emirates7 - In the presence of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the American University of Sharjah (AUS), AUS and the Muhammad Ali Center have formalised a partnership that brings Sharjah into the centre’s global network and makes it the first international city to contribute to the Muhammad Ali Index.
The agreement will support joint research and the preparation of a dedicated Sharjah report, generating internationally benchmarked insights to inform leaders, institutions and communities.
The agreement was signed on behalf of AUS by Dr Tod Laursen, Chancellor of AUS, and on behalf of the Muhammad Ali Center by Farah Pandith, Muhammad Ali Global Peace Laureate, in the presence of Lonnie Ali, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Muhammad Ali Center.
Her Highness Sheikha Bodour said that Sharjah has long invested in culture, education and community life as foundations for progress, noting that the partnership positions Sharjah as the first international city to contribute to the Muhammad Ali Index. She added that the collaboration reflects a clear intent to approach civic wellbeing with the same seriousness applied to economic and social development, generating globally comparable evidence to guide leaders, educators and institutions towards stronger trust, inclusion and social cohesion.
Ahead of the signing, Her Highness Sheikha Bodour held a closed meeting with Lonnie Ali, reflecting a shared commitment to sustained collaboration grounded in research, education and civic impact.
Launched in 2025, the Muhammad Ali Index is a research-and-action platform designed to understand, measure and strengthen compassion in everyday life, placing compassion at the heart of Muhammad Ali’s legacy. Initially piloted across 12 US cities, the index combines original research, artificial intelligence tools, local insight and a proprietary Net Compassion Score to assess how compassion, trust and social cohesion are experienced within communities. In 2026, the index will expand to 20 US cities, with Sharjah becoming its first international partner.
Dr Laursen said the partnership reflects Sharjah’s ambition to treat compassion as a civic strength worthy of rigorous research and purposeful action. He noted that AUS will support a Sharjah-focused compassion report grounded in careful analysis and global benchmarking, contributing to leadership, education and community wellbeing locally while enriching global understanding.
Lonnie Ali said that compassion was central to Muhammad Ali’s life and choices, adding that Sharjah represents a meaningful launch point for the international expansion of the Muhammad Ali Index. She noted that the emirate’s commitment to education, culture and civic wellbeing reflects values closely aligned with Muhammad Ali’s legacy.
The partnership activities concluded with a Community Connect masterclass led by Lonnie Ali and moderated by Dr Tod Laursen, attended by senior Sharjah stakeholders and AUS students. The session explored compassion as a lived ethic and a form of leadership within communities, institutions and everyday life.
The agreement will support joint research and the preparation of a dedicated Sharjah report, generating internationally benchmarked insights to inform leaders, institutions and communities.
The agreement was signed on behalf of AUS by Dr Tod Laursen, Chancellor of AUS, and on behalf of the Muhammad Ali Center by Farah Pandith, Muhammad Ali Global Peace Laureate, in the presence of Lonnie Ali, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Muhammad Ali Center.
Her Highness Sheikha Bodour said that Sharjah has long invested in culture, education and community life as foundations for progress, noting that the partnership positions Sharjah as the first international city to contribute to the Muhammad Ali Index. She added that the collaboration reflects a clear intent to approach civic wellbeing with the same seriousness applied to economic and social development, generating globally comparable evidence to guide leaders, educators and institutions towards stronger trust, inclusion and social cohesion.
Ahead of the signing, Her Highness Sheikha Bodour held a closed meeting with Lonnie Ali, reflecting a shared commitment to sustained collaboration grounded in research, education and civic impact.
Launched in 2025, the Muhammad Ali Index is a research-and-action platform designed to understand, measure and strengthen compassion in everyday life, placing compassion at the heart of Muhammad Ali’s legacy. Initially piloted across 12 US cities, the index combines original research, artificial intelligence tools, local insight and a proprietary Net Compassion Score to assess how compassion, trust and social cohesion are experienced within communities. In 2026, the index will expand to 20 US cities, with Sharjah becoming its first international partner.
Dr Laursen said the partnership reflects Sharjah’s ambition to treat compassion as a civic strength worthy of rigorous research and purposeful action. He noted that AUS will support a Sharjah-focused compassion report grounded in careful analysis and global benchmarking, contributing to leadership, education and community wellbeing locally while enriching global understanding.
Lonnie Ali said that compassion was central to Muhammad Ali’s life and choices, adding that Sharjah represents a meaningful launch point for the international expansion of the Muhammad Ali Index. She noted that the emirate’s commitment to education, culture and civic wellbeing reflects values closely aligned with Muhammad Ali’s legacy.
The partnership activities concluded with a Community Connect masterclass led by Lonnie Ali and moderated by Dr Tod Laursen, attended by senior Sharjah stakeholders and AUS students. The session explored compassion as a lived ethic and a form of leadership within communities, institutions and everyday life.
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