Hamad Bin Khalifa University, University of Geneva, and University of Johannesburg Launch Humanitarian Diplomacy Initiative

Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Public Policy (CPP), in partnership with the University of Geneva’s Centre of Humanitarian Studies, convened the Humanitarian Health Diplomacy Symposium, as the first theme to explore under the Humanitarian Diplomacy Initiative (HDI). 

Centered around HBKU’s strategic commitment to advancing policy-relevant research and capacity building, the HDI strengthens education and research in humanitarian diplomacy. It creates a platform that responds to evolving global humanitarian challenges while advancing Qatar’s contributions within this field. For its part, the symposium examined how healthcare could serve as an entry point for dialogue, cooperation, and post-conflict recovery with focused case studies on Syria and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Discussions highlighted the importance of sustained collaboration between academics, practitioners, and policymakers in navigating complex humanitarian environments.

The symposium featured high-level contributions from Muhannad Hadi, former United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and Abdullah Altay, Head of Humanitarian Diplomacy at Türkiye’s IHH (Humanitarian Relief Foundation), alongside experts from Médecins Sans Frontières, academia, and international humanitarian organizations. 

“Our partnership with the University of Geneva’s Centre of Humanitarian Studies reflects a shared vision to advance policy-relevant research in humanitarian health,” remarked Dr. Sultan Barakat, Professor, CPP. “Together, the symposium and the new Humanitarian Diplomacy Initiative mark a deliberate shift from theory to action, generating practical insights into how essential health action can strengthen dialogue and ensure more effective responses in crisis-affected context.”

Both engagements reflect HBKU’s role as a facilitator of global policy dialogue at the intersection of diplomacy and humanitarian action.