The Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies in Doha (CHS) will host His Excellency Mr. Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Nasr, President of the United Nations General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session and former United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, in a lecture entitled, "A Year at the Helm of the United Nations in Mediation and Peace-building", at 6 pm on Tuesday, February 22nd 2022.
After two decades of experience in the global diplomatic corps in the corridors of the United Nations as a mediator and facilitator, H.E. Al-Nasr was elected President of the United Nations General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. The session – which began in September 2011 and ended the following September – was held at a critical historical turning point, particularly for the Arab world that witnessed a tidal wave of popular revolutions rejecting tyranny and authoritarianism. In this period, Qatar has emerged as an active and leading state in diplomatic and mediation efforts in the region, including in Lebanon, Darfur, and Afghanistan.
This lecture comes at a time of continued regional envelopment in disaster and conflict and greater regional need for their swift and peaceful resolution. Consequently, this lecture addresses a wide range of topics, including: the effects of wars and their repercussions on international peace and security, the role of the U.N. in resolving and settling disputes by peaceful means, and the need to enhance the U.N.'s structure and methods of work to meet growing challenges of our time – including global economic upheaval, population growth, urbanization, an unprecedented refugee crisis, and a global pandemic.
The lecture will also explore H.E. Mr. Al-Nasr's experience as President of the United Nations General Assembly between 2011-2012 and his key learnings for conflict resolution and peacebuilding. H.E. will discuss appropriate methods to identify and understand the problems and challenges associated with natural disasters and man-made conflicts, alongside methods of prevention and response. H.E. Mr. Al-Nasr will also offer his vision of reforming U.N. institutions to enhance their effectiveness in promoting world peace, particularly by advancing sustainable development and multiculturalism to address new security challenges.
The session will begin with a lecture delivered by H.E. Mr. Al-Nasr and will be followed by a short discussion with Professor Sultan Barakat, Founding Director of CHS, before the floor is opened for questions and comments from the audience.
The hosting of this session fulfills multiple key visions and goals of the Center. Firstly, it contributes to CHS' vision to advance interdisciplinary analysis of conflicts, humanitarian issues, and peacebuilding in the MENA region and beyond. Secondly, it builds upon the Center's concerted efforts to bridge the worlds of theory and practice in order to develop effective policies to resolving crises. Lastly, it advances CHS' commitment to collaboration as it pools expertise from the CHS team, event participants and attendees, and prestigious Arab and international academic and research institutions.
The lecture is scheduled to be held in-person in the main amphitheater of the Cultural Foundation at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. The live broadcast of the lecture can be followed on CHS' social media networks and platforms — Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube — with translation into English available.