The International Student House of Washington, DC is proud to announce that The Honorable Rafat “Ray” Mahmood and Mrs. Shaista Mahmood will be honored as our 2025 Global Philanthropist Awardees at the 2025 Global Leadership Awards Gala.
The gala will take place on October 29, 2025 at 6:00PM at the historic Meserve-Lloyd Mansion in Dupont Circle — the very place where our mission comes to life every day. Please join us as we celebrate the Mahmood’s extraordinary legacy and support our mission of fostering intercultural dialogue, life-long connections, and global citizenship. Click here for more details.
About the 2025 Global Philanthropist Awardees
The Mahmood’s involvement with I-House DC started through attending a gala, eventually serving time on the board and becoming advocates for its mission. “This House is really doing a great service for the kids of the world,” Ambassador Mahmood noted, adding, “Students leave here with a different mindset, ready to make a difference.”
In a heartfelt interview, the Mahmoods reflected on decades of philanthropic work that spans continents, faiths, and generations. Their journey began in Pakistan, where education and children’s welfare stood at the heart of their work. There, they supported organizations such as SOS Children’s Villages, building schools and installing computer labs. The couple is also involved with Seeds of Peace, which brings children from conflict regions—Israel, Palestine, India, Pakistan—together. Shaista’s passions also include advocating for women empowerment in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Extending their efforts to the United States, they have funded local hospital upgrades and support many local organizations, including New Hope Housing, an organization “committed to finding creative and lasting solutions to end the cycle of homelessness”, where the Ambassador-at-Large served on the board for 25 years. They also serve on the board of Communities in Schools, which provides food, eyeglasses, and counseling for children in need. Additionally, the Mahmoods support the United States Institute of Peace, an organization “dedicated to promoting peace by preventing, mitigating and resolving violent conflict abroad”. The pair also works on the Smithsonian’s “Many Voices, One Nation” project, celebrating immigrant contributions to the culture of the United States. “This country has been so good to us. Because of this country, we are what we are, and we have to give back whatever we can,” Ambassador Mahmood stated.
This country has been so good to us. Because of this country, we are what we are, and we have to give back whatever we can. – The Honorable Rafat “Ray” Mahmood
Following 9/11, Shaista became a leading voice for interfaith understanding and sought ways to connect individuals with different religious beliefs. Together, the Mahmoods pioneered interfaith Iftar dinners at their home, bringing together friends and distinguished Washingtonians of various backgrounds to share a meal and dialogue about shared values. “You realize that their issues are the same as your issues,” Ambassador Mahmood noted. “We should all respect everybody,” Shaista added. The events became a model for fostering understanding, inspiring ambassadors and even the U.S. State Department to host similar gatherings. “It’s like a candle — you light one, and then the other person takes the candle. That’s what I think people can do,” she said of the impact of individual philanthropy.
The International Student House of Washington, DC is proud to highlight our 2025 Global Philanthropist Awardees in the “Balls & Galas” edition of Washington LIfe Magazine. View the digital October 2025 edition here.
Please join us at the 2025 Global Leadership Awards Gala as we celebrate the Mahmood’s extraordinary legacy and support our mission of fostering intercultural dialogue, life-long connections, and global citizenship. Click here for information on sponsorship opportunities and to RSVP.
