Georgetown Alumna Takes Part in Global Shaper Summit

Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) alumna Fatima Muneer (SFS ‘11) was one of 250 ambitious young community leaders who took part in the recent Shape North America Summit in Canada. Muneer, who is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, mediated a session on diversity at the international event.

The five day summit, held under the theme of ‘Tomorrow’s Jobs, Inclusive Growth’, saw Global Shapers from more than 20 countries around the world gather in Ottawa and Toronto. The event aimed to connect them with the thinkers, potential investors, and networks needed to promote change in key areas such as women in business, innovation and artificial intelligence, and sustainable development.

Muneer was one of four mediators for the breakout session, titled ‘Places and Spaces: Pluralism in Communities’, which included contributions from guest speakers Khalil Shariff, CEO of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, and Canadian Senator Salma Ataullahjan.

“The session was attended by individuals from a potpourri of cultures, religions, and ethnicities, with participants who represented around six regions from around the world,” explained Muneer. “The two groups I worked with itself had Shapers from North America, Central Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. As a result, I was able to exchange opinions and ideas with those who had experiences very different from mine, which led to a tapestry of perspectives that was woven from the rich dialogues.”

For Muneer, the event reinforced the importance of curiosity and an open mind to enable better understanding of others. “Instead of assuming why someone had a certain idea of someone else who came from a different cultural background, we were able to actually acquire first-person narratives on why and how opinions of the ‘other’ were formed,” she said. “As a mediator, I realized the importance of having a constant form of physical communication as a building bridge when trying to address issues concerning diversity, integration, peace, and tolerance.” 

After graduating from GU-Q in 2011, Muneer went on to complete a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. In 2015, she was one of four Global Shapers chosen to moderate a discussion with France’s President François Hollande, where she had an opportunity to share her views on what can be done to promote increased integration in French society.