The embassy confirmed that Rosmah made an official visit to Istanbul at the invitation of Cambridge IF Analytica in conjunction with the Global Good Governance (3G) Awards.

She made the keynote speech and received the 3G Children’s Welfare Award for the Permata programme for gifted children, which she began and remains the patron.

In a statement issued today, Malaysia’s Ambassador to Turkey, Amran Mohamed Zin, said that Rosmah arrived in Istanbul on the night of May 25 and returned to Malaysia shortly after the awards event ended on the evening of May 26.

The ceremony was held in Istanbul in conjunction with the Global Donors Forum and the World Humanitarian Summit.

The award is an international recognition of the Permata programme’s contribution to the growth of children’s education, psychology, intellect and physique, the statement said.

Amran said that Rosmah had also met with Dr. Sheikha Aisha bint Faleh bin Nasser Al-Thani, a member of the Supreme Council of Education in Qatar and chairman of the World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists as well as leader of Cambridge IF Analytica.

The company, which describes itself as a financial services intelligence house, has offices in London, British Virgin Islands, Istanbul and Islamabad. It conducts an Islamic finance leadership programme with Cambridge University and also organises the Islamic retail banking awards.