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Nasser KhaliliBritish property owner, collector and philanthropist
Country:
 Great Britain |
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Biography of Nasser Khalili
Nasser Khalili was born in 1945 in Iran. He is a prominent British entrepreneur, collector, and philanthropist. For the past few years, he has spent most of his time in his residence in London.
Early Life and Education
Nasser Khalili spent his childhood in the small Iranian town of Isfahan. He received his education in Iran and served in the military. In 1967, he moved to the United States to further his education abroad. In 1978, he permanently settled in the United Kingdom.
Collector and Philanthropist
Since 1970, under the patronage of the family-owned company "Khalili Family Trust," Nasser Khalili has acquired numerous different artworks. In addition, he actively purchases antiquities from his homeland from the period between the 7th century and the year 2000. Later on, artifacts from the ancient Maya civilization also became part of his collections.
Nasser Khalili has amassed a vast collection of 17th-century Swedish textiles. His collections also include a multitude of gold and silver pieces from 18th-century Spain. In total, Nasser Khalili's collections consist of approximately 25,000 different items. A small portion of the collection is periodically exhibited worldwide under the control of the "Khalili Family Trust."
Other Contributions
Nasser Khalili is a versatile individual who excels in multiple fields. Since 1989, he has been creating his invaluable collections. He is also a member of the Islamic Art Department at the University of London and a member of the Oriental Institute at the University of Oxford. The "Khalili Family Trust" occasionally provides charitable assistance to Oxford to support research conducted at the "Khalili Research Centre for the Art and Material Culture." Due to his significant support, Khalili has been appointed an honorary member of the university. He received this honor in 2005 at the University of London.
In 1997, he was appointed a member of the International Board of Advisors at Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA. In 2003, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in humanities from Boston University, where he previously served on the Board of Trustees.
Nasser Khalili is the founder of the "Maimonides Foundation," which supports Jewish and Muslim communities. He is also one of the founders of the "Heritage Fund," created to restore and preserve Iran's cultural heritage.
In 2008, Nasser Khalili's fortune was estimated to be 1.3 billion dollars.
