GU-Q students gear up to shape Qatar’s diplomatic future through UN experience

Tribune News Network

Doha

Poised to shape Qatar’s diplomatic future, students from Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) spent their summer stepping onto the world stage through prestigious United Nations programs at the centre of global decision-making.

Fatima Al-Khanji and Salman Al-Emadi, Class of 2026, spent their summer in UN offices in New York as Youth Fellows, part of a competitive internship programme organised by the Qatar Leadership Center and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. “Each of us was placed in different UN offices based on our CVs and interests,” explained Fatima, who worked at the UN Protocol and Liaison Service. Class of 2025 graduates Waad Al-Maadeed, Khalid Al-Kuwari, and Mohammed Al-Mesnid also were selected for the prestigious programme.

“From escorting dignitaries to managing logistics for credential ceremonies and major conferences, I was able to see the heart of international diplomacy in action,” shared Fatima.

Qatar UN Youth Delegates

Rising senior Noor Al-Thani also spent her summer in diplomatic service as one of six national delegates for the Qatar United Nations Youth Delegates Programme, an initiative led by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Sports and Youth. She spent the summer gaining formal training from national institutions, international organisations, and expert trainers, preparing to represent Qatar on the global stage.

“I will represent Qatar at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2025, and participate in several other international conferences, including sessions at the High-Level Political Forum, and possibly in the Social Development Summit, Financing for Development Forum, and the UN Ocean Conference,” shared Noor, who was joined in the programme by Muneera Al Attiyah, Class of 2028. “Our participation shows that youth are capable of engaging with diplomacy at the highest level not just as observers but as contributors.”

Recipe for Success

Both Fatima and Noor emphasised the influence of GU-Q in preparing them to contribute to discourse at the highest levels of diplomacy. “Courses in culture and politics, media and representation, and regional studies equipped me with the tools to analyze and engage with global issues critically,” said Noor.

“Courses like international relations, foreign policy analysis, and cultural diplomacy helped me understand the institutions within which I worked. My French studies have also come in handy — I’ve used it regularly with some of the francophone colleagues in my office,” said Fatima.

Her strengths in diplomatic communications were recognised with a special assignment at the General Assembly and ECOSOC Affairs Division, where she employed her Arabic skills to support a high-level meeting. She recalled:“Hearing Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, read aloud what I prepared was a surreal and proud moment I’ll never forget.”

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