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The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), will reflect this year Qatar’s commitment to addressing a number of pressing issues, influenced by the rapid changes in the world of technology, and the dissemination of successful global experiences and practices in education that respond to and address the challenges of today’s world. Held under the theme ‘UnLearn ReLearn: What it means to be Human’, the WISE Summit, which will be held at Qatar National Convention Centre tomorrow, will give attendees the opportunity to network, collaborate, share effective practices and discover new ideas through interactive plenary sessions, keynote speeches and debates. They attend workshops facilitating partnerships and spotlights presenting projects and innovative practices. The two-day conference will see the participation of 2,000 experts, speakers, education specialists, decision makers, and thought leaders from more than 100 countries will participate in more than 150 plenary sessions and debates that shape the future of education in Qatar and around the world, and identify the behaviours, skills and attributes to be learned and re-acquired in order to achieve the desired prosperity of the 21st century. The WISE 2019 will address the pressing issues and current trends facing education, starting with how to relearn the emotional and psychological skills we need to learn, the exchange of views on whether well-being should be taught in schools, to identifying global educational technology trends and their impact on innovation. During the opening session of the Summit, the winners of WISE Prize will be announced. Established in 2011 by the Chairperson of Qatar Foundation Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the WISE Prize for Education is the first distinction of its kind to recognise an individual or a team of up to six for an outstanding, world-class contribution to education.  The WISE Prize for Education raises the status of education by giving it similar prestige enjoyed in other fields for which international prizes exist, such as literature, peace and economics. Nominations for the WISE Prize for Education are invited from individuals and institutions, including schools, international organisations and private companies, from anywhere in the world. An international Jury of distinguished individuals makes the final selection of the WISE Prize for Education Laureate who is introduced at the WISE Summit. The Laureate receives the WISE Prize for Education gold medal and $500,000 (US) cash fund dedicated to grow their initiative.  WISE 2019 will also celebrate six WISE 2019 projects, selected from 481 projects that were submitted in recognition and encouragement of innovative educational initiatives worldwide. Announced in September, the winning projects include Family Business for Education from the UK, Programa Crianca Feliz (Happy Child Programme) from Brazil, United World Schools: Teaching the Unreached working in Nepal, Cambodia and Myanmar, Arpan’s Personal Safety Education Programme from India, Akilah Institute from Rwanda and Micro:bit Educational Foundation from the UK. Qualifying projects typically address a number of pressing educational issues, including innovative ways of financing education, providing access to education in remote areas, and providing early childhood programmes based on cognitive science. In WISE 2019, eight new research reports will be launched that provide detailed insights and actionable recommendations for education challenges in Qatar and beyond. These reports are of interest to educators, policy makers, school leaders, and parents included topics such as local learning systems, language policies, student well-being, educational leadership, global citizenship education, excellence in higher education, and the mobility of university students across countries. The reports will present their findings and discuss them with the delegates of the conference. The conference selected eight promising educational technology initiatives to join the WISE Accelerator programme for 2019-2020 and representatives of selected initiatives participated in some of the workshops and specialized lectures during the summit. In addition, WISE Learners’ Voice selected 25 distinguished learners from 19 countries to attend a training course in Doha from November 17-19 that includes work-based leadership, development of the Education Unit and participation in a series of collaborative and interactive sessions on WISE communication and social innovation skills topics and partner organisations to increase the impact of their work and collaborate on pressing challenges. WISE provides a range of programmes outside its main Doha summit, including a range of annual initiatives, with this year, for the first time in Qatar, the Doha Learning Days is the first experiential learning festival in Qatar to celebrate a week-long education, with WISE showcasing local initiatives and encouraging the community to participate in its activities. Over the course of six days, from November 14-19, the experimental festival hosted a large number of sessions, events and activities organised by more than 50 parties and partners locally and internationally, including interactive workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, in addition to sessions on health, and discussions aimed at creating positive change in Qatar’s society.

The Qatar delegation at the ongoing World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva is being led by HE the Minister of Information and Communications Technology Dr Hessa Sultan al-Jaber. A high-level meeting opened yesterday to review progress on the outcomes of the previous WSIS sessions, held in Geneva in 2003 and in Tunis in 2005. Policy-makers, including ministers and leaders from civil society, academia, business and international organisations will focus attention on implementation of the outcomes of the summit for next year’s 10-year review during the WSIS+10 High-level Event that kicked off yesterday. Dr al-Jaber delivered a policy statement about Qatar’s efforts towards becoming an information society. “Qatar’s leadership focused on the ICT sector as essential to transforming Qatar into an information society, fuelling both social and economic good.  We opened up the telecommunications market and made the decision to invest heavily in building and securing a world-class infrastructure with the capacity and speeds to set Qatar apart in the region and around the world,” she said. She also highlighted the recently-launched Qatar’s e-Government Strategy 2020, Qatar National Cyber Security Strategy and the Inclusion through Technology Mada Strategy.  “Driven by Qatar’s National ICT Plan 2015 and Qatar National Vision 2030, today, Qatar ranks 23rd among 148 countries in the 2014 World Economic Forum’s Networked Readiness Index and  4th in the world in government usage of ICT in that same report. And Qatar’s ICT market is expected to grow 10% annually and reach QR24.7bn by 2016,” she said. Earlier, ITU secretary-general Hamadoun I. Touré, said: “World leaders at the WSIS in 2003 agreed to promote the use of ICTs for the achievement of internationally agreed development goals and targets. Today almost everyone on earth lives within reach of a mobile cellular network and nearly 3bn people are online; we must now ensure that everyone also has access to broadband connectivity. We are here to pave the way for the future and set the roadmap for sustainable development in the post-2015 era.” With special attention to developing countries, 10 targets were adopted at WSIS with the aim of encouraging connectivity in villages, schools, libraries, post offices, national archives and governments, as well as adapting school curricula to meet the challenges of the information society, support the development of multilingualism and content on the Internet, and ensure ICT access to more than half of the world’s inhabitants. One of the highlights at the WSIS+10 High-level Event yesterday was the launch of the Final Targets Review, a report prepared by the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development, of which ITU is a founding member. The report indicated mixed results on the achievements of the WSIS targets and called for strengthening the role of ICTs in the post-2015 development agenda. According to the Final WSIS Targets Review, significant progress has been made in increasing mobile cellular coverage with all rural communities in the world likely to be covered by 2G mobile cellular signals by 2015. However, Internet connectivity remains a challenge and access to broadband continues to be unequal, with penetration rates around four times higher in developed countries as compared to developing ones. While some countries have successfully integrated computers in schools, less than 10% of schools in many of the world’s poorest countries are connected to the Internet. The proportion of teachers trained to use ICT in the classroom is increasing, but fewer than 10% of teachers in low-income countries have been trained to effectively use ICTs in their classrooms. Scientific and research centres with broadband Internet access is close to 100% and the total number of national research and education networks has improved significantly, with the majority of universities and research centres being connected. While libraries, museums and archives are important providers of online content related to culture, a lot remains to be done in terms of digitising cultural heritage and making it available online. There is a growing divide in broadband access between enterprises in developed and developing countries and it is clear that within developing countries themselves, there are wide differences in ICT use between large and small companies, between enterprises in different industries, and between rural and urban enterprises. Mobile phones have become the most commonly used ICT tool among micro and small enterprises, and in the informal sector. The number of websites has grown exponentially between 2003 and 2013, and the number of webpages even more substantially, with developed countries in Europe, the Americas and parts of Asia generating the majority of web content. More than 300 languages are now available on Wikipedia and more than 100 on major social networks, while the proportion of Internet users whose primary language is English has fallen significantly as access to the Internet has become more widespread. Results show that ICT is becoming central to the effective operation of health systems and services although progress is uneven across countries. The WHO Global Observatory reports that the number of countries with e-health strategies is showing a steady rise. In 2014, central governments in all 193 UN Member States have an online presence, with online information and services increasing three-fold on government portals in the last decade.  

From left to right: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Brazilian President Dilma Roussef, President of the UN General Assembly Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser and General Secretary of the Conference Sha Zukang who participated in the closing ceremony of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20 in Rio de Janeiro on Friday AFP/Rio de Janeiro The biggest UN summit on sustainable development in a decade approved a strategy on Friday to haul more than a billion people out of poverty and cure the sickness of the biosphere. But critics branded the plan a cruel failure, saying it had been gutted of ambition by national interests. The gathering of 191 UN members crowned a 10-day forum marking 20 years since the Rio Earth Summit, where leaders vowed the world would live within its environmental means. In a sprawling 53-page statement, the three-day summit voiced dismay at entrenched poverty and mounting ecological stress. “We... renew our commitment to sustainable development, and to ensure the promotion of an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future for our planet and for present and future generations,” it said. Entitled “The Future We Want,” the statement highlighted the many perils facing a planet whose human population is set to surge from 7bn today to 9.5bn by 2050. The long list includes climate change, desertification, fisheries depletion, pollution and deforestation, and the danger that thousands of species will go the way of the dodo. “Sustainable Development Goals” will replace the UN’s Millennium Development Goals from 2015, although defining the aim will be left for future talks - a process likely to be long and fiercely fought. The strategy also promotes the green economy, a concept that breaks new ground in official UN terminology but is viewed suspiciously by many developing economies. The statement also reflected the worries of advanced economies battling a deep financial crisis. Despite the demands of developing nations for $30bn in help, the text stipulated no funding figures to achieve sustainability goals. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the outcome “provides a firm foundation for social, economic, environmental well-being.” “It will guide us, all of us, towards a sustainable path. It is now our responsibility to build on it.” President Dilma Rousseff told a press conference that Brazil, the host country, had secured the compromise after months of haggling.  “The consensus is a point of departure, not arrival,” she cautioned. “With this document, nations move forward. We cannot allow anyone to remain behind. The next conference will have to be a leap forward.” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the document “marks a real advance for sustainable development. We know this is one of the most pressing matters of our time.” But others said a historic opportunity had been thrown away. “The two defining challenges we face today are eradicating global poverty and managing the risks of climate change,” said British economist Lord Nicholas Stern, author of a landmark study into the costs of global warming. “But the conference has failed to acknowledge the compelling evidence about the scale and urgency of action required.” A registry that was opened during the conference showed that nearly 700 commitments, mobilising $513bn, had been made for sustainable development by governments and businesses, the UN said on Friday. It gave no details about whether the funding was new or the criteria for determining whether the projects were sustainable. In the green movement, many activists branded Rio+20 a disappointment to rank alongside the 2009 Copenhagen climate summit, a near-fiasco. “The only people dancing in Rio tonight will be those who continue to benefit from a broken economic model that puts profit ahead of people and planet,” said Asad Rehman of Friends of the Earth. “Rio+20 has been a failure of epic proportions,” said Greenpeace’s executive director, Kumi Naidoo. “We must now work together to form a movement to tackle the equity, ecology and economic crises being forced on our children. The only outcome of this summit is justifiable anger, an anger that we must turn into action.”

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has stressed the need for targeted actions by governments world over to help over 400mn people to escape poverty in its latest report published ahead of the Second World Summit for Social Development ( WWSD) 2025 being held in Doha.At press conference during the WWSD today, Haoliang Xu, UNDP acting administrator said that rethinking traditional poverty measures by defining 'prosperity floors' can help vulnerable communities cope with shocks without falling back into poverty. 411mn people worldwide could move from poverty to basic security by 2030 if governments adopt context-specific ‘prosperity floors’ and focus on job-intensive growth, adaptive social protection systems and policies that increase wagesXi said : “Crossing a $3-a-day threshold is not enough if families are still one emergency—one illness, job loss, or climate crisis—away from being unable to afford housing, food, and essential services. Our report demonstrates that, by 2030, 411mn people could move from poverty to basic security—if governments act together, and act now.”The report, titled Poverty-to-Prosperity Transitions highlights strategies to ensure not just poverty reduction but sustained prosperity for low-to-middle income households across the globe. According to the report, established poverty measurements identify people who cannot meet minimum needs. By contrast, a ‘prosperity floor’ identifies the minimum needs for people not only to subsist, but also to be able to withstand unexpected shocks such as a natural disaster or economic downturn.The report also points out that the new benchmark will not only track progress in escaping poverty but also help safeguard against future setbacks, ensuring people remain secure and resilient in the face of unexpected emergencies.UNDP analysis across 126 developing countries finds that more than one-third of people in developing countries live below their prosperity floor. This means these individuals remain vulnerable, with a single crisis threatening to push them back into poverty.The report cautions that relying solely on traditional poverty alleviation policies, such as cash transfers and cash-for-work programmes, will not sustain progress. Instead, UNDP urges governments to adopt a system-wide strategy that fosters job inclusive growth, adaptable social protection, and fairer income distribution to leave no one behind.Across every region, progress on poverty reduction has slowed, and disparities have deepened. While the share of people living in extreme income poverty has fallen globally, nearly 1.1bn people still experience acute multidimensional poverty, lacking access to education, health, and decent living standards.Two-thirds of the world’s population live in countries where income inequality has increased over the past decade. Poverty is increasingly concentrated in fragile and conflict-affected settings, and the effects of climate change and demographic pressures are compounding these vulnerabilities.

The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), and the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) have hosted a regional consultation meeting for the 2019 Human Development Report (HDR) in Doha. The meeting brought together 15 researchers and leaders from various education institutions in Qatar, including QF members Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and the Doha International Family Institute (DIFI); QF partner university Georgetown University in Qatar; and Education Above All Foundation (EAA). The meeting also included researchers and experts from the UNDPs National Human Development team. The one-day event took the form of a roundtable during which five main topics were discussed: preliminary findings of the 2019 HDR; inequality of levels and quality education; social and emotional learning; inequalities in stimuli during early childhood; and the intergenerational transmission of inequality. Speaking on the occasion, CEO of WISE Stavros N Yiannouka said: “When the UNDP launched the Human Development Report and Index in 1990, it did the world a great service by emphasising that human progress could not be measured simply in terms of production and the accumulation of material wealth. By adding education and health into the equation, the UNDP highlighted the importance of ensuring that government and society deploy their wealth constructively in the service of improving human wellbeing.” “Qatar Foundation and WISE are delighted to welcome the UNDP to this regional consultation meeting to discuss the forthcoming Human Development Report, which focuses on inequality, and to share the Education City community’s perspectives on the future direction of the important work undertaken by the Human Development Report team. We are also pleased that representatives from HBKU, EAA, QFs partner universities, DIFI, and the World Innovation Summit for Health have joined us for this roundtable discussion,” he added.

This year’s World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) will be held in Doha from November 3 to 5 under the theme ‘Investing for Impact: Quality Education for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth’.  The event aims to explore the relationships among education, entrepreneurship and economy; with participants addressing ways to strengthen education systems, develop ‘job-ready’ talent pools to counter persisting inequality, and support wider economic progress.  Established in 2009 by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), WISE will bring together more than 1,500 innovators, including educational thinkers and practitioners, representatives of governments, NGOs, business leaders and social entrepreneurs. WISE 2015 will be the first global conference following the United Nations General Assembly and the ratification of the Sustainable Development Goals and will provide a platform for examining emerging innovations, scalable solutions, and emerging models of education financing.  Education Above All founded by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser will host the second day plenary addressing the impact of violence and conflict on education and effective responses.Speakers and attendees include Leymah Gbowee, the 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate, founder and president of Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa; Julia Gillard, former Australian prime minister, and board chair of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Princess Mabel Van Oranje, board chair, Girls Not Brides; Dr Claudia Costin, senior director, Education Global Practice, The World Bank Group; and Khalid Alkhudair, founder and CEO, Glowork.WISE 2015 will present three new features - The Learning Lab, The WISE Research Reports and The Qatar Zone.  The Learning Lab is conducted in partnership with the Supreme Education Council. WISE will offer Qatar-based school children aged 12 to 14 and their teachers the opportunity to participate in the Learning Lab; an area dedicated to innovative and interactive pedagogies. The Lab will comprise three workshops, with hands-on activities facilitated by partnering institutions, including Lego.WISE has partnered with leading researchers from Qatar and around the world to produce a series of reports, which will be revealed at the summit. The reports feature action-oriented policy research on key topics relevant to the theme of the summit. The reports are designed to bring key topics to the forefront of the global education debate, and reflect the priorities of the Qatar National Research Strategy.The Qatar Zone has been conceived to encourage meetings and discussions among summit participants and key Qatari education institutions partnering with WISE. These include Qatar Foundation, the Supreme Education Council, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar University, and Teach for Qatar, among others.A highlight of the summit will be the announcement of the 2015 WISE Prize for Education Laureate at the opening session. Currently in its fifth year, the WISE Prize for Education will be presented at the summit to an individual or a team in recognition of an outstanding contribution in education.Additionally, this year, WISE 2015 will include a focus on the education challenges of the Mena region.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani participated Tuesday in the opening session of the 80th UN General Assembly held at the organisation’s headquarters in New York.The session was attended by a number of Their Majesties, Highnesses, and Excellencies heads of state, leaders of governments and delegations, and representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations.His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani delivered a speech during the session.The following is an unofficial translation of the address:In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Your Excellency, Madam President of the General Assembly, Your Excellency, Secretary-General of the UN, Honourable Audience, May the peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you, The UN was established eight decades ago on a set of rules and principles reached by humanity after two world wars. These rules are based on maintaining international peace and security, respecting human dignity, states' sovereignty, and their internal affairs, and fostering international cooperation for the welfare of our peoples and humanity at large."Qatar has made a choice, as ever, to remain faithful to its approach of siding with the values and principles supposedly cherished by the international community"The fallback of this international order in favour of the logic of power means paving the way for the law of the jungle to prevail-where the concepts of law and justice become an irrelevant digression, and where those who transgress against others enjoy privileges merely by virtue of their ability to do so.This is the so-called new political realism, whose definition has been telescoped into nothing more than going along with the ability to impose a fait accompli. Such conduct embodies catastrophic myopia. Those who commit transgressions in international relations interpret tolerance towards them as weakness, and perceive those who tolerate their transgressions as crippled.“This attack was a grave violation of a state’s sovereignty, and a blatant, unjustified breach of international norms and conventions... we branded it as state terrorism.”The issue that should top discussions in international institutions today is how the collective security system could restore its strength in accordance with the UN Charter, and thus reinstate the effectiveness of the international legitimacy.Honourable Audience, As you know, on September 9, Doha came under a treacherous attack targeting a meeting of the Hamas negotiating delegation at the residence of one of its members in a residential neighbourhood hosting schools and diplomatic missions. Six people were martyred, including a Qatari national serving in the Internal Security Force- Lekhwiya, while 18 others sustained injuries as a result of this aggression.This attack was a grave violation of a state’s sovereignty, and a blatant, unjustified breach of international norms and conventions. However, the entire world was also shocked by the circumstances of this heinous act, which we branded as state terrorism.“Israel is not a democracy in a hostile environment, as its leaders claim. It is, in reality, a state hostile to its environment, complicit in building an apartheid system, and waging a genocidal war.”Contrary to the Israeli Prime Minister’s claim, this attack does not fall within a supposed right to track down terrorists wherever they may be, but rather constitutes an assault on a mediating, peace-making state whose diplomacy has been devoted to resolving conflicts through peaceful means, and has been making strenuous efforts for two years to achieve a settlement to halt the genocidal war waged against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. It was also an attempt to assassinate politicians-members of a delegation engaged in negotiations with Israel-while they were examining an American proposal to give their feedback. As you know, Qatar, as mediating state, hosts delegations from both Hamas and Israel during the negotiations.The mediation, in fact, has succeeded-in cooperation with sisterly Arabic Republic of Egypt and the US of America-in securing the release of 148 hostages. Motivated by hope to reach a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza Strip, the entry of humanitarian aid, and the release of Palestinian prisoners, we have continued the mediation even though Israel unilaterally cancelled the latest truce without providing any justification.They visit our country while planning to bomb it; they negotiate with delegations while plotting to assassinate their members. It is extremely difficult to deal with this mindset, which does not respect the most basic principles of human interaction. To expect predictable behaviour from such actors is almost impossible. Isn’t this the definition of a rogue government? No party resorts to assassinate the very delegation it is negotiating with unless its goal is to derail the negotiations. For them, negotiations are nothing but a continuation of war by other means, and a way to mislead Israeli public opinion.“The fallback of this international order in favour of the logic of power means paving the way for the law of the jungle to prevail—where the concepts of law and justice become an irrelevant digression.”If the cost of freeing the Israeli hostages is ending the war, then the Israeli government is abandoning their release. Its real objective is to destroy Gaza — to render housing, livelihoods, education and medical care impossible, stripping away the very foundations of human life, and thus paving the way for the displacement of its population. This is why its Prime Minister insists on prolonging the war. He believes in the so-called Greater Land of Israel. He views the war as an opportunity to expand settlements and alter the status quo at the Al-Haram al-Sharif, and he also has annexation plans in the West Bank. There is no longer any doubt that ethnic cleansing, changing the reality of the occupied territories, and even imposing new realities on the region are the goals of this war.This treacherous assault on the sovereignty of a Gulf state thousands of miles away has exposed that the Israeli prime minister, who boasts of having changed the face of the Middle East in the past two years, truly intends to allow Israel to intervene wherever and whenever it wishes. He has a pipe dream of rendering the Arab region as an Israeli sphere of influence.The Arab and Islamic nations, which convened a summit in Doha, have already warned of the grave consequences of such a dangerous delusion.Israel is not a democracy in a hostile environment, as its leaders claim. It is, in reality, a state hostile to its environment, complicit in building an apartheid system, and waging a genocidal war.Its Prime Minister proudly declares before his people that he has blocked the establishment of a Palestinian state, and he promises that such a state will never come into being. He boasts of having prevented peace with the Palestinians, and vows to block it in the future.Israel is surrounded by nations that have either signed peace agreements or committed to the Arab Peace Initiative. Yet Israel is not content even with settlements and truces, even those which are based on biased balance of power; rather it seeks to impose its will on its Arab neighbours.And anyone who objects to this is branded, in its propaganda, as either a terrorist or antisemitic.This is what public opinion — even in countries allied with Israel — has come to recognise and reject. Today, we are witnessing the inception of a global solidarity movement, reminiscent of the international campaign against apartheid in the last century.On this occasion, I want to avail myself of this opportunity to express my deep appreciation for the global solidarity with Qatar, including the statement by the Security Council unanimously condemning the aggression.Honourable Audiences, The state of Qatar has made a choice, as ever, to remain faithful to its approach of siding with the values and principles supposedly cherished by the international community, believing of the possibility of reconciling between these values and interests when policy is rational and realistic, while being unafraid to speak out for the voice of truth when silence prevails, and adhering to diplomacy when adversaries find it easy to use weapons.We have been engaged in arduous mediation to stop the war, grantee humanitarian aid flow, and secure the release of hostages and detainees. We have faced disinformation campaigns against our exerted efforts. However, these campaigns will not deter us from carrying on our efforts in partnership with the sisterly Arabic Republic of Egypt and the US of America.We are firmly convinced that peace cannot be achieved in our region if the international community, mainly the Security Council, does not take a firm stance to shifting from following the occupation’s attempts of imposing a fait accompli in its successive wars, to resolving the Palestinian cause on the bases of ending the occupation of Palestinian territories and allowing the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the 1967 borders, in accordance with the resolutions of the international legitimacy and the two-state solution agreed upon by the international community.We treasure the role of the states that recognised the State of Palestine. These recognitions undoubtedly carry moral significance since they convey a message saying that violence and excessive use of violence will not succeed in eliminating a just cause such as the Palestinian cause. We call upon all the other states to recognise the state of Palestine.We believe that instability has no boundaries, and that humanity’s destiny is interconnected, the State of Qatar has continued its diplomatic efforts to contribute to solving other crises, such as the war in Ukraine and the wars in Africa. Together with our co-partners in the African continent, our relentless efforts paid off valuable steps towards achieving peace, most notably the signing of the Declaration of Principles in Doha between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Alliance Fleuve Congo/ 23 March Movement, in support of a path leaded by the US to a comprehensive peace agreement in the east of the country. The State of Qatar will remain an active partner within the international community in resolving disputes through peaceful means and seizing opportunities to achieve global peace.Honourable Audiences, Some states in our region still suffer from a lack of security and stability, but what gives hope is the occurrence of some positive developments.Sisterly Syria has, since late last year, entered a new phase that we hope will be the beginning of a path toward realizing the aspirations of the Syrian people for stability, development, and the rule of law, after a dark chapter in their country’s history. Qatar has consistently stood by the Syrian people throughout the past years, and I continued to raise their cause from this very podium even when it seemed to have fallen off the agenda of international politics.The international community should seize the current opportunity to stand by Syria so that it can successfully navigate this transitional phase and enable Syrians to regain a normal life after decades of hardship. We have learned from our experience in other Arab countries that building state institutions, fostering relationships between the state and general public on the basis of equal citizenship, while respecting religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity, are of paramount importance at this stage. The state of Qatar will spare no effort in providing the necessary support to sisterly Syria. I am confident of the Syrian people’s ability to overcome the hardships of this transitional period, renounce sectarianism in all its forms, violence, and other divisive elements, and reject foreign intervention, particularly Israeli attempts to partition Syria and act as if the areas south of Damascus were areas of Israeli influence.Our sisterly Lebanon has also witnessed positive developments with the election of General Joseph Aoun as President of the Republic and the appointment of HE Dr. Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister — this represents a significant step toward stability in the country. Qatar will continue to stand in support of Lebanon, its people, and its institutions, and to support the Lebanese army. We stress the importance of enforcing the UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from areas they occupied during the recent war, and cessation of their interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.As for brotherly Sudan, its people continue to suffer an unprecedented humanitarian crisis as a result of the ongoing violence.We reiterate our call for all parties to prioritise the supreme national interests and engage in an inclusive dialogue that leads to sustainable peace, preserves Sudan’s unity, independence, and sovereignty, and fulfills its people’s aspirations for security, stability, and development. We express our support for regional and international efforts aimed at achieving this goal.Honourable audience, Doha has long stood as a global capital hosting major political, economic, and sporting events, and acting as a hub that brings together leaders and decision-makers from around the world to deliberate and devise realistic solutions to common global challenges. We will host the Second World Summit for Social Development on November 4-6, 2025. We look forward to welcoming you to this conference.Undoubtedly, the confidence placed on us by the international community rests on a track record of successful organizational achievements the state of Qatar has realized over the years. Building on this solid legacy, we have submitted our bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games, out of conviction that sport is not a mere competition but a bridge for connecting peoples and a platform for promoting peace and understanding. Our hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022 is a testament of our ability to turn major sporting events into arena for communication and rapprochement among diverse cultures.In conclusion, The State of Qatar, mindful of the gravity of the challenges confronting the international community, reaffirms that it will remain faithful to its commitments to championing truth, building bridges of peace, and promoting justice in international relations.Thank you. May the peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.The session was attended by HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, and Their Excellencies members of the official delegation accompanying His Highness the Amir.

HE Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council, Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti, reaffirmed the State of Qatar's commitment to supporting development efforts and promoting South-South cooperation through its global development partnerships and humanitarian initiatives.This came at the opening session of the third South-South Parliamentary Dialogue Forum, held over two days in Rabat under the theme "Interregional and intercontinental dialogues in the countries of the South: an essential lever for meeting the new challenges of international cooperation and achieving peace, security, stability and shared development,"HE Dr. Al Sulaiti highlighted Qatar's efforts in supporting developing countries.She pointed to Qatar's development and humanitarian aid contributions, as well as its partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in supporting the Accelerator Labs initiative.Dr. Al Sulaiti also emphasized the role of the Education Above All Foundation, launched by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, which seeks to ensure access to education for marginalized children, describing investment in human capital as essential to achieving genuine development.In addition, she referenced Qatar's preparations to host the second World Summit for Social Development in November 2025, a platform to address issues of social justice, the empowerment of vulnerable groups, and the promotion of global solidarity.HE Dr. Al Sulaiti underlined the importance of digital transformation for supporting development in the Global South, noting that Qatar has become a leading example in leveraging advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to drive sustainable growth.She highlighted Qatar's success in building a cutting-edge digital infrastructure and adopting ambitious national strategies, allowing it to rank among the top countries in technological readiness and innovation, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.Digital progress, she said, plays a crucial role in boosting economic integration among Global South countries and tackling economic, social, and environmental challenges. She called for greater investment in technology and artificial intelligence as a core component of national development strategies.Addressing the challenges facing the Global South amid accelerating global changes, HE Dr. Al Sulaiti stressed the interconnectedness of developmental, economic, and humanitarian crises, warning that ongoing double standards in the international community undermine the prospects for fair development.She drew attention to the plight of the Palestinian people under Israeli aggression, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries, and warned that the lack of international accountability for such crimes threatens global peace and raises questions about the effectiveness of international institutions.Achieving sustainable development, she argued, is impossible without ensuring international justice. Dr. Al Sulaiti called for a stronger role for regional and international parliaments and reforms to the United Nations system to promote fairness and efficiency.She noted the adoption of two resolutions by the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Tashkent regarding the Palestinian issue, calling for a two-state solution. The resolution emphasized the importance of adhering to international law and halting the aggression against Gaza, along with another resolution related to parliamentary strategies to mitigate the effects of conflicts on sustainable development, stressing that they are consistent with the State of Qatar's positions in support of peace and development.HE Dr. Al Sulaiti emphasized the need for comprehensive strategies focused on self-reliance, closing development gaps, infrastructure investment, unified economic policies, innovation, entrepreneurship, education, and environmental sustainability through green initiatives and partnerships.In closing, she stressed that achieving the aspirations of the Global South for justice, development, and stability requires strong political will and a shared commitment to collective interests, calling for unified efforts to build a more just and sustainable future.Separately, the Shura Council participated in a forum session on the role of regional initiatives and dialogues in promoting economic integration and joint development among Global South countries. During the session, HE Shura Council Member Abdullah bin Ali Al Sulaiti outlined Qatar's efforts to support economic integration among countries of the South.He emphasized that these efforts stem from Qatar's belief in the importance of parliamentary dialogue as a cornerstone for strengthening economic integration and building flexible legislative frameworks that support sustainable development.Participants at the forum focused on strengthening economic integration and promoting shared development among countries of the Global South, against the backdrop of mounting global economic and developmental challenges.Discussions also highlighted the importance of activating joint parliamentary action as a key driver for advancing economic integration efforts and expanding frameworks for cooperation among Southern nations.The forum further emphasized the need to support innovation, facilitate technology transfer between countries of the Global South, and invest in building national capacities and developing human capital, enabling nations to fully leverage the opportunities presented by the technological revolution.On the sidelines of the forum's opening day, HE Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council, Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti, met with HE President of the Chamber of Councillors of Morocco, Mohamed Ould Rachid. During the meeting, they emphasized the importance of the topics discussed at the forum, particularly those related to enhancing South-South cooperation efforts, as well as reviewing ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two sides.Her Excellency also met with President of Chile's Senate, Manuel Jose Ossandon Irarrazabal, and President of the National Congress of Honduras and Chair of the Forum of Central American and Caribbean Countries, Luis Redondo, to explore prospects for strengthened parliamentary coordination.

HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani met with UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.During the meeting, they emphasized the importance of enhancing international cooperation to drive development and support the most vulnerable communities. They also discussed key issues on the agenda of the Second World Summit for Social Development, which is scheduled to take place this year in Doha.

  * MCIT bags 'Champions' award at World Summit on the Information Society 2022   The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) won the 'Champions' award at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2022, during an awards ceremony held on the sidelines of the WSIS Forum being held at the headquarters of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, under the theme 'Information and Communication Technologies for Prosperity, Inclusion and Flexibility'. The MCIT won the award in the 'Building Confidence and Security in the Use of Information and Communication Technology' category for its SafeSpace platform project, which aims to implant the culture of security and digital safety. The MCIT project defeated five other projects to win the award. Mashael Ali al-Hammadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Information Technology Affairs at MCIT, and head of Qatar's delegation participating in the WSIS 2022 Forum, said: "Winning this prestigious award is a testament to the extent of investment and efforts made by the ministry in the field of digital transformation." Al-Hammadi, who received the award at the ceremony, explained that Qatar keeps pace with all developments in the field of information and communications technology, and has invested a lot in this important vital field. This, in turn, has enabled the country to take advanced positions globally, and the WSIS award-crowned SafeSpace project is one example of success in digital growth and IT creativity. Seventeen projects from Qatar qualified for the WSIS awards in their diverse categories, which aim to evaluate projects and activities that benefit from the power of ICT to advance sustainable development, with two of these projects reaching the final stage and getting nominated for the 'Champions' award. SafeSpace aims to implant the culture of security, digital safety and awareness among all segments of Qatari and Arab society, including teachers, students, youth, parents, children and others, based on three basic principles: prevention, protection and empowerment, thereby enhancing the user's capabilities to become safer in the digital world. This platform is the official online presence of all initiatives, which fall under the Digital Safety Program of the MCIT's Digital Community Department, to be its main window, supported by awareness campaigns for digital security and safety on social media sites, public places, the Digital Safety Ambassadors Programme, the Electronic Digital Safety Library and digital safety workshops. Qatar, the golden strategic partner of the forum, is represented by a high-level official delegation that includes representatives of a number of official entities in the country, led by al-Hammadi. The Qatari delegation includes representatives from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, Planning and Statistics Authority, Mada - Qatar Assistive Technology Center and Ehsan Centre. The forum provides an opportunity for discussions, consultations, co-operation and information exchange between different stakeholders to ensure that ICT is used as a key enabler in achieving the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals.

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) will host a special virtual event in partnership with Unicef and stakeholders from Qatar and across the world to mark World Children’s Day today (November 20). Kicking off at 1pm (Doha time) on Firday, the post-WISH 2020 event will feature keynote talks, panel discussions, live musical and art performances, and will conclude at 7:30 pm, with Doha’s landmark buildings lit up in ‘UN blue’ to show support for universal child rights. WISH, Qatar Foundation’s (QF) global health initiative, is joining hands with local organisations, including the Ministry of Public Health, Doha International Family Institute, and Sidra Medicine, to support Unicef’s annual day of action for children, by children. The 2020 theme ‘A day to reimagine a better future for every child’ is a challenge to rebuild a better world for children. It will also act as the launch pad for the publication of a significant new report by international charity Save The Children. The opening ceremony will feature welcome addresses by HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani, vice chairperson and CEO of QF; Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore. The Kuwaiti educational and social expert, Dr Jasem al-Mutawa will deliver a keynote speech as part of the event. Three interactive panel discussions will highlight some of the severest development challenges. In turn, they will examine child and adolescent health during Covid-19, with a focus on the need to protect vulnerable children; a public health approach to addressing violence against children; and child development in the information age – a time when digital technology, such as social media, can be a significant threat to a child’s well-being. Focusing on the plight of children living in warzones, Inger Ashing, CEO of UK-based humanitarian charity Save the Children, and active WISH partner, will lead a presentation on their report, Stop the War on Children. Their research has revealed that five times more children than fighters are being killed in conflicts and that the number of grave violations against children has almost tripled since 2010. The full programme will include a live art performance by the Omani artist and disability rights activist Safiya al-Bahlani. She will be drawing an original art piece based on the day’s theme, and participants can observe her creative process during a live stream of the artist at work. Her completed work will be unveiled at the end. The final segment of the programme will feature several live musical performances, including Kodi Lee, Korean American singer-songwriter and pianist and America’s Got Talent winner. The 22-year-old singing prodigy, who is blind and has autism, has inspired legions of fans all over the world. The aspiring young musicians from the Qatar Music Academy will also be performing at the event. There will also be special messages from two of the keynote speakers from WISH 2020 – Morgan Freeman and Eva Longoria. The programme will conclude with landmark locations across Doha turning blue, including Msheireb Downtown Doha’s Barahat Square, the Museum of Islamic Art, the National Museum of Qatar, 2015 Building (QF Headquarters). “In support of Unicef’s key mission on World Children’s Day, our event will encourage ‘togetherness’ in achieving our shared goal of protecting the rights of children. With the global healthcare community gathered to exchange knowledge and dialogue during WISH 2020 this past week around issues such as toxic stress and PTSD in children as well as latest trends of providing healthcare to children in conflict zones, we are determined in our efforts to capitalize on our learnings to promote children’s welfare because that is an essential component of our vision for a healthier world,” WISH CEO Sultana Afdhal said in a press statement. The World Children’s Day event is open to all, via wish.org.qa, or follow WISH on social media channels: @WISHQatar on Twitter.

The choice of the Middle East for the first time to host the World Media Summit (WMS) Doha 2016 in its third round reflects the growing importance of the region as a major global focus point due to the fundamental transformations and changes it has undergone, Al Jazeera Media Network chairman Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer al-Thani has said. “The choice of the topic ‘The Future of news and news organisations’ for this prestigious summit reflects the common challenges facing the media and media persons, especially the risks facing journalists in many countries around the world. Many of them have lost their lives for the freedom of speech and truth,” he told the opening session of the two-day event  in Doha last night. Sheikh Thamer affirmed that such a situation demanded close co-operation among all media organisations to make the protection of journalists a global issue. “The rapidly advancing digital technology for the means of communication and social media provide another field of co-operation to make our channels continue to be a main source of documented and true information and free opinion.” Sheikh Thamer recalled that ever since it was founded 20 years ago, Al Jazeera Media Network had been seeking to present a distinguished media service that respects the intellect of the viewer and provides information honestly with professionalism. “Through its various media platforms and screens, Al Jazeera Media Network has provided the opportunity for the expression of opinions, supporting the just causes of the common man. The main objective of Al Jazeera since its beginning has been to reach the truth wherever it could be and convey the image of the event and the reality as it is with complete objectivity and integrity.” Sheikh Thamer stated that as Al Jazeera Media Network worked at the heart of this region, it would continue to carry its message and assume its professional responsibility. As an important part of the media scene, it would also continue positive co-operation with media organisations on different levels, including the World Media Summit, while striving to achieve the highest levels of excellence. At the third WMS being hosted by Al Jazeera Media Network, around 350 delegates from 100 countries will explore the major challenges media organisations are facing, from the decade-old giants, to the start-ups pushing the boundaries of content and distribution. The WMS serves as an efficient platform for media organisations to communicate and pool collective wisdom for their survival and development, convening every two to three years. The summit was jointly initiated by Xinhua News Agency and other leading media organisations.