Who We Are

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Hello,

My name is Zeina Dghaim, a Canadian cultural heritage practitioner and the founder of Nibana.

For over twenty years, I have worked on project sinternationally across museums, educational institutions, and cultural organizations, including the Aga Khan Museum, New-York Historical Society, Neustadt Gallery, Qatar Museums Authority, Opera Atelier, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, and Zayed National Museum.

I hold a PhD in Hispanic Studies (Digital Humanities) from Western University, where I developed a methodology for the digital activation and preservation of museum collections. I also hold a Master’s degree in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations from the University of Toronto and an Honours BA in Spanish Language, Culture, and Literature from Western University.

My professional path began in the not-for-profit sector, where I developed learning and community integration programmes in prisons, distress centres, and educational institutions, using art and cultural education as tools for reflection, rehabilitation, and human development. Over time, my work evolved into the art and cultural sector, where I developed programmes and strategies for governments, museums, and other cultural organizations.

Alongside my professional work, I have remained a lifelong student of the humanities. My research and travels have taken me across a wide range of cultures, histories, and knowledge systems, from the architecture of Yemen and the art of al-Andalus to Persian civilization and the agricultural and engineering innovations of different societies.

These experiences led to a simple realization: every culture holds wisdom, stories, and patterns that offer insight into how people think, behave, and assign meaning to the world around them. At the center of this system is compassion, the capacity to understand humanity, and learn how to navigate its diversity with curiosity, respect, and care.