A distinguished Palestinian leader, legislator, activist, and scholar, HE Dr. Hanan Ashrawi has played pivotal roles within Palestinian governance and international dialogue. She served on the Leadership Committee and as an official spokesperson for the Palestinian delegation to the Middle East peace process. Dr. Ashrawi holds positions such as PLO Executive Committee Member, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and Head of the PLO Department of Culture and Information. In 1996, she became the Palestinian Authority Minister of Higher Education and Research but resigned due to governance and peace talks' lack of reform implementation. Elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council in the same year, representing Jerusalem, she has been an advocate for civil society, founding organizations like MIFTAH and the National Coalition for Accountability and Integrity. Dr. Ashrawi's contributions extend globally through advisory roles in various organizations and recognition through awards like the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation (2005) and the Sydney Peace Prize (2003). She earned a PhD in Medieval and Comparative Literature from the University of Virginia.