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26 PRICELESS TREASURES A BIENNIAL GALA CELEBRATES THE RICHES OF A BEAUTIFUL PERSIAN HERITAGE. Shelby Hodge tries calligraphy. Photography by Priscilla Dickson, Wilson Parish. A glamorous contingent of the city's in- ternationals gathered at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, for the Art of the Islamic Worlds Gala. The focus of the biennial black-tie affair was a pre- view of the lavish exhibition "Bestowing Beauty: Masterpieces from Persian Lands." MFAH director Gary Tinterow was not overstating when he noted, "This year is especially meaningful." The riches that spilled forth that evening included a $1 million gift from Ambassador Hushang Ansary and his beautiful wife, Shahla, to establish an endowment for the museum's department of Islamic Art, which was founded in 2007. Add the thoughtful, cultural treatise delivered by special guest Prince Amyn Aga Khan, brother of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, and this amounted to one of the grandest Islamic arts galas to date. A Persian-inspired dinner from City Kitchen was followed by dessert in the "Tenenbaum Tea Lounge," which showcased $4 million worth of David Webb jewels, provided by Tenenbaum Jewelry, one of two corporate under- writers along with La Perla. THE COMMITTEE: Rania Daniel, Zeina Fares, Vahid Kooros, Sima Ladjevardian, Sultana Mangalji, Franci Neely, Cenk Ozdogan, Sabiha Rehmatulla, Aliyya Stude, and Monsour Taghdisi. WHO: Francoise and Edward Djerejian, Nijad Fares, Herman Stude, Nancy and Rich Kinder, Ali Ansari, Sara and Bill Morgan, Tony Bradfield, Maureen and Adel Chaouch, Christopher Gardner, Omar Rehmatulla with Aziza and Omar Jr., Neal and Maria Bush, Cynthia and Tony Petrello, Catherine Ozdogan, Laurie and Reed Morian, Gail and Louis Adler, John and Becca Cason Thrash, and Kathy and Marty Goossen. See more Shelby Hodge at PaperCityMag.com. Cenk Ozdogan, Rania Daniel, Aliyya Stude, Zeina Fares, Franci Neely, Sultana Mangalji Sabiha Rehmatulla, Gary Tinterow, Sima Ladjevardian, Vahid Kooros Prince Amyn Aga Khan, Gary Tinterow, Aimee Froom Omar Rehmatulla Jr. Aziza Rehmatulla, Omar Rehmatulla Honorees Shahla & Hushang Ansary Francoise & Edward Djerejian Martha Britton, Laurie Morian Amir Davoody, Rana Mehr Tony Bradfield Christina Stith Frances Marzio Christopher Gardner Tony & Cynthia Petrello Andrea White, Bill Morgan Monsour Taghdisi Heidi Kahshani Wendi & Jeremy Monthy