia, whose determination and sacrifices ensured the upbringing and education of her children despite extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
Her story reflects a principle that remains central to the Foundation today: education can change the course of a life, and the opportunity created for one person can reach far beyond that individual.
Our Mission and Vision
Our mission is to strengthen understanding between Europe and the Arab world and empower future generations through scholarships, educational exchange, creative collaboration and dialogue.
We invest in people, ideas and connections with the potential to create lasting positive change.
We envision a future shaped by greater mutual understanding, where people across Europe and the Arab world work together to address shared challenges and contribute to more inclusive and peaceful societies.
A Legacy That Continues
More than four decades of investing in people has shown us that the value of an opportunity rarely ends with the person who receives it.
A scholarship can shape a career. An encounter with another culture can change a perspective. Scholars become alumni, professionals and leaders in their fields, carrying their knowledge and experiences into universities, workplaces and communities.
In turn, they create opportunities, share knowledge and build connections for others.
This is the impact of investing in people: it multiplies.
Today, our scholars, alumni, partners and wider community carry that legacy forward across countries, cultures and generations.
Our programmes begin with individuals, but their impact does not end with them.
Our Board
Salim Rabbani (1962) is Managing Director of RTC Rabbani Trading and Consulting BV based in The Hague, The Netherlands. RTC is an international business development and strategy consulting firm specialized in developing projects, strategies, networks and partnerships for European firms in the Middle East and North Africa and vice versa. Mr. Rabbani is Chairman of the Netherlands – Middle East Business Council, the leading private sector trade and investment promotion organization in The Netherlands. In addition, he is Chairman of the Middle East Work Group, a Public-Private partnership initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs together with the leading Dutch industry associations. Salim Rabbani was born and raised in The Netherlands to Palestinian parents. After finishing his secondary education in The Netherlands he completed his graduate and undergraduate studies in the United States (MBA, University of Southern California; BS in International Business, California State University).
Director, World Press Photo Foundation
Joumana was born in 1975 in Beirut, Lebanon and is currently Director of the World Press Photo Foundation. Previously she was Director of the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation, Programme Coordinator for Grants and Collaborations at the Prince Claus Fund and later its director, and consultant in Development and fundraising for various cultural organisations. Joumana obtained her MA in Arts Administration from Columbia University, New York.
Manager External Affairs, Rabbani Trading and Consulting
Following her studies in Sociology and Public Administration in Toronto, Ontario, Yonet Schroder (1961) joined the Ontario Psychological Association, a professional organisation that helps to improve psychological well being through advocacy, education and support for the science and practice of psychology. Upon moving to the Netherlands in 1992, Ms. Schroder worked as a Research Consultant with the Butler Cox Foundation, an information technology research and advisory service firm. She has been active as Manager of External Affairs for RTC, Rabbani Trading and Consulting since 1993 and joined the Board of the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation that same year. In this capacity, she brings over twenty years of management experience.
Delegate to the Board of KLM
Frank Houben was born in 1971 and is currently Delegate to the Board at KLM, where he began his career in 1998. In recent years his success in turning KLM into a prominent social brand has been internationally recognized, with awards for the notable “Tile and Inspire” campaign (Delft Blue aircraft) and other creative brand campaigns such as “Be My Guest” (meet & seat) and “Miffy in China”.
Cultural Leader in Residence, Groningen University.
Katherine Watson was born in Canada in 1952. Having studied, worked and raised a family in Europe and Canada, Katherine moved to Amsterdam to join the European Cultural Foundation in 2006 and was Director from 2010 – 2018. Katherine earned her degree in Art History from the University of Toronto (1978) and followed this with a career in cultural management. Katherine’s international experience combined interdisciplinary production with advocacy, research, policy, organizational and programme development for arts and culture organisations and all levels of government. She has a particular interest in the impact of the digital shift on our lives, in fostering the intersection between culture and other fields of knowledge and in enabling voices from all corners of society. Katherine was a member of the Governing Council of the European Foundation Centre, a membership organisation for institutional philanthropy from 2011 – 2018 and was the EFC Vice Chair from 2013 – 2018. Katherine is the Cultural Leader in Residence for a Research Master Programme in Cultural Leadership at Groningen University and is a Board member of BAK (Basis voor Actuele Kunst) in Utrecht.
DGA Meijer Bergman Erfgoed Groep
Maya Meijer is an art historian with specialized knowledge of architecture and the contemporary art scene. She holds many important positions in different organizations, including the family business Meijer Bergman Erfgoed (heritage), which owns the real estate projects Paleis Soestdijk and Doornburgh Estate in Maarssen, member of the Advisory Board of the Cancer Center Amsterdam, member of the Board of the Alzheimer Foundation VUmc, Governor of the Holland Festival, as well as former Director of Stichting Den Haag Sculptuur, former Chairman of Pink Ribbon Breast cancer Awareness Foundation and former owner and Director of Promenade Hotel Holding – to name but a few.
Our Team
Yasmina Al Ammari is the Scholarships Programme Coordinator at the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation. She manages the Foundation’s scholarships and supports programmes related to education and exchange. She is of Arab and Dutch background, and her personal and academic experiences reflect the Foundation’s mission of promoting Euro-Arab dialogue. With a BA in International Relations from Leiden University and an MA in Middle Eastern Studies and Intensive Languages from SOAS University of London, she is passionate about creating opportunities for students from both the Middle East and the Netherlands and growing the Foundation’s scholarship programme.
Haya is a Syrian-Finnish masters student at Leiden University. She was born and raised in Syria, grew up in Finland then later moved to the Netherlands to pursue her studies. Having lived in several countries she strongly believes in the power of dialogue and bridging the Euro-Arab knowledge and cultural gaps which is what drove her to apply to the team. In her role as a scholarships intern, she is excited to contribute to the Foundation’s mission and create a positive impact.
Noura recently completed her degree in Business Management with a minor in Branding and Global Citizenship Impact. Growing up in the Netherlands, with parents on the one side Canadian – Dutch – Indonesian, and on the other side Palestinian, she has always had a keen interest in cross cultural communications. Aligned with the mission of The Lutfia Rabbani Foundation, the foundation reflects her personal background too. She joined the Foundation as the Communications Associate.
Lara Pezzera is Italian-Turkish and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in International and European Law, which has further fueled her passion for global cooperation and understanding. Having spent a significant portion of her life living in different countries, she developed an appreciation for diverse cultures and cross-cultural communication. She is eager to contribute to the organization’s mission and make a positive impact. She joined the foundation as Digital Marketing and Communications Intern.
Amalia, a Palestinian-Jordanian creative, is beginning her graphic design career in the Netherlands. As a Dutch-Arab who pursued her studies in the Netherlands, she feels a strong connection to the mission of the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation. During her student years, she often longed for a sense of belonging, and now, she is thrilled to contribute to the Foundation’s efforts to provide that sense of home to many students.
Our Partners
