The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) and its focus on peace, justice, and strong institutions provided the foundations for the College of Public Policy’s (CPP) recent Policython competition. 

Held January 8 at Minaretein’s Exhibition Area, the Policython gathered teams of public policy students to work with 12 crucial targets associated with SDG 16, and identify the most urgent for Qatar’s context. Once a target was identified, participants took a deep dive into indicators and gathered evidence to support a specific cause. As well as visualizing key insights, teams were also tasked with turning findings into concrete policy recommendations for presentation to a panel of esteemed judges during the Grand Finale.

The focus of this year’s competition reflected that Qatar plays a significant role in achieving the objectives of SDG 16. Policython was also an opportunity for aspiring public policy professionals to demonstrate how they would advocate for a more just and peaceful world, as well as a brighter future for everyone. The CPP looks forward to holding further Policythons in the future.