The recent awarding of the Tipperary International Peace Award to Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani stands as a global recognition of Qatar’s unwavering commitment to peace, dialogue, and humanitarian diplomacy. It is an acknowledgment of the principled leadership embodied by Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Qatar’s principled and positive stance in regional and global affairs.
In a world beset by deepening divisions and rising conflicts, Qatar has consistently chosen engagement over escalation. From Gaza to Afghanistan, from Lebanon to Ukraine, Qatar has played the role of an honest and impartial broker, providing aid, opening dialogue channels, and hosting delicate negotiations. These efforts, as the Prime Minister rightly noted, are not driven by transactional interests, but by values deeply embedded in Qatar’s national identity and culture.
Qatar’s response to a recent missile attack — marked by restraint rather than retaliation — reflects the maturity of its diplomacy. While protecting its sovereignty through strength, it continues to act as a stabilising force in the region, warning against the consequences of unchecked aggression and working tirelessly to prevent escalation.
Qatar has played a key role in efforts to end the tragedy in the Gaza Strip. Despite hurdles, Doha continues engagement to end the suffering of the Palestinian people and ease the catastrophic humanitarian situation unfolding in the territory after two years of constant Israeli bombardment and blockade. Qatar’s mediation efforts continue in cooperation with the US and Egypt. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 57,012 people in Gaza.
Qatar does not claim that peace is easy — only that it is necessary. As H E Sheikh Mohammed reminded us, peace is not a slogan; it is a duty. In honoring Qatar’s efforts, the world must recognise that dialogue, not destruction, is the only path forward.
