Qatar Foundation puts intelligent debate centre stage

After eight successful seasons of The Doha Debates, a new, innovative and lively debating programme is being planned by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. With a specific remit to engage with the region’s increasingly politicised youth, the new TV series will explore the ongoing repercussions of the Arab Spring, particularly from the perspective of younger generations.

Through The Doha Debates, Qatar Foundation has already gained an enviable reputation as a promoter of reasoned dialogue between often disparate groups.The programme acted as a catalyst for discussion on topics that had previously been off-limits to the regional audience.

Qatar Foundation will now seek to build on this strong track record by re-energising the TV debating format with a new presenter and fresh content, in the belief that intelligent dialogue can deliver tangible benefits to society.

“The Doha Debates broke new groundin fostering discussion and dialogue among our Arab constituency andbeyond,” said Haya Al Nassr, Director of Qatar Foundation’s Communication Directorate. “We continue to embrace the idea of debate as an engine of change, and we are currently exploring a variety of new concepts as we seek to make the debating format ever more interactive and relevant. In particular, we look forward to reflecting the concerns ofan increasingly vocal, knowledgeable and nuanced regional audience, whoseappetite for informed debate has only been heightened by the ever-changingevents born out of the Arab Spring.”