Latest news with #Jassim
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Web Summit organising committee maintains steady preparations for 2026 edition
DOHA: Government Communications Office (GCO) Director Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al Thani has chaired the Web Summit Permanent Organizing Committee regular meeting to discuss the global event's 2026 edition. The meeting brought together representatives from the relevant government entities and strategic partners to prepare for the event scheduled for from February 1 to 4 next year. Sheikh Jassim affirmed that the strategic partnership with the Web Summit is part of the country's efforts to diversify its economy, accelerate digital transformation, and strengthen its position as a leading destination for technology and innovation in the region. He noted that the summit contributes to advancing the technological landscape in the country, opening wider horizons for entrepreneurs and startups, and enhancing Qatar's status on the global stage. He added that the high level of interest in participating in the Web Summit Qatar and the notable attention it has received reflect the strong desire within countries in the region to host technology events of this caliber. Qatar's hosting of the summit underscores its world-class infrastructure, distinguished national talent, and extensive experience in organizing major international events—all of which contribute to enhancing its influential role in the global technology and innovation ecosystem, he added. On the agenda were key topics, primarily the preparations for the participation of Qatar's delegation in the Lisbon Web Summit 2025, scheduled for next November. The significance of this participation lies in its support for the country's technology sector and in showcasing Qatar's innovation-friendly environment on the international stage. The committee meeting also discussed the plan to increase the number of participants in the third edition of Web Summit Qatar to approximately 30,000 attendees, along with the new discussion tracks to be introduced. These include the New Media Summit, Sports Summit, and Health Summit. The meeting also covered the selection of key speakers and participating entities. The Web Summit Qatar 2025, held last February, attracted 25,747 participants, 1,520 startups, and 723 investors from 124 countries, in addition to recording 325,000 connection requests between participants through the summit's app. With expansion plans for next year's edition, the summit continues to cement its position as the largest tech event in the region, contributing to the realization of Qatar National Vision 2030 and enhancing Doha's role as a global platform for discussions on technology and startups.
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Web Summit panel maintains steady preparations for 2026
QNA Doha Government Communications Office (GCO) Director HE Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al-Thani chaired on Thursday the Web Summit Permanent Organising Committee regular meeting to discuss the global event's 2026 edition. The meeting brought together representatives from the relevant government entities and strategic partners to prepare for the event scheduled for from February 1 to 4 next year. Sheikh Jassim affirmed that the strategic partnership with the Web Summit is part of the country's efforts to diversify its economy, accelerate digital transformation, and strengthen its position as a leading destination for technology and innovation in the region. He noted that the summit contributes to advancing the technological landscape in the country, opening wider horizons for entrepreneurs and startups, and enhancing Qatar's status on the global stage. He added that the high level of interest in participating in the Web Summit Qatar and the notable attention it has received reflect the strong desire within countries in the region to host technology events of this caliber. Qatar's hosting of the summit underscores its world-class infrastructure, distinguished national talent, and extensive experience in organizing major international events—all of which contribute to enhancing its influential role in the global technology and innovation ecosystem, he added. On the agenda were key topics, primarily the preparations for the participation of Qatar's delegation in the Lisbon Web Summit 2025, scheduled for next November. The significance of this participation lies in its support for the country's technology sector and in showcasing Qatar's innovation-friendly environment on the international stage. The committee meeting also discussed the plan to increase the number of participants in the third edition of Web Summit Qatar to approximately 30,000 attendees, along with the new discussion tracks to be introduced. These include the New Media Summit, Sports Summit, and Health Summit. The meeting also covered the selection of key speakers and participating entities. The Web Summit Qatar 2025, held last February, attracted 25,747 participants, 1,520 startups, and 723 investors from 124 countries, in addition to recording 325,000 connection requests between participants through the summit's app. With expansion plans for next year's edition, the summit continues to cement its position as the largest tech event in the region, contributing to the realization of Qatar National Vision 2030 and enhancing Doha's role as a global platform for discussions on technology and startups.
ILoveQatar.net
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- ILoveQatar.net
Get to know Qatari manga author Jassim Al-Mohannadi and how he turns 'what ifs' into worlds
Manga, Japanese-style comics or graphic novels, is a beloved form of storytelling that showcases a wide variety of themes, genres, stories, and art styles. Jassim Al-Mohannadi is a Qatari self-published Arabic & English manga author behind the action sagas Justice in the Wasteland: REBIRTH and The Human Eradicator, and is about to publish his third series titled P.R.E.Y. Both of Jassim's published manga have garnered over 480k views on MangaPlus Creators alone. The (ILQ) team caught up with Jassim to talk about his captivating stories and characters, where he gets inspiration, and exclusive details on his new manga, P.R.E.Y. ILQ: Please tell us about yourself and what you do. Jassim Al-Mohannadi: I'm a Qatari manga writer, and I've been self-publishing since 2022—starting with my ongoing series Justice in the Wasteland: REBIRTH. More recently, I signed with TokyoPop for my zombie action manga The Human Eradicator, which was a big milestone for me. Aside from writing, I'm super passionate about teaching the next generation. I recently got my official trainer's license, and I didn't wait long—I've already started visiting training centers and schools around Qatar to help expose young creators to the world of manga and storytelling. ILQ: What inspired you to create manga, and how did you start? Jassim Al-Mohannadi: Funny enough—I didn't grow up reading manga. What I did grow up on were weekly Arabic-translated Western comics. Every Wednesday, I'd head to my local library to pick up new issues of Superman, Batman, The Flash, and others. I genuinely believed I was reading brand-new issues—only to later realize they were ancient. But honestly, that didn't matter. I enjoyed every single one. Back then, I didn't even have a real passion for writing stories—that came later, when I discovered my first-ever manga: FIST OF THE NORTH STAR (HOKUTO NO KEN). And I can't even describe how much I fell in love with that story. The post-apocalyptic theme, the emotion, the intensity—it all reminded me of Mad Max: The Road Warrior, which is one of my favorite films ever. That combination of chaos and survival truly captivated me. It pushed me to create something similar, but with my own voice, my own style. Jassim Al-Mohannadi: It's tough to pick just three—seriously, that's a hard one! But I'll go with the first ones that popped into my head: FIST OF THE NORTH STAR (HOKUTO NO KEN): I love how emotional and intense it is. The world feels harsh and real, and the way it mixes action with deep moments really stuck with me. ASHITA NO JOE: This one's all about struggle and perseverance. Joe's journey is rough, but it's inspiring. It's one of those stories that hits you emotionally and stays with you. CITY HUNTER: It's got that perfect mix of action, comedy, and just the right amount of heart. Ryo is such a fun character to follow—you never know what he'll do next. Jassim Al-Mohannadi: Justice in the Wasteland: REBIRTH or JITWR is a story heavily inspired by Mad Max 2 in terms of setting—but with a completely different direction. It follows a broken warrior named Sarah, who's searching for redemption in a devastated world she didn't realize she had a hand in destroying. Along the way, she meets others who share similar goals, though their methods often clash. These differences lead to tension and conflict, but deep down, they all want the same thing: justice—and to rid the world of its ruthless warlords. As for The Human Eradicator, it's my take on a genre I've always loved: zombies. Movies like Evil Dead and the Resident Evil franchise had a big impact on me, and I wanted to take on that challenge—but in a completely different world from JITWR. This story is set in a futuristic city called Pluton, filled with advanced tech and a much darker atmosphere. The main character—known only as the Human Eradicator—is a mysterious figure with one goal: wiping out every last zombie as revenge for the death of his daughter. He's joined by Laila, the stunning and sharp chief of Pluton's police department (PPD). Jassim Al-Mohannadi: The idea for P.R.E.Y. actually came from a real story I read a while ago that stuck with me. A poacher once wounded an Amur tiger in the Russian Far East—and the tiger tracked him down. It waited for him at his cabin, killed him, and may have even destroyed his belongings out of what looked like pure vengeance. That story, told in The Tiger by John Vaillant, really hit me. I've always been fascinated by bears—their strength, presence, and the myths surrounding them. So I wanted to explore what would happen if you combined that raw, primal force with something more supernatural and emotional. P.R.E.Y. follows a veteran hunter named Yuri who's sent to track down a killer bear in a frozen village—but he soon realizes the creature might be something else entirely. The story dives into Yuri's inner conflict and self-doubt—his fear that maybe he's no longer capable, or maybe he's not doing the right thing at all. At its core, P.R.E.Y. also carries a message: hunting for survival is one thing, but hunting for pleasure or sport is something else entirely—and it's wrong. ILQ: When can people expect P.R.E.Y. to be released, and where can readers find it? Jassim Al-Mohannadi: P.R.E.Y. is dropping in September 2025. It will be available to read online through MangaPlus Creators, and also for purchase worldwide through my official website. I'll also be showcasing it at upcoming conventions and events, so people will be able to grab a physical copy in person, too. Whether you're reading from Qatar or anywhere else, you'll definitely be able to access it. ILQ: Can you describe the genre of manga you create? Jassim Al-Mohannadi: I try not to make my stories too complicated or target just one specific audience. I want as many people as possible to enjoy them—but at the same time, I know they're not for everyone, and I'm totally okay with that. Action is definitely my main direction, but it really depends on how I feel while writing. I follow the emotion and the vibe of the story more than sticking to a fixed formula. ILQ: Where do you get inspiration for your work? Jassim Al-Mohannadi: Movies, first and foremost. They're my biggest source of inspiration—visually, emotionally, and thematically. Manga and anime come second, but it's usually films that spark the first idea for me. That said, I tend to look at everything through a creative lens. Whether it's a conversation, a news story, or even just people-watching—I'm always imagining how things could work in a story. not always a good thing. Sometimes I have to remind myself to just enjoy the moment instead of analysing every little detail like it's part of some hidden plot twist. ILQ: Can you tell us about your creative process? Jassim Al-Mohannadi: It starts with a strong WHAT IF. I brainstorm the core idea, develop characters, and build the world around them. I outline heavily before writing the script—every page, panel, and line matters in manga. I also collaborate with artists closely to bring the vision to life. ILQ: What do you think of the manga and comic scene in Qatar and the Middle East? Jassim Al-Mohannadi: It's still growing, but the passion is real. More artists, writers, and readers are showing up every year. We need more support, platforms, and visibility—but I truly believe the region has some of the most unique voices out there. Jassim Al-Mohannadi: Don't wait for permission. Start. Make mistakes. Learn. You don't need to be perfect to begin. Just focus on telling the kind of story you would want to read. And don't be afraid to show your work to the world. ILQ: Is there anything else you would like to share or let our readers know? Jassim Al-Mohannadi: Just that I'm incredibly grateful for the support I've received. Every reader, every comment, every share—it means the world. And if you're someone dreaming of writing or it. You never know who needs your story. Details
Qatar Tribune
29-06-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Web Summit Qatar 2026 planning begins with strategic Dublin meeting
DUBLIN: The Permanent Web Summit Qatar Organising Committee convened with Web Summit leadership in Dublin this week to advance preparations for the 2026 edition as one of the Middle East and North Africa's largest technology events, which will take place from February 1-4 in Doha. The meeting was chaired by Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al Thani, Director of the Government Communications Office (GCO) and Chairman of the Permanent Web Summit Organising Committee. The session brought together committee members, including representatives from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with key stakeholders from the Qatar Investment Authority and Qatar Airways. Also in attendance were Web Summit Founder and CEO Paddy Cosgrave and members of the summit's leadership team. The committee conducted a comprehensive review of the second edition, held in February 2025, establishing strategic priorities for the upcoming summit. Discussions centred on initiatives designed to strengthen the event's regional and global prominence while maximising its contributions to Qatar's National Vision. 'Web Summit has become a cornerstone of Qatar's journey towards establishing a robust knowledge-based economy and cementing our position as a global innovation hub,' Sheikh Jassim stated in his opening address. 'This event has served as a catalyst for strategic partnerships, entrepreneurial empowerment, and digital transformation, aligning seamlessly with the goals outlined in our Third National Development Strategy.' Sheikh Jassim added: 'Our planning sessions are focused on delivering a clear roadmap for continued summit growth. This includes enhancing content quality, attracting high-impact speakers, expanding international participation and delivering broader economic and cultural impact.' Sheikh Jassim also noted that the record turnout in the 2025 edition, which featured more than 25,000 attendees, marking a 67% increase from the inaugural event, reflects growing interest in Web Summit Qatar and reinforces its stature across the region. He emphasised that this momentum sets a high bar for delivering an exceptional 2026 edition next year. He reiterated the GCO's ongoing efforts to position the summit as a transformative platform that strengthens Qatar's role on the global innovation map and supports national development through the adoption of international best practices and full use of the country's unique strengths. The Web Summit team presented insights on the event's economic impact across host cities, including Doha. According to their findings, the event contributed to the growth of local startups, supported job creation and helped Qatar climb 14 places in global startup ecosystem rankings. The team projects that 30,000 participants will attend Web Summit Qatar 2026. Hosting Web Summit Qatar has delivered measurable results, advancing key strategic objectives while reinforcing Qatar's emergence as a leading global destination for digital innovation and entrepreneurship. Web Summit Qatar positions Doha as a key destination for innovators, investors and industry leaders. The event provides a forum for international dialogue on digital economy developments, supporting Qatar's efforts to build global partnerships in technology and entrepreneurship as part of the Qatar National Vision 2030. Founded in Dublin in 2009, Web Summit is the world's largest technology event, drawing over one million attendees globally through flagship events in Doha, Lisbon, Rio de Janeiro and Vancouver.
Arab News
21-06-2025
- General
- Arab News
What the latest figures reveal about the state of the world's refugees
LONDON: There are not many people who would consider starting over at the age of 103. But for father, grandfather and great-grandfather Jassim, who has spent the past decade in exile in Lebanon with his family, the dramatic end of the Syrian civil war meant he could finally return home. And in May, Jassim did just that. In 2013, after their hometown in Syria's Homs Governorate was caught in the crossfire of the country's bitter civil war, Jassim and the surviving members of his family fled. Not all of them would make the journey to relative safety and a makeshift tent camp near Baalbek in eastern Lebanon. During one period of intense fighting three of his children were killed when a shell fell near the family's house. For Jassim, holding the memory of their loss deep in his heart, the return last month to the town of Al-Qusayr after 12 years as refugees in another country was achingly poignant. 'You raise your children to see them grow and bring life to your home,' he said, speaking through a translator for the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. 'Now they are gone.' As the family discovered when they arrived back in Al-Qusayr last month, the home in which they had been raised was also gone. 'It was a bittersweet moment,' Jassim said. 'I was happy to return to the place where I was born and raised but devastated to see my home reduced to rubble.' Although they are back in their own country, the future for Jassim's family remains uncertain. With luck they are on the cusp of a fresh start, but for Jassim returning to the land of his birth has a more final meaning. 'I came back to die in Syria,' he said. UNHCR says about 550,000 Syrian refugees returned home between December and the end of May, along with a further 1.3 million displaced within the country. This is one of the brighter spots in UNHCR's 2025 Global Trends report, published in the lead-up to World Refugee Day on June 20. Overall, the report, which contains the latest statistics on refugees, asylum-seekers, the internally displaced and stateless people worldwide, makes for predictably gloomy reading. As of the end of 2024, it found that 123.2 million people — about one in 67 globally — were forcibly displaced 'as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and events seriously disturbing public order.' This figure includes 5.9 million Palestinian refugees. Of the 123.2 million, 42.7 million are refugees seeking sanctuary in a foreign country, and of these about 6.6 million are from countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Unsurprisingly, the largest number of refugees in the region under the UNHCR's mandate in 2024 were from Syria — accounting for 5.9 million. But other numbers, although smaller, serve as a reminder of conflicts currently overshadowed by events in Syria and Gaza. More than 300,000 Iraqi refugees were registered in 2024, along with 51,348 from Yemen, 23,736 from Egypt, 17,235 from Libya and 10,609 from Morocco. Amid the devastation in Gaza since October 2023, and rising settler violence in the occupied West Bank, nearly as many Palestinians have fled as refugees in 2024 — 43,712 — as have been killed in Gaza. Globally, there is a glimmer of hope. In the second half of 2024 the rate of forced displacement slowed and, says UNHCR, 'operational data and initial estimates for 2025 indicate that global forced displacement may begin to fall during 2025.' Indeed, the agency estimates that by the end of April 2025 the total number of forcibly displaced people — a term that includes people displaced within their own country and those seeking refuge in another state — had fallen by 1 percent to 122.1 million. But whether that trend continues depends very much on several factors, said Tarik Argaz, spokesperson for UNHCR's regional bureau for the Middle East and North Africa in Amman, Jordan. There are, Argaz told Arab News, undoubtedly 'signs of hope in the report, particularly in the area of solutions. But during the remainder of 2025, much will depend on the dynamics in key situations. 'While we should keep hopes high, we have to be very careful in interpreting the trends in the international scene,' including 'whether the situation in South Sudan does not deteriorate further, and whether conditions for return improve, in particular in Afghanistan and Syria.' In 2024, about 9.8 million forcibly displaced people worldwide were able to return home, including 1.6 million refugees — the highest number for more than two decades — and 8.2 million internally displaced people — the second highest total yet recorded. However, Argaz said, 'it must be acknowledged that many of these returns were under duress or in adverse conditions to countries like Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Ukraine, which remain fragile.' For Syrians in particular, 'there is uncertainty and significant risks, especially for minority groups. Syrians in the country and those returning from abroad need support with shelter, access to basic services such as water, sanitation, employment and legal assistance, among other things,' he said. 'The economic conditions remain dire, while the security situation remains fragile in many parts of the country.' And while Jassim and his family are pleased to be back in Syria, UNHCR is concerned that not all Syrian refugees are returning entirely of their own free will. 'UNHCR is supporting those who are choosing to return,' Argaz said. 'But returns should be safe, voluntary and dignified. We continue to call on states not to forcibly return Syrians to any part of Syria and to continue allowing civilians fleeing Syria access to territory and to seek asylum.' The Global Trends report also highlights the burden placed on host countries by refugees. • 550,000 Syrian refugees returned home between December and the end of May. • 6.6 million people forcibly displaced from MENA countries as of December 2024. Source: UNHCR Relative to the size of its population, Lebanon was hosting the largest number of refugees of any country in the world in 2024, accounting for one in eight of the population. Lebanon's already complex situation was further complicated in September 2024 when the war between Israel and Hezbollah displaced nearly a million people within the country. By the end of April, there were still 90,000 people internally displaced in Lebanon. But between September and October last year the conflict led to an estimated 557,000 people fleeing Lebanon for Syria — of whom over 60 percent were Syrians who had originally sought sanctuary in Lebanon. The issue of refugees from the Middle East and North Africa has become a delicate matter in Europe, with right-wing parties winning votes over the issue and centrist governments taking anti-migrant stances to assuage increasingly angry voters. 'But contrary to perceptions in the global North,' Argaz said, '60 percent of forcibly displaced people stay within their own country, as internally displaced people. Of those who leave as refugees, 67 percent go to neighboring countries — low and middle-income countries host 73 percent of the world's refugees.' For example, at the end of 2024, almost 80 percent of the 6.1 million Syrian refugees and asylum-seekers were hosted by neighboring countries — 2.9 million in Turkiye, 755,000 in Lebanon, 611,000 in Jordan, 304,000 in Iraq and 134,000 in Egypt. The situation in Sudan and South Sudan is particularly perilous. Sudan's two million refugees, although scattered across dozens of countries, from Algeria to Zimbabwe, are concentrated mainly in Chad, South Sudan and Libya, with tens of thousands each in countries including Egypt, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Uganda, with sizable numbers in the UK and France. Despite offering refuge to almost half a million refugees from Sudan, 2.29 million South Sudanese are seeking sanctuary elsewhere — in Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya and, in a reflection of the internecine nature of the violence in the region, Sudan. For all the world's refugees and internally displaced, UNHCR is the lifeline on which they depend, both for support while displaced and upon returning to shattered lives and homes. But with donor nations slashing funds, this work is under threat. 'Severe cuts in global funding announced this year have caused upheaval across the humanitarian sector, putting millions of lives at risk,' Argaz said. 'We call for continuing funding of UNHCR programs that save lives, assist refugees and IDPs returning home and reinforce basic infrastructure and social services in host communities as an essential investment in regional and global security. 'In addition, more responsibility sharing from the rest of the world with the countries that host the bulk of refugees is crucial and needed.' In December, UNHCR announced it had secured a record $1.5 billion in early funding from several countries for 2025. But, as Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, said at the time, 'generous as it is, humanitarian funding is not keeping pace with the growing needs.' The funding commitment of $1.5 billion represents only 15 percent of the estimated $10.248 billion UNHCR says it will need for the whole of 2025. Of that total, the single largest proportions, $2.167 and $2.122 billion respectively, will be spent on projects in East Africa and in the Middle East and North Africa.
