American Marconi Wireless News - CNN Global Perspectives prepares Doha debut with international speaker lineup

High-level government officials, regional decision-makers, and international executives will attend the regional debut of the ‘CNN Global Perspectives: In Doha’ today. CNN’s Middle East chapter of its Global Perspectives events franchise, hosted at the Rosewood Doha, will explore the concept of ‘The Invisible World’, examining geopolitical, economic and technological forces currently reshaping international relations and global commerce.

His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani is projected to attend the event as a distinguished guest, organisers revealed at a press conference held earlier to announce the event. Ellana Lee, Group Senior Vice-President, GM APAC, and Global head of Productions at CNN, said the forum comes at a critical time for international relations.

Lee said, “When the world can feel increasingly divided, we believe there’s real value in bringing different people and their unique perspectives together. ‘Global Perspectives’ is a place where the ideas that are shaping our world can be voiced and shared. It’s a meeting place where CNN’s award-winning journalism can partner with thought leaders to create meaningful dialogue.”

She added: “This is CNN’s first Global Perspectives event here in the Middle East, and it could hardly come at a better time. There’s no better place to host it than here in Qatar, in the heart of the region.”

The speaker line-up includes Qatar Museums Chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. Other speakers joining the forum include Dr Mohamed Farid Saleh, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of Egypt; Wamkele Mene, secretary-general of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat; and Lei Zhang, founder and chairman of Envision.

The speakers will also be joined by Hiba Qasas, executive director, Principles for Peace Foundation; Martin John Griffiths, former UN undersecretary general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator; Dr Yifan “David” Li, CEO & co-founder, Hesai Technology, co-founder, Sharpa; Hing Chao, chairman, Wah Kwong Maritime Transport; Katie Koch, president and CEO, TCW; and Majid Jafar, CEO, Crescent Petroleum.

Panel sessions throughout the day will cover key issues across artificial intelligence, economic policy, trade, energy transition, and culture. Discussions will be moderated by senior broadcast journalists, including Christiane Amanpour, Wolf Blitzer, Becky Anderson, Richard Quest, Eleni Giokos, Bijan Hosseini, and Caroline Faraj, vice-president and editor-in-chief of CNN Arabic.

Media City Qatar CEO Hamad Omar al-Mannai said, “At a time when the region is increasingly at the centre of global conversations, our hope is for this event to bring global voices to the region and actually contribute to elevating the region’s voices into these conversations through other CNN platforms.”

He added: “There is no better place to host it than in Qatar. As Qatar continues to play an important role as a trusted mediator on the international stage, it is also reinforcing its position as a centre for dialogue between regions, cultures, and perspectives. Global Perspectives complements that role by creating a platform where regional perspectives can be heard and elevated alongside global voices.”

J.Williams--AMWN