His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani highlighted the importance of understanding different perspectives at the opening session of the forum, ‘Global Perspectives: In Doha’, organised by CNN in collaboration with Media City Qatar. “At the time of profound global change, understanding different perspectives has never been more important. The challenges we face are increasingly interconnected, and no single perspective can offer all the answers,” said HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The event, held for the first time in the Middle East and the Gulf region, was attended by Her Excellency Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohammed AlKhater, Minister of Education and Higher Education, and brought together a large number of prominent figures, political leaders, business executives, among others. “We in Qatar, have always believed that dialogue, even in times of disagreement, is essential to building understandings and finding common ground. From business and technology, to media and culture, today’s programme offers a broad range of perspectives and I hope that the discussions will challenge assumptions, inspire new ideas and encourage meaningful exchange,” he underlined. Speaking at the event, Media City Qatar Chairman His Excellency Sheikh Dr Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani said the Middle East is very important to the world. “Recent events in the region have had impact on lives and livelihoods, with consequences on energy supplies and trade and economics far beyond our borders,” he noted. “Understanding the Middle East also means recognising the ambitions and creativity of its people, and their contribution to the future of the world. Bringing global perspectives to Doha creates an opportunity to listen to the people of this region, and engage directly with the ideas shaping its future,” explained Sheikh Dr Abdulla. The Media City Qatar chairman noted that Qatar is a place where many worlds meet. He explained: “Our connections in education, business, culture, and media bring people and ideas together from around the world. Qatar’s commitment to dialogue is reflected in its mediation efforts, helping parties in conflict keep channels of communication open and work towards peaceful solutions.” “We are building a media ecosystem that puts international media closer to the region, closer to its people, its ideas, and the stories shaping its future. Our responsibility is to help regional voices reach global audiences and support a fuller understanding of the Middle East. As Media City Qatar, we believe proximity changes perspective,” he continued. Addressing the gathering, Mark Thompson, chairman and CEO of CNN, said: “We are trying to gather key thought leaders, policy makers, cultural and social inventors and innovators, and bringing them together with our top journalists to discuss the challenges we have in common and to debate the world forward, to look at the way forward.” To “And I don’t believe there’s anywhere on the planet better than Doha in autumn 2026 to do just that,” he continued. “In a region that of course has been in the news throughout this year, not always for positive reasons because of the conflict and geopolitical tension, but a city and a country which also stands for growth, for innovation, and for trying to nurture and build human potential.” “This I think is why our partnership with Qatar has been so fruitful, because again we’ve got such common objectives,” he added. Several discussions and one-to-one conversations followed the opening session. The daylong event focused on several topics, including politics, economics, culture, and sports, among others.
