Qatar has played an important role in world affairs through its humanitarian aid and conflict resolution initiatives.
The country values its partnership with the United Nations (UN) and has always worked towards achieving its goals, including maintaining international peace and security, supporting international development, promoting human rights, providing humanitarian assistance, and participating in collective action to address existing and emerging challenges facing the world.
Qatar joined the UN in 1971 and since then has made financial contributions to various UN bodies in order to support projects in the areas of development and humanitarian aid.
Among the UN bodies which Qatar has supported includes Unesco. Qatari institutions which have adopted Unesco programmes include Qatar Foundation and its educational and cultural programmes and initiatives. The country has also hosted Unesco’s Al Reem Biosphere Reserve since 2007. Besides, there is a Unesco-UNEVOC Centre located at the Doha University of Science and Technology.
Director of the Unesco Regional Office in Doha Salah El Din Zaki Khaled has revealed the plans of Unesco and the UN organisations in Doha to participate in the activities of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which will be organised by the Education Above All Foundation. During the tournament, a daily exhibition will be held on the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
In the past few years, Qatari universities have established three Unesco chairs in various scientific fields, and the cities of Doha and Al Wakra are part of the Unesco Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC). The archaeological site of Al Zubarah was registered as the first Qatari site to be inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2013, while Doha was recognised in 2021 as a part of Unesco Creative Cities Network. Moreover, a programme was launched with the Katara Cultural Village Foundation for the first festival for cultural diversity, and a regional programme in cooperation with the Qatar Library aimed at protecting documentary heritage.
Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) has supported the humanitarian efforts of the International Organization for Migration through a $400,000 donation, which was part of Qatar’s $500m pledge to the UN organisation, announced in 2018 during the Doha Forum in an effort to support “the most fragile societies”.
Since the beginning of the spreading of COVID-19, the State of Qatar has provided urgent medical aid to nearly 78 countries and Qatar Airways played a pivotal role in the delivery of this aid. It also transported one million stranded people across the world, and managed to fly them home safely. Qatar Airways received international praise from governments around the world.
