Deputy Prime Minister & HRH Princess Badiya presented Naz Legacy Foundation Fellowship 2014 to Sandy Naire, Director of National Portrait Gallery
Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP and HRH Princess Badiya bint El Hassan of Jordan awarded Sandy Naire the Naz Legacy Foundation Honorary Education Fellowship 2014 at the Annual Naz Legacy Foundation Reception yesterday evening, in recognition of his work as director of National Portrait Gallery.
The event, held at Parliament’s prestigious Churchill Room, brought together over 150 leading educationalists, philanthropist and politicians to celebrate the legacy of Naz Bokhari, the first Asian / Muslim head teacher in the UK. Other speakers included The Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP (Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government) and Tristram Hunt MP (Shadow Education Secretary) was in attendance.
Earlier in the day Nick Clegg visited the National Portrait Gallery to launch the Naz Legacy Foundation’s Diversity Programme. The Deputy Prime Minister was joined by schoolchildren from various deprived and minority communities, who had been visiting a gallery or museum for the first time to learn about the rich heritage of diverse role models in Britain.
Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, The Deputy Prime Minister and Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery said: ‘I’m proud to support the Naz Legacy Foundation and it’s Diversity Programme. Naz Bokhari, the first Muslim and first Asian head teacher in the UK, was a champion for education. He believed that every young person – no matter what their background or circumstances – deserved the best quality of education available. To ensure that for all of the children he taught, Naz Bokhari would take them to visit our country’s great galleries, museums and theatres. The Naz Legacy Foundation continues this work today, extending these brilliant opportunities to as many young people as they can. And the National Portrait Gallery in London is just one cultural institution, which – working with the Foundation – has gone out of its way to ensure that the work it exhibits fully reflects Britain’s modern diversity, alongside its rich heritage. For me this work matters, because it can help inspire all children to learn and succeed in their own lives. As a champion of social mobility, I believe that everyone, whatever their background or circumstances, should have the opportunity to rise as far and high as their talents and ambitions allow them. It’s been one of my biggest priorities in the Coalition Government to ensure that happens. So, I want to wish the Naz Legacy Foundation every success as it continues to enrich the lives of Britain’s children and helps us to build a fairer society.’
Sandy Nairne, Director, National Portrait Gallery said: ‘I am honoured to accept the Naz Legacy Foundation Fellowship 2014. The National Portrait Gallery was pleased to collaborate with the Naz Legacy Foundation on the launch of their initiative to encourage more schools to visit public galleries and museums. On 30 April, four schools had a special opportunity to visit the Gallery and encounter diverse stories, including that of Ayuba Suleiman Diallo. The Gallery’s work with diverse audiences includes various community programmes, internships and apprenticeships, and a three-year project working with NEET (not in education, employment or training) young people to encourage them to visit the Gallery for the first time.’
On awarding the Foundation with a Big Society Award on the morning of the launch of the Diversity Programme the Prime Minister Rt Hon David Cameron MP said: “Naz Legacy foundation is doing fantastic work to ensure young people across the UK are able to fulfil their potential. The National Portrait Gallery programme launching today is yet another example of how the foundation is securing the legacy of an inspirational teacher, Nawazish Bokhari. I’m delighted to be recognising the hard work of everyone at the foundation with this Big Society Award.”
Rt Hon Ed Milliband MP, Leader of the Opposition said: “I would like to congratulate the Naz Legacy Foundation on the launch of their National Diversity program and all the fantastic work that they do. This country has some of the greatest museums and galleries in the world and the Foundation’s work to bring young people from a range of diverse backgrounds to celebrate our rich cultural heritage in the arts is inspiring to see. This is indeed what the Labour Party and One Nation stands for, it is about empowering all in our society, whether it is in the arts, culture, science or elsewhere. It was a Labour government who introduced free access to museums and galleries so that all parts of our society can enjoy the best cultural activities this great country has to offer, Naz Bokari was a great man who had some tremendous values, it is great to see that those values are still lived on through the foundation.”
Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Culture said: ’We are fortunate to have many wonderful museums and galleries in this country. They are hugely popular visitor attractions, enriching people’s lives and educating in equal measure. This government is keen to ensure that people from all communities and backgrounds have the opportunity to enjoy our national museums and galleries. That is why we have continued to maintain universal free admission to the permanent collections of our national museums and galleries, which has resulted in record number of visitors. The Government’s work on cultural education has also provided the opportunity for many children and young people across the country to experience the excellence of our museums and galleries as part of their studies. Any initiative that aims to provide even more opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds to visit our national museums and galleries should be encouraged, to help broaden their understanding of the world. I am pleased to add my support to the Naz Legacy Diversity Programme, and wish the programme great success in reaching out to young people who have not had the opportunity to visit our world leading museums and galleries.’
Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State of Education said: ‘I was delighted to read about the work that the Naz Legacy Foundation is doing to encourage children and young people to visit our museums and art galleries. We are exceptionally fortunate to have so many museums and galleries in towns and cities all over the country, which between them offer an immensely invaluable cultural and educational resource. It saddens me that so many children and young people remain unaware of the treasures that are often available in the heart of their own communities. My department is already working with Arts Council England to provide high quality activities for large numbers of pupils in museums and galleries, linked to the curriculum. That is why the news of your Foundation’s Diversity Programme gave me such pleasure. Your father’s achievement in becoming the first Muslim head teacher of an English secondary school made a profound contribution towards the promotion of excellence in education and positive integration between communities. I am delighted to see the Foundation that bears his name continuing that work so diligently. I wish you and the Naz Legacy Foundation all the best with your Diversity Programme.’
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London said: ‘London is not only the greatest capital city in world, but London also has the greatest museums, galleries and theaters in the world. It is important we make out great cultural institutions open and accessible to all our diverse communities in London. I commend the Naz Legacy Foundation’s Diversity Programme. The Foundation is continuing in the legacy of the late Naz Bokhari by organising for students who live in some of the most deprived parts of London to visit a gallery for the first time and learn about fantastic positive role models from diverse backgrounds that have made an impact in the UK. London is one city, and all Londoners, regardless of their age, religion or race should benefit from our fantastic cultural activities.’
Zac Goldsmith MP said: ‘I was honoured to be invited to attend the launch of the Diversity Programme at our wonderful National Portrait Gallery. I enjoyed meeting so many students who had visited a gallery for the first time, and despite my meager offering, I enjoyed taking part in one of the ‘role model’ drawing exercises during the programme. It is important that we encourage young people from all backgrounds to visit our cultural institutions and for those institutions to diversity their collections to reflect society.
Hina Bokhari, daughter of Naz and Chair, Naz Legacy Foundation said: ‘From a young age my father would take my brother and I to visit galleries, museums and the theatre. This was an alien concept to most ethnic minority communities in those days and it helped broaden our horizons and enrich our education outside of the classroom. We hope the Diversity Programme enables young people who have never visited a cultural institution feel that everyone can make a positive contribution to society.’
The annual reception included video messages of support from the Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Rowan Williams and Lord David Puttnam.
Naz Legacy Foundation Diversity Programme is supported by The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, National Portrait Gallery, Times Education Supplement and HRH The Prince of Wales’ Mosaic Initiative.
Dignitaries who joined the schoolchildren (including students from Ernest Bevin College, where Naz become the first Asian / Muslim head teacher) at the National Portrait Gallery during the Diversity Programme included Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, Zac Goldsmith MP and Valerie Vaz MP.
The Foundation chose The National Portrait Gallery for the launch as it is one of the leading galleries in the field of making their collections and programmes more diverse and accessible to deprived and diverse communities (http://youtu.be/3Xq0DDKt9TE).
The Diversity Programme has been developed by Naz Legacy Foundation. The sessions in the National Portrait Gallery on 30 April looked into the lives and experiences of positive role models from diverse backgrounds who have made an impact in the UK, for example: Mary Seacole (voted in 2004 as the greatest black Briton) and Ayuba Suleiman Diallo, a Muslim man who became a victim of the Atlantic slave trade, only to be bought out of slavery by public subscription in England.
Despite a rise in numbers of visitors to museums and galleries there hasn’t been a significant impact on visitors from ‘socially excluded’ communities. A Mori study in 2000 found that people with a degree are almost four times as likely to visit a gallery as those with no formal qualification.
Annual Reception 2014: guest at the reception included Over 20 school head teachers and deputy head teachers, Sir Alan Steer (Member, Ofsted Board), Ann Morz (Editor, Times Educational Supplement), Bernadette Hunter (National President, NAHT), Stephen Howard (CEO, Business in the Community), Shabana Mahmood MP (Shadow Treasury Minister), Rushanara Ali MP (Shadow Education Minister) and representatives from Citizenship Foundation, College of Teachers, British Council, Institute of Education and Teach First.
