Multilateral Junior Academy on Global Challenges kicked off in Doha
New youth dialogue initiative engages young minds across two countries to jointly explore shared global questions
Images: German Embassy
Doha, 01 June 2025 – Last week, Dr. Frank Himpel, Professor for Logistics at Germany’s Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and Director of its Institute for Logistics, alongside Dr. Rafah Alarrouqi, Qatar-based Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Logistics, kicked off the Multilateral Junior Academy on Global Challenges (MJA), with its first session hosted at the German International School in Doha.
The international youth dialogue initiative, supported by UNESCO’s regional office in Doha, the German Embassy Doha, the Goethe-Institut Gulf region, and the international expert platform InStrat, brought together more than thirty young students from Tariq Bin Ziyad Secondary School for Boys and Hassan Bin Thabit Secondary School for Boys in a highly engaging, interactive workshop.
Fostering close dialogue and exchange of daily life perspectives across countries and cultures, the launch in Qatar revolved around topics of sustainability, water, energy, and the climate. The exercise will be mirrored by partner schools in Germany, with students engaging in parallel discussions and later exchanging outcomes for joint reflection and further exploration.
“It was an honor to contribute to this inspiring initiative in collaboration with the German Embassy and Qatar’s Ministry of Education,” said Dr. Rafah Alarrouqi. “Sharing my scientific journey with these young students allowed me to support their understanding of academic life and global innovation. Activities like this embody the spirit of learning from one another’s past and future to build mutual trust and appreciation across cultures.”
Dr. Frank Himpel, who initiated the concept, added: “At the heart of the Multilateral Junior Academy lies the belief that learning from each other’s unique perspectives creates space for shared visions of the future. This not only multiplies meaningful ideas but builds lasting foundations for cross-cultural understanding and long-term collaboration. It’s the beginning of a powerful dialogue.”
The academically guided discussions in both countries seek to inspire positive youth-led ideas and good answers to shared global challenges, integrating local experiences and views, as seen by young people and their international peers.
InStrat’s Khristo Ayad, commented: “The effort builds bridges that do not just connect classrooms across borders - they connect worldviews. It’s a people-to-people diplomacy exercise that values young people as future leaders and today's contributors to global dialogue bringing their own unique perspectives to the table.”
The Multilateral Junior Academy will continue its sessions in Qatar and Germany throughout this year and into 2026, each designed to engage students in meaningful, cross-country exploration of today’s and tomorrow’s most important global challenges.
