Laila is among the pioneer news anchorwomen in Arab television she was the first female journalist to host a political show on Arab satellite television.  Her professional TV career spans over 30 years beginning with a local TV station in the USA in 1991. After joining the BBC World Service in London in 1994 she went on to anchor several political and social programs in different Arab Satellite stations. She joined Middle East Broadcasting Center in 1996 and later Abu Dhabi TV in 1999. Her shows include Dialogue with the West (MBC), Agenda (MBC), Dunnia (ADTV) and Panorama (ADTV). In 2006 Laila joined Aljazeera network as principal news and program presenter.Her field experience includes the coverage of the Israeli withdrawal from Southern Lebanon, the US war on Afghanistan, September 11 in Washington and the coverage of various international events.Among the people she interviewed: President Nelson Mandela, Col. Qhadafi,  and other prominent politicians and activists around the world.

Foreign Minister Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, MP has an accomplished and illustrated career. He was Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York during 2009 – 2015 when he served the UN system as Acting President of UNGA, President of UNICEF and Vice President of ECOSOC, Chairman of the 2nd Committee, Chair of LDCs, and Chairman of Peace Building Commission etc.He worked as a consultant to the World Bank, UNDP and Saudi Industrial Development Fund.His voluntary works for humanitarian causes earned him global acclaim.Having completed graduation and post-graduation from Dhaka University, he did his MBA and PhD in economics in USA. He obtained his MPA from Harvard University. He was the Chair of the Department of Economics and Business, Framingham State University. He also obtained a law degree. He taught economics and business at University of Massachusetts, Harvard University, MIT, Cambridge College, Merrimack College, Salem State University and Northeastern University.His family has a proud legacy of leadership in politics and public service. Dr. Momen was captured and tortured by the occupation army in 1971, during Bangladesh’s glorious War of Liberation.He got involved in active politics soon after relinquishing his charge as Bangladesh’s top diplomat to the UN. He got elected as a Member of National Parliament with overwhelming margin in 2018 followed by his appointment as the Foreign Minister.Since assuming office, he has been promoting Public Diplomacy and Economic Diplomacy that proposes to have more investment, more trade, gainful employment, and, of course, maintaining peace and stability across nations for a better future for all.Dr. Momen has authored several books on Bangabandhu, Bangladesh and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina featuring the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh as well as the history and development trajectory of the nation.

Sandra Gathmann is an award-winning journalist with Al Jazeera English. She's the host of the channel's flagship online current affairs show ‘Start Here’ - a video series that explains big stories for a global audience. Before AJE, Sandra was a TV correspondent based in Istanbul and Brussels, reporting for international channels and making documentaries.

Host and executive producer of series of documentaries on AJ360 about children affected by wars. Host and executive producer of Baad ams daily news podcast with Al Jazeera. More than 10 years experience in TV. Previously a news anchor at France24 and AlJazeera. Hosted and produced a show about women for Al Jazeera arabic channel. Expertise cover field work in Central African Republic, Somalia, Gaza, Lebanon, Bosnia and Turkey. Media trainer in ethics of personal stories.

Dareen Abughaida is a Principal Presenter at Al Jazeera English, based in Qatar. Widely experienced across the international agenda, Dareen hosts Al Jazeera's flagship news bulletins, and programs.Dareen has covered some of the worlds biggest news stories including the 2023 Gaza war, Brexit, the death of Muhammad Ali, the resignation of Pope Benedict, and Malaysia Airlines crash MH370.She was also instrumental in the network's coverage of the Arab Spring Revolutions and continues to cover the aftermath.Dareen also moderates panels and hosts events globally. Previous events include Qatar Foundation, the Doha Forum, the UN, the World Bank, the World Media Summit, and the International Press Institute. As a certified trainer, Dareen also trains journalists, media colleagues, and corporate clients on how to enhance both their on-air and off-air media and communication skills.Dareen's portfolio includes voiceover work on long format documentaries and short promos. Educated in Canada, Dareen has also been an anchor for Bloomberg, CNBC and Dubai TV.

Stefanie Dekker is a senior foreign correspondent with Al Jazeera English, having joined the channel in 2005.She has reported on a wide array of events across the world from the 2011 Egyptian revolution, to the 2014 Gaza war, The Taliban take over of Afghanistan, the war in Ukraine, to Turkey’s earthquake earlier this year.She has reported extensively from Gaza since 2009, covering the 2014 war, the 2018/2019 border protests which culiminated with the US moving its embassy to Jerusalem and most recently covered the war on Gaza from the Gaza- Israel border.

As part of the Executive Office at UNDP, Keyzom works with governments and digital ecosystems to shape the future of development and the role of multilaterals in digital transformation.  She leads digital programmes across UNDP’s network of 171 countries, catalyzing new models of collaboration to create a community of ingenious people working collectively to solve complex challenges. She collaborates on frontier areas that member states face to foster new models of global digital cooperation across the UN and the multilateral system.

Dr. Vincent Biruta is Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International CooperationPrior to his appointment in November 2019, Minister Biruta served as Minister of Environment from 2017, Minister of Natural Resources from 2014 and Minister of Education from 2011. He also held the position of President of the Rwandan Senate from 2003 to 2011.He served as the President of the National Transition Assembly from January 2000 to August 2003, Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communication from 1999 to 2000 and Minister of Health from 1997 to 1999.Minister Biruta is a qualified physician. He furthered his studies in Planning and Management of Health Services in Developing Countries at the Université libre de Bruxelles in Belgium. He is also a holder of a post-graduate diploma in Public Health and Nutrition from the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium.

H.E Mr. Khalifa Jassim Al-Kuwari is the Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development, managing the State of Qatar’s foreign aid and international development activities. Since 2014, he led the establishment, strategy-setting, operationalization, partnerships, and funding programs of the Qatar Fund for Development in variousdeveloping countries.Previously, Mr. Al-Kuwari was the Chief Operating Officer of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), wherehe oversaw the entire business support infrastructure and led several initiatives to improve theperformance of support functions. Prior to that, Mr. Al-Kuwari was the QIA Executive Director of JointVenture and International Business, where he managed the investment joint ventures and government-to-government relations.He has been appointed to the boards of leading companies and institutions such as Harrods, Volkswagen Group, Fairmont Raffles Group, Songbird Real Estate, Qatar Exchange, Katara Hospitality, and Mowasalat. He was also appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Islamic Bank of Britain, and Qatar and Algeria Investment. Mr. Al-Kuwari was a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Qatar Mining Company. He is also interested in social work within the State of Qatar and was elected to the Board of Directors of Qatar Foundation for Social Work, which includes social institutions such as Nama, Ehsan, Shafallah, Dreama, Wifaq, and Aman. Mr. Al Kuwari is the president of Qatar Leadership Centre Alumni Association Council, and a member of Qatar university Alumni Association. He is also a Chairman of the Qatar Academy for Science and Technology (QAST) Board of Advisors.Mr. Al-Kuwari started his career as an accountant and investment manager and handled variousresponsibilities at the Qatar Central Bank and Ashghal & Urban Planning Authority. He acquired in-depthexperience in accounting, auditing, financial analysis, and investment management. Mr. Al-Kuwari holds an Executive MBA in Business Administration from the London Business School in UK, an MBA in Accounting from Cleveland State University in the USA and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Qatar University. He graduated from the Leadership Development Program at Harvard Business School in the USA and Qatar Leadership Center. Mr. Al-Kuwari also passed the Chartered Accountants'Examination in Ohio, USA.

Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu is the sixth President of the Republic of Kosovo.President Osmani was elected on 4 April 2021, having previously served as the Speaker of Parliamentand after being elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) of the Republic of Kosovo in five consecutivemandates. She graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Prishtina, and received herMasters and Doctorate degrees in international law from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania,United States. The President of the Republic of Kosovo is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Kosovo SecurityForce and leads the country’s foreign policy, as per Kosovo’s constitution. As a staunch advocate foran impartial and professional justice system, President Osmani has strongly supported extensive ruleof law reforms in Kosovo.As President, Vjosa Osmani has relentlessly championed women’s rights, in particular with regards totheir participation in processes of peace and security as well as their economic and politicalempowerment. The President is devoted to raising awareness for and supporting children with specialneeds. She is also committed to the empowerment of disadvantaged and marginalized groups inKosovo. The President’s work has also focused on ensuring that action on climate change starts fromthe individual and gains further support at the highest political levels. In addition, empowerment ofyouth in different areas, from information technology to political decision making, has been animportant part of the work of the President.In the February 2021 elections, she achieved a historic level of popular support, becoming the mostvoted politician in the history of elections in the Republic of Kosovo. Prior to that, Vjosa Osmani wasthe first woman to have served as the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo havingbeen elected to the post on 3 February 2020, and has also served as Acting President of the Republicof Kosovo between November 2020 – March 2021. In previous terms as an MP, she chaired theParliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on European Integration and was theDeputy Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Reform.From 2006 to 2010 Vjosa Osmani served as Chief of Staff to President Fatmir Sejdiu and SeniorAdvisor on Legal and International Affairs, and represented the President in the Commission whichdrafted the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. She also served in the team that representedKosovo before the International Court of Justice in the historic case regarding Kosovo’s declarationof independence.Since 2006, President Osmani taught at the Faculty of Law of the University of Prishtina, and later shealso joined the faculty of the American University in Kosovo (RIT). Moreover, she taught at theUniversity of Pittsburgh in the U.S. as a visiting professor. In 2017, she was awarded the ShethInternational Award by the University of Pittsburgh. During her political career she has also receiveda number of other recognitions.President Osmani previously served as a member of the Board of the Parliamentary Network on theWorld Bank and the International Monetary Fund and a member of the Steering Committee of theGlobal Young MP’s Initiative of the World Bank and the IMF.Vjosa Osmani was born on May 17, 1982 in Mitrovica, and also completed her studies in elementaryand high school in her hometown. Apart for her mother tongue Albanian, President Osmani speaksEnglish and a few other foreign languages. She is married to Prindon Sadriu and they have two twindaughters, Anda Elisa Sadriu and Dua Tiara Sadriu. President Osmani and her family live in Prishtina.

Rory Miller is a Professor of International Politics, Co-Director of the Small States Research Program, and Director of Energy Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar where he teaches and researches on small states and regional security, intelligence and national security, external intervention and alliances. He was a member of the War Studies department and then head of the Middle East & Mediterranean Studies Program at King’s College London between 1999 and 2014. In recent years, he has held a visiting professorship in the War Studies department of King's College London (2014-17), and a visiting research professorship at Trinity College Dublin (2020-21). He serves on several advisory boards, including the Foreign Policy Network of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). He is currently the lead principal investigator on a multi-year funded research project on “Managing National Security Risk during and after the Blockade: Strategic Challenges and Opportunities for Qatar’s Energy Sector”. He is co-editor of the Cambridge University Press book series on “Intelligence and National Security in Africa and the Middle East.” He is the author or editor of 11 books including Inglorious Disarray: Europe, Israel and the Palestinians (Columbia University Press, 2011), Desert Kingdoms to Global Powers: The Rise of the Arab Gulf (Yale University Press, 2016) and, most recently, Overcoming Smallness: Challenges and Opportunities for Small States in Global Affairs (Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press with Fahad Al-Marri). He has published extensively in academic and policy journals and the international media including Foreign Affairs, The Economist, Foreign Policy, The New Republic, The National Interest, and The Wall Street Journal. His media appearances include Al Jazeera Arabic; Al Jazeera English; Al Jazeera Mubasher; BBC America; BBC World Service; Bloomberg; CNBC Europe; CNN International

H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General holding the post of High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) since January 2019- present.In February 2020, Mr. Moratinos was designated by the United Nations Secretary-General as the UN Focal Point to monitor Anti-Semitism and enhance a system-wide-response. He carries out this portfolio in addition to his other responsibilities.Mr. Moratinos has committed his professional and political career to international relationships and development cooperation, notably as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain from 2004 to 2010. During his tenure as Foreign Minister, Spain presided over the UN Security Council in 2004, held the chairmanships-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and the Council of the European Union. Mr. Moratinos succeeded in fostering the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.With the Mediterranean in mind, H.E Miguel Ángel Moratinos was appointed Deputy Director General for Northern Africa (1987-1991) and then Director of the Institute of Cooperation with the Arab World (1991-1993). After his tenure at the Institute, he was appointed Director General of Foreign Policy for Africa and the Middle East, holding the position from 1993 to 1996. The highlight of his tenure was the organization of the historic Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid in 1992.As Spain’s Ambassador in Israel from July to December 1996, Mr. Moratinos succeeded in fostering a strong network with both the Israelis and Palestinians. Building on that success, the European Union appointed him as the EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process from December 1996 to June 2003. During this period, he promoted Peace Agreements and carried out actions on behalf of the EU strengthening the Arab-Israeli dialogue.As a true believer in the value of multilateralism, Mr. Moratinos helped in the creation and launching of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in 2005. He also supported the Group of Friends for UN Reform. Moreover, he contributed to the creation of innovative programmes for development, healthcare and women empowerment within the United Nations system. Mr. Moratinos promoted new projects and funds for water and sanitation in Latin American development countries. During his tenure as Spain’s top diplomat, he doubled Official Development Assistance funds and placed Spain as the sixth donor in the United Nations system.Following the end of his term in office in 2010, Mr. Moratinos engaged in parliamentary activities until November 2011. During that period, he ran to be elected Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with an agenda aiming at mobilizing international action towards the struggle against hunger and poverty, the promotion of food security and the right to food.In January 2012, he joined the team of the Global Dry Land Alliance in Qatar promoting this international treaty for food security in more than 15 member-countries in all continents. From 2012 to 2013 he was member of the High-level Advisory panel of the president of the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly.Prior to his appointment as High Representative, Mr. Moratinos was the Honorary Chairman of the CIRSD Board of Advisers (Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development), Senior Advisor of Sustainable Development Solutions Network of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and member of the Leadership Council of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). In Spain, he also held honorary positions as the President of REDS, the Spanish network for Sustainable development affiliated to SDSN and the President of the Trobades Literàries Mediterràneas Association and the Trobades Albert Camus Award. In recognition for his distinguished achievements, Mr. Moratinos received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Saint-Petersburg, Malta, as well as Ben-Gurion, Al-Quds and Tel Aviv universities.On 19 March 2019, Mr. Moratinos was awarded with the “League of Arab States” Award by Mr. Ahmed Abulgheit, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States in a ceremony in Madrid in recognition for his role in strengthening Arab-Spanish relations.Born in 1951, Mr. Moratinos graduated in Law and Political Sciences at the University Complutense in Madrid and then in Diplomatic Studies at the Spanish Diplomatic School.

Andrew Parasiliti is president and chief content officer of Al-Monitor, where he is author of the ‘Week in Review’ column and newsletter.  Al-Monitor is a recipient of the International Press Institute’s Free Media Pioneer Award, the only American media outlet exclusively covering the Middle East to ever receive that honor.   Andrew previously served as director of RAND’s Center for Global Risk and Security where he co-authored studies on Levant integration, state collapse in Syria, and the future of ISIS, and the ‘will to fight’ among global militaries, while overseeing projects dealing with the impact of technological change, including AI, on national security. Previous positions include executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies-US (Washington DC) and corresponding director, IISS-Middle East (Manama); principal at the BGR Group; foreign policy advisor to US Senator Chuck Hagel; director of the Middle East Initiative at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government; and director of programs at the Middle East Institute.  He received a Ph.D. from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, where he wrote his dissertation on Iraq.  He is an adjunct political scientist at RAND and a member of both the Council on Foreign Relations and the Virginia Club of New York. 

Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) in June 2015. He previously held the role of Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Strategic Business Development Officer at QFC where he was responsible for leading the overall strategy and business development functions of the organisation.Prior to joining QFC, he was Head of Indirect Investment at the Qatar General Retirement and Pension Authority, which included overseeing the management of hedge fund, private equity, real estate, fixed income, and equity portfolio investments. He has also worked for Qatar Energy and Dolphin Energy early in his career.Yousuf serves as board member in leading local and international organisations including the World Alliance of International Financial Centers, the Qatar Financial Centre, the Qatar Finance and Business Academy, the Qatar Free Zones Authority, the Qatar Stock Exchange, the Investment Promotion Agency, and Sidra Medicine.He is also an advisory board member in the college of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University , and sits on the Advisory Council of Qatar University’s College of Business and Economics.Previously, Yousuf was on the boards of Nakilat QSC and the $1 billion strategic investment fund of Unicorn Investment Bank, as well as serving as Vice Chairman of Mayadeen Real Estate Company KSCC. He graduated from the University of Arizona, USA.

His Excellency Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari was appointed Minister of Finance in October 2021.His Excellency the Minister of Finance has extensive experience in government and the financial industry, spanning over 30 years. Prior to being appointed Minister of Finance, His Excellency held the position of Minister of Commerce and Industry. His Excellency became Qatar National Bank Group (QNB) Chief Executive Officer in July 2013 and held this position until November 2018.His Excellency is a member of the Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investment. He is also a Board Member for Qatar Investment Authority and Qatar Energy. He serves as the Chairman of Qatar National Bank, Qatar Development Bank and Katara Hospitality.His Excellency the Minister of Finance holds a master of science in Management Information System from Seattle Pacific University. He also earned his bachelor in Math and Computer Science from Eastern Washington University.His Excellency the Minister of Finance has overall responsibility for all Ministry of Finance issues, including:Regulating financial policiesOverseeing public financesDrafting and implementing Qatar’s State BudgetPromoting economic diversificationManaging and refining the fiscal policy in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030

Ali Aslan is an internationally renowned TV presenter, moderator and journalist with a global career spanning over 20 years, including at CNN in Washington DC, ABC News in New York and Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin. Recognized globally as one of the world's foremost moderators for high-level international events, Aslan regularly hosts global conferences, among others, for the United Nations, G20, EU, NATO and World Bank. Aslan has interviewed numerous world leaders, including former US President Bill Clinton, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Aslan holds master's degrees in International Affairs and Journalism from Columbia University as well as a bachelor's degree from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina was elected President of the African Development Bank Group in 2015, and re-elected in 2020. He previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture.   Dr. Adesina is an alumnus of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Nigeria, and Purdue University, USA, from where he obtained a PhD in Agricultural Economics.  Dr. Adesina is a 2017 World Food Prize Laureate, and recipient of several international and national honors, as well as several honorary doctorates from universities in the US, Africa, and Canada.  As President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Adesina is spearheading an acceleration of Africa’s development. Under his leadership, the African Development Bank Group increased its share capital from $93 billion to $208 billion in 2019.

James Bays is Al Jazeera English’s Diplomatic Editor, based at the United Nations headquarters in New York. He frequently travels to cover major diplomatic events worldwide and interviews key newsmakers, offering insightful perspectives on unfolding international relations.As an award-winning journalist, Bays’s career is distinguished by his extensive field reporting. He has ventured to over 70 countries and reported from numerous conflict zones, including Iraq, Congo, Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Panama, the former Soviet Union, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. As a roving correspondent, James frequently reported from Baghdad and Kabul. He filed reports for Al Jazeera following Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan, which later took second prize in the Best TV Item category at the Monte Carlo Television Festival in 2008 and was nominated for a Royal Television Society award. Prior to his current role, he served as Al Jazeera’s Washington Editor.