NYC First Lady Rama Duwaji heads to Portugal for Islamic calligraphy retreat

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, is set to return as artist-in-residence for The Women Sanctuary’s “Journey through Islamic Calligraphy” retreat in Porto, Portugal, scheduled for two periods in September. The retreat will combine illustration workshops led by Duwaji with explorations of Portugal’s historic Islamic influence, alongside relaxed activities like picnics and poolside gatherings at a countryside manor in Arcos de Valdevez.

The cost ranges from $4,300 for shared accommodation to $5,260 for a private room with an en-suite bathroom. City Council members Joann Ariola and former councilman Bob Holden have criticized the trip as a luxury vacation rather than public service. Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist, recently participated in similar Women Sanctuary events in Mallorca and Corsica. While the mayor’s office initially indicated a NYPD security detail would accompany her, the police department later refuted that claim, attributing the confusion to staff miscommunication.