Earthna Village 2025

As climate change increasingly affects our daily lives, the way we communicate its impact has never been more important. Effectively conveying climate realities to diverse audiences remains an ongoing challenge and opportunity. This session will bring together journalists, photojournalists, innovators, and artists to explore how different storytelling approaches and mediums, can deepen public understanding and inspire meaningful, practical change.

Speakers

Thijs Biersteker

Artist and Founder, Woven Foundation

Hamza Yassin

Wildlife cameraman, photographer and presenter

Ali Rae

Journalist, Al Jazeera English

Anthony Flint

Senior Fellow, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Moderators

Nick Clark

Environment Editor and Anchor, Al Jazeera English

How can innovative education models empower and drive opportunities for young people to live sustainably, connecting with their cultural and spiritual roots? Pioneering programs like the UK’s Harmony Project are transforming education and enabling students to build a deeper relationship with nature, living in harmony with their surroundings. But how can this model be tailored to reflect Arab and Islamic values and culture? How can we ensure a holistic and localized approach by embedding Islamic sustainability frameworks and teachings that resonate with students?

Join us as panelists explore how education, faith, and culture come together to drive active citizenry and collective communal action for a brighter and more sustainable future.

Speakers

Elizabeth Anne Kennedy

Director, Academyati

Richard Dunne

Founder and Director, The Harmony Project

Dr. Osman Umarji

Director of Survey Research and Evaluation, Yaqeen Institute

Moderators

Sylvie Maalouf

Programs Manager, Policy Hub, Qatar Foundation

Hear from the keepers of the land in this inspiring BilAraby series featuring thought leaders dedicated to preserving traditional knowledge with a sustainability focus.

From a linguistic and archaeological expert preserving ancient scripts and heritage, to the founder of the Million Tree Campaign in Palestine and activist for food sovereignty —this series highlights initiatives that shape, preserve, and produce knowledge in the region.

Speakers

Prof. Amida Sholan

Professor of Archaeology and Languages of the Arabian Peninsula, Sana'a University

Engineer Razan Zuayter

Chairperson, The Administrative Board, Arab Nature Conservation

Lama Al Khatieb

Co-founder, Baraka Wheat

A Chat with Charlene Ruto

Panel - Turning Sustainable Ideas into Impactful Realities

As Qatar moves towards a sustainable future, local entrepreneurs are pioneering clean initiatives and groundbreaking solutions. In this session, up-and-coming innovators briefly share their projects and vision before joining a powerful discussion with seasoned experts on the market gaps and key obstacles within the sustainability space in Qatar.

Speakers

Charlene Chelagat Ruto

Founder, SMACHS Foundation

Simon Jones

Business Development and Activations Manager, Qatar Foundation

Hissa Al-Thani

CEO and Founder, AlgaQ

Reem Ghanem Al Sulaiti

Innovator, Zero Waste Design

Dr. Saif Ali Al-Hajari

Founder and Chairman, Friends of the Environment Centre

Across the globe, communities are confronting escalating poverty, deteriorating living conditions, and the growing consequences of a rapidly changing climate. How should we navigate these issues and where should the global agenda's priority lie? 

Does prioritizing climate action risk burdening the world’s most vulnerable?  While some argue that bold climate policies are vital for planetary survival, others warn that such shifts could divert essential funding away from poverty relief, healthcare, and education. How do we balance environmental responsibility with human well-being? Should the Global South rethink development models that depend on industrial expansion? Or push back against pressure to prioritize climate goals—often set by the Global North—at the cost of immediate needs like poverty relief and education?  

Join us as leading youth voices will tackle the parallels, tensions, and future of sustainable development and poverty eradication alongside experts from Qatar’s higher education community who will set a technical backdrop for the dialogue. 

Speakers

Dr. Damilola Olawuyi

Professor and UNESCO Chairholder, Environmental Law and Sustainable Development, Hamad Bin Khalifa University

Dr Muez Ali

Policy Associate, Earthna

Dr Laurent Lambert

Associate Professor, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies

Maha Albadr

law student, Qatar University

Hessa Al-Noaimi

Co-founder, Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar

Sara Amro

Champion, QatarDebate Center

Moderators

Moza Al-Hajri

Ambassador, QatarDebate Center

Cities, neighborhoods, and communal spaces hold special places in the hearts and collective memories of inhabitants, highlighting the centrality of architecture and urbanism in preserving identity. In the face of violent wars and conflict, what is the role that traditional architecture and heritage preservation play in post-war and post-conflict reconstruction? How do we slow down and rebuild cities with the purpose of promoting peace, building resilience, and reclaiming identity?

Speakers

Hiba Omari

Development Officer, RIWAQ- Centre for Architectural Conservation

Dr. Marwa Al-Sabouni

Co-Founder, Arabic Gate for Architectural News

Moderators

Abdulrahman Hamad Al-Mana

Senior Urban Planner and Spatial Planning , Ministry of Municipality

Meet the four winners of the inaugural Earthna Prize.

The Earthna Prize recognizes pioneering projects that integrate traditional knowledge with innovative solutions to address environmental challenges.

The winning projects draw on deep-rooted knowledge and collective experience that address today’s environmental challenges. They demonstrate that true innovation is not just about new technologies—it is also about revitalizing and adapting time-tested practices for a sustainable future.  

How do we create a blueprint for the future of living—one that is non-predatory and enhances our environmental, social, and physical wellbeing? 

In this session, Manvendra Singh Shekhawat, founder of Dhun, presents a proposition not just for one microcosm, but a modular systems-and-cadence stack—one that can act as a microcosm-seed, capable of being planted in barren landscapes with similar conditions to sprout into regenerative, resilient, self-sufficient, low-cost, high-impact micro-civilizations.

Speakers

Manvendra Singh Shekhawat

Founder and CEO, Dhun