Diplomacy Workshop by Georgetown Dean Equips Qatari Youth for UN Conference

Diplomacy, once a tool reserved for state actors, has expanded to organizations and engaged citizens who are taking active steps to shape the policies that directly impact them. And to better equip the young Qatari delegates taking part in the upcoming 24th Session of The Youth Assembly, a United Nations-supported global leadership conference that will be held in Washington, DC, this August, the dean of Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), Dr. Ahmed Dallal, gave participants a masterclass in global diplomacy.

The July 30 workshop, titled The Role of Education in Advancing The SDGs: The View from Qatar, welcomed members of the 24-student delegation for an on-campus training session that covered many of the topics the students will be working on in the conference. It was organized by GU-Q graduate and the first ever Qatari Youth Assembly Ambassador, Dana Khalid Al-Anzy (GU-Q’17).

“At Georgetown, we seek to support innovative activities organized by our graduates, like Dana Al Anzy, who has worked tirelessly to connect Qatari students with opportunities for developing skills in public diplomacy and personal development,” said Dean Dallal.

The dean also stressed the importance of Qataris engaging in public governance on a global scale. “It was a pleasure working with these remarkable emerging leaders, Qatari youth who have an important role to play in informing the public’s understanding of domestic and international issues, and who seek solutions to the vital challenges facing their world today.”

The workshop curriculum explored the links between the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the Qatar National Vision, and included topics in human development, peace and security, education, the environment, and the steps needed to build a knowledge society. The workshop also focused on the Qatari perspective on education and cultural heritage, and the impact of cultural diplomacy.

For Dana, Georgetown’s support has been critical to her work and the UN’s youth engagement mission. “Whether offering a venue for delegate recruitment, organizing orientation sessions, or helping connect us to incredible resources on Georgetown’s main campus, GU-Q has supported my Ambassadorship role and efforts every step of the way.”

While in Washington for the conference, which convenes under the theme “New Horizons for Global Youth” August 8-10, the youth delegation will also meet with key figures from Georgetown’s  Institute for the Study of Diplomacy (ISD), including ISD Director, Distinguished Professor, and former U.S. Ambassador to Yemen,  H. E. Barbara Bodine, and ISD Director of Studies, James Seevers.

The Youth Assembly is a platform of the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation (FAF), a nonprofit organization based in the United States and officially affiliated with United Nations Department of Global Communications (UNDGC), holding Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC and UNESCO.