Qatar
Empower 2026 puts youth voices at heart of peace, security discussions
Organised by Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, the three-day Empower 2026 conference brought together young participants, including more than 30 delegates from outside Qatar to discuss the role of youth in advancing peace and security amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.
The conference featured 14 sessions, including panel discussions and workshops, with participants engaging with experts and representatives from various institutions.
Its key outcome was a youth declaration, which will be taken forward to the Arab Youth Peace and Security Forum to discuss the recommendations and outcomes emerging from the conference.
Speaking to ‘Gulf Times’, Mana al-Ansari, chief economic empowerment officer at EAA Foundation, said the organisation was proud to host the latest edition, describing Empower as a leading youth platform in Qatar with ambitions to expand its international reach.
"We’re proud to have almost 300 youth participants taking part in this edition. Over 30 of them are coming from outside of Qatar, especially in this geopolitical situation. That was an amazing win,” he said.
Highlighting the declaration as the conference’s most significant outcome, al-Ansari said: "By the end of the three days, we’ll have the youth declaration. And the youth declaration will be taken over into the Arab Youth Peace and Security Forum to discuss the outcomes of Empower that, inshallah, will shape the future.”
He also highlighted the advantages of today’s younger generation, particularly their access to technology, information and greater confidence in expressing their views.
"This generation is way more better than previous generations in terms of access to technology, access to information, as well as confidence,” he said.
The conference’s youth-led approach was another defining feature, with young people taking responsibility for organising and delivering its activities. Ali Fawaz al-Ajji, an EAA youth advocate and one of the conference organisers, said Empower was designed to give young people ownership of the platform rather than simply positioning them as participants.
"This is a conference made from the youth and it is made for the youth,” he said, explaining that its committees, organisations, projects and exhibitions were all organised and presented by young people.
He stressed that youth participation in such platforms was essential because decisions made today would directly affect younger generations. "Every decision we make affects youth. And so youth should have an impactful role to play in the decision-making and in understanding the process by which these decisions are made,” al-Ajji said.
For participants, the conference also provided an opportunity to exchange ideas and learn directly from specialists working across different sectors.
Aisha Ahmed al-Emadi, an EAA youth advocate and student at Georgetown University in Qatar, said the theme of peace and security was chosen by the youth committees because of its relevance to developments in the region and around the world.
She said the conference combined panel discussions with workshops involving organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme, Qatar Fund for Development and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Young participants were able to interact with experts through simulations, practical experiences and discussions, gaining insights beyond the classroom.