The Doha Debates - Qatar's forum for free speech in the Arab world

Will women be worse off after the Arab revolutions? [infographic]

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 08:27:00 GMT

Over the past eight years The Doha Debates has been discussing key issues in the Arab region and the world. It is one thing to get the views of the local audience at each Debate, but the Doha Debates are also keen to find out what the rest of the Arab world thinks about the issues we raise. YouGov, a research and polling company, has been commissioned to seek the views of thousands of people across the region after each of the debates. In the Gulf, the Levant, North Africa and Iraq respondents have been expressing a broad range of opinions, widening and enriching the debate on some of the most controversial political questions of the day.

Here is the first in a series of infographics The Doha Debates is putting out to give you a deeper understanding and broader perspective on people's opinions in the region about the topics that we discuss. Click 'read more' to view the full infographic.

Does censorship make a mockery of the arts? [infographic]

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 08:32:00 GMT

Highlights from series 8

Sun, 9 Sep 2012 08:30:00 GMT

In The Doha Debates eighth season, we held overseas discussions in Cairo and Istanbul; we covered current affairs from reform in Bahrain to Syria's future under Bashar al-Assad. Our socio-cultural issues did not shy away from controversy either, with debates including: the future of religious minorities in the Arab world; censorship in the arts; and marrying one's cousin.

MyDohaDebates - Cameron Janzen

Sun, 2 Sep 2012 16:45:00 GMT

My Doha Debates is a special series of summer interviews with a selection of regular Doha Debates audience members. We hear from teachers, students and the general public. Watch the videos to see how the debates have impacted their lives.

Cameron Janzen works with the Model United Nations program at Qatar Academy where he is a member of the teaching faculty. He has been an avid supporter of The Doha Debates since the very first debate. The debates have been a very influential part of his and his student's lives and has taught them to critically think about their community and debate the issues that are important to them and their society. Cameron has taught and advised many students who have been on Doha Debates trips and has coordinated the debates' student ushers. Hear what Cameron Janzen has to say in our very last webisode of our summer series for 2012.

MyDohaDebates - Samia Zakaria

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 07:11:00 GMT

Samia Zakaria is an English teacher and debating coach at the Lycée Bonaparte in Qatar. The Doha Debates are a part of her class curriculum. She chaperones her students through each debate, preparing and discussing the motion with them in class. Samia believes the debates have given her students the courage to think critically about issues that are close to them.

MyDohaDebates - Mohammad Abed

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:06:00 GMT

Mohammad Abed Shirzai is an Afghan graduate from Carnegie Mellon University. His Doha Debates story started when he was with the Academic Bridge Program's debating team back in 2008. The debates have given Mohammad a chance to become a part of the growing debating culture in the region. He believes that the debates have broken the barrier between the populace and politicians in the Arab world.

MyDohaDebates - Safiullah Taye

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 07:32:00 GMT

25-year-old Safiullah Taye attended his first debate six years ago when he was studying at the Academic Bridge Program. He continued coming throughout his time studying International Politics at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar. Safiullah says, it was his trip to Cambridge in 2007 with The Doha Debates team that got him hooked. He’s been honing his debating skills ever since.

MyDohaDebates - Nabil Al Nashar

Sat, 4 Aug 2012 15:05:00 GMT

Nabil Al-Nashar, originally from Egypt has been living in Qatar since he was 5-years-old. He is a graduate in International Politics from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar. Nabil attended his first debate in 2007 when he was in his first year at university. His experiences with the debates inspired him to start his own career in media… “The first time I went to The Doha Debate… was the day I fell in love with it.”

MyDohaDebates - Assma Al Adawi

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 21:21:00 GMT

Assma Al-Adawi is a Qatari graduate from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She now works in the office of Her Highness Sheikha Moza. In 2005 during her first year at university Assma was encouraged to attend the debates by her professors – “I went, took an interest and asked a question – it’s been ongoing ever since”.

MyDohaDebates - Adel Adem

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 08:56:00 GMT

Adel Adem is from Eritrea. He studied finance at Qatar University, and now works for the university’s student exchange programme. The debates have given Adel a chance to speak freely to a global community, and to think critically about a topic. Surprised by the rare platform of freedom of speech he has found in the Middle East, Adel regularly attends the debates.