Ibrahim Ali Ibrahim, The Peninsula Qatar
Image from, with caption: The Emir in the Polish Senate in 2011
Excerpt:To have a dream and do greatly to achieve it is not given to many people and it is this combination that distinguishes Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani [JB - see] as one of the greatest leaders in the history of Qatar, the Gulf and the Middle East. The success of Sheikh Hamad lies on his ability to turn the odds that Qatar has faced into its favour. ...
Small states have traditionally been perceived as weak and vulnerable, and incapable of making any influence on international relations. Sheikh Hamad proved this wrong. Despite this well-established stereotype, Qatar under the leadership of Sheikh Hamad has successfully made its way to the local renaissance and to the international arena as well. Since he assumed power, Qatar has been engaging in a robust vigorous foreign policy. His understanding of the global picture and the challenges that Qatar faces helped him to frame the right policies to protect Qatar from the perils of small states. Sheikh Hamad has used a blend of public diplomacy tools ranging from Al Jazeera TV, to mediation of conflicts in the region, especially between Israel and the Palestinians, Lebanon, Darfur-Sudan, to the handsome donations that it has delivered to negatively affected areas around the globe. During his tenure Qatar has risen to become one of the leading regional actors in the international relations of the Middle East. His views and insights were highly respected by many leaders around the world. ...
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Marriages and children (from wikipedia; see also.)
Sheikh Hamad has three wives and twenty-five children, twelve sons and thirteen daughters.
- He married his first wife, Sheikha Mariam bint Muhammad Al-Thani, who is the daughter of his paternal uncle, Sheikh Muhammad bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani.[77] Hamad and his first wife have two sons and six daughters:
- Sheikh Mishaal bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (born 1972)
- Sheikh Fahd bin Hamad Al-Thani
- Sheikha Aisha bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikha Fatima bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikha Rawdah bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikha Hessa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikha Mashael bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikha Sara bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani – Program Coordinator for Reach Out to Asia-Qatar (ROTAQ)
- His second wife is Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned (born 8 August 1959, Al-Khor), the daughter of Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Missned. Together they have six sons and two daughters:
- Sheikh Jasim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (born 25 August 1978) – heir apparent of Qatar until 2003
- Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (born 3 June 1980) – heir apparent of Qatar (2003–2013), current Emir of Qatar
- Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (born 1983)
- Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (born 1986)
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (born 18 April 1988)
- Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (born 11 November 1991)
- Sheikha Hind bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani – director of the Emir's Office since 2009
- Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Khalifa Sayed Al-Thani
- Hamad also has a third wife, his first cousin Sheikha Noora bint Khalid Al-Thani, who is the daughter of his paternal uncle, Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, who was the minister of the interior. Together they have four sons and five daughters:
- Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani – Deputy Emir of Qatar since 11 November 2014.
- Sheikh Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikh Al Qaqa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (born 30 June 2000)
- Sheikha Lulwah bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikha Maha bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikha Dana bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikha Al-Anood bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
- Sheikha Mariam bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
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by Philip Seib, USC, in the Huffington Post, which states, "Money is a wonderful thing. Qatar has plenty of it and is putting it to use in its expanded public diplomacy. With wealth rather than weaponry, Qatar is becoming a new kind of superpower." 
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