CNN hosted the inaugural Middle East edition of its Global Perspectives events franchise in Doha on October 29, bringing together more than 600 attendees, including Qatar’s prime minister, senior officials, business leaders and international figures from sport and culture.
Held at Rosewood Doha, Global Perspectives: In Doha opened with remarks by CNN Worldwide Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Sir Mark Thompson; Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani; and Media City Qatar Chairman Sheikh Dr Abdulla bin Ali Al Thani.
Other speakers included Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums and the Doha Film Institute, among other cultural organisations; Qatar Investment Authority CEO Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi; former US Secretary of State John Kerry; US Ambassador to Türkiye and Presidential Special Envoy to Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack; Confederation of African Football President Patrice Motsepe; and MotoGP Deputy CEO Carlos Ezpeleta.
CNN journalists Christiane Amanpour, Wolf Blitzer, Richard Quest, Becky Anderson, Caroline Faraj, Eleni Giokos and Bijan Hosseini moderated discussions on geopolitics, business, technology, sport and culture, including the Gulf’s growing role in global developments.
Speaking at the event, Sheikh Mohammed said gatherings such as these were important for bringing together people with different backgrounds and experiences.
“Gatherings such as this offer a valuable opportunity to bring together people from different backgrounds, industries, and experiences… Understanding different perspectives has never been more important….The challenges we face are increasingly interconnected, and no single perspective can offer all the answers,” he said, adding that Qatar has “always believed in dialogue.”
Sheikha Al Mayassa, speaking to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, described culture as “a form of resistance and resilience” during challenging times.
She said artists had been affected by the conflict but argued that postponing or cancelling events following missile strikes earlier this year would have been “a sign of defeat.”
“You cannot control the geopolitics because these are decisions done by people outside of our country, but we are playing a leading role in trying to bring people together, de-escalate and form spaces for dialogue,” she said. “What I can control is the agenda and we’re going through the agenda because the people who need it the most, need it now more than ever.”
“We create spaces for creativity because I really believe culture transcends ignorance, arrogance, and we need more empathy in the world,” she added.
Kerry, meanwhile, warned against the prospect of further US military strikes on Iran, responding to reports that US President Donald Trump was considering new attacks.
“It would be an enormous mistake just to open up post-election with a military barrage. That is not what will impress the Iranians or bring them to the table in a more serious way. In fact, it will push them away,” he told Amanpour.
Motsepe addressed questions about his support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino during a discussion with CNN’s Eleni Giokos.
“Gianni [Infantino] is a very good friend, a very loyal friend. We’ve said very clearly we support Gianni,” he said.
Asked about allegations concerning governance, Motsepe stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in football.
“Governance for us, transparency, ethics, from an African perspective, are critically, critically important,” he said. “There have been allegations of lack of governance, and it’s a very simple process. If anybody is accused of having either violated governance or behaved in a manner that’s contrary to the rules and regulations, take him to the ethics committee. Let a hearing take place and let judgment be made whether there’s been a violation or not.”
The event was hosted in partnership with Media City Qatar, with Dangote and Qatar Airways as sponsors. CNN said recordings of the discussions and key takeaways would be available through its Global Perspectives platform.
