Collector Named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

Irina Bokova, the head of UNESCO has recently named Nasser David Khalili a Goodwill Ambassador "for the promotion of peace among nations through culture and education".

Mr. Khalili, a scholar and renowned art collector, is the founder of the Nasser D. Khalili Chair of Islamic Art at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, as well as the co-founder and chairman of the Maimonides Foundation, which promotes peace and understanding between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Since 1970, Mr. Khalili has assembled five outstanding art collections: The Arts of the Islamic World (700-1900), Japanese Art of the Meiji Period (1868-1912), Swedish Textiles (1700-1900), Spanish Damascened Metalwork (1850-1900) and Enamels of the World (1700-2000). Together, the five collections comprise some 25,000 works.

The collector is the subject of what looks suspiciously like a written-to-order Wikipedia article.

It is interesting to note the description of a 'Neo-Babylonian inscribed limestone block, reign of Nebucchadnezzar II, 605-562 B.C. (21.5 in. x 21.625 in.; 54.7 cm. x 55 cm.)' sold recently at Christies in New York (Sale 2565, Lot 48), "Provenance: with (sic) Dr. Nasser David Khalili, London, circa early 1980s".  But where was it before that?

Sources:
UNESCO  News, 'British entrepreneur Nasser David Khalili named UNESCO goodwill ambassador', 16th October 2012.

G.M. Grena, '617 Lines from God's Servant for Sale', LMLK Blog, June 01, 2012