Educators, researchers and innovators, and policy experts from Qatar Foundation (QF) have opened up global conversations designed to identify solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges, and shared perspectives from Qatar on building a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future, during a week of engagements at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
QF led and participated in vital discussions focusing on education, global health, youth and women leadership, sustainability, Artificial Intelligence, global health, and also showcased how preserving the traditions of the past is integral to shaping the present and the future.
WISE, QF’s global education think tank, engaged international partners, policymakers, and institutions across leading education platforms, sharing insights on the future of learning, innovation, skills development, and emerging education systems.
Dr Asyia Kazmi, CEO of WISE, spoke at the Education Futures Forum convened by Signals House by Diplomatic Courier, telling its audience: "Foundational literacy and numeracy is one of the greatest challenges in education today, but it is also one of the most solvable. We know what works – political will, focused action, and rigorous teaching.”
Youth envoys from QF-founded QatarDebate lent their voices to the 2026 Concordia Annual Summit which took place during UNGA and shared their perspectives on youth participation in diplomacy, what it means to be a female leader, and emerging technology challenges.
Among those speaking was Ali Almawlawi, who participated in a session titled ‘From Future Leaders to Present Power: Youth at the Diplomatic Table’, while Noor al-Thani moderated a high-level session titled ‘Holding the Line: Women's Leadership in an Era of Global Uncertainty’, which included panelists such as Cherie Blair CBE, KC from the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women; Linda Rama, the First Lady of the Republic of Albania; and Shefali Razdan Duggal, a former US Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Sheikha Alanoud al-Thani spoke about how AI can be used to promote accountability and peacemaking rather than accelerate lethal military action in a session titled ‘Autonomy, Intelligence, and the Future of Defence’. She said: "AI is a powerful technology, and the challenge is to ensure it is used in ways that strengthen accountability, transparency, and better decision-making.”
During UNGA week, a global dialogue in a setting reflecting the traditional Qatari majlis – titled ‘Tradition Meets Tomorrow’ – was hosted by QF at Goals House in New York, where participants explored how cultural heritage, values, and knowledge can become part of solutions to contemporary global challenges in education and sustainability.
Speaking at Goals House, Mashail M al-Naimi, programme manager at Qatar Foundation’s Policy Hub, explained that traditions are often seen as something from the past that needs to be preserved, protected, or even placed in a glass box. "But to me, traditions are our knowledge systems – they are the skills, lived experiences, and lessons passed down through generations, offering valuable insights into how we address today's challenges,” she said.
Mohammad Ahmed al-Shaabi, Principal of Academyati, a QF school, said: "When learners work with their hands, their communities and real-world challenges, learning becomes meaningful. They begin to see that the knowledge they inherit can also be something they build upon, adapt and carry forward.”
And the Global Autism Advocacy Coalition founded by QF, Autism Speaks, and Unicef, with support from the World Health Organisation – marked a milestone year since its launch at UNGA in 2025 by bringing together investors, innovators, policymakers, philanthropic organisations, and experts to strengthen partnerships and accelerate global autism action.