QatarDebate Centre, founded by Qatar Foundation, concluded the 3rd Mutual Dialogue Summit following two days of focused discussions on pressing issues at the local and regional levels.
The summit was organised in partnership with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, and with Msheireb Museums serving as the cultural partner.
During the closing session, His Excellency Yasser al-Jamal, undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports and Youth and vice-chairman of QatarDebate Centre, highlighted that the summit reflects a strong belief that youth empowerment is achieved not through slogans, but through genuine dialogue that develops critical thinking, enhances analytical skills, and transforms ideas into responsible action and tangible outcomes.
“Throughout the summit, we witnessed specialised workshops, engaging roundtable discussions, and deep dialogue sessions with leading experts and professionals,” said QatarDebate Centre (administration and strategy) director Abdulrahman al-Subaie. “These initiatives allowed the centre to elevate young voices, enhance their skills, and build understanding across different perspectives.”
Following the closing remarks, a panel discussion on “From Local Ideas to Regional Enterprises: The Rise of Startups in the Gulf” took place, bringing together Hamad al-Hajri (Qatari entrepreneur, founder of Snoonu, and chief executive of International Markets at Jahez International) and Talal al-Awadhi, Kuwaiti founder and chief executive of Ottu.
The discussion was moderated by Jamal al-Mulla, a media professional, content creator, and podcast host from the United Arab Emirates.
The second day of the summit featured a panel discussion on “Beyond Algorithms: Gulf Efforts in Building Artificial Intelligence Models”, moderated by QatarDebate Centre ambassador Moza al-Hajri.
The discussion brought together a distinguished group of experts, including Ministry of Communications and Information Technology director of digital innovation Eman al-Kuwari, New York University Abu Dhabi research assistant professor and associate vice-provost (Research Translation and Entrepreneurship) Dr Hoda al-Khzaimi, and Dr Ibrahim al-Muslim, assistant research professor at the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.
The summit provided a comprehensive platform for discussions on education, architecture, and innovation.
One of the panels, titled “Redefining Education in the Digital Age through EdTech,,” examined how digital innovation can transform education systems, enhance learning quality, and shape future opportunities.
The session was moderated by QatarDebate Centre ambassador Salem al-Shamakhi and featured World Innovation Summit for Education programme associate Aldana Alsemaitt, Dawrat co-founder and chief executive Mohammad Alsuraye, and Ahmed Faraj, entrepreneur, founder, and EdTech expert.
Another session, on “Gulf Architecture between Memory and Innovation”, featured Ibrahim Jaidah, group chief executive and chief architect of the Arab Engineering Bureau, and Kuwaiti architect Bashar al-Salem, chief executive of Kayan.
It was moderated by architect and public policy researcher Mozah al-Obaidan.
The session discussed how to balance the preservation of Gulf architectural identity with innovation in contemporary urban design.
