MEDIA ADVISORY
News editors and Education Reporters
For immediate release
Thursday, 02 October 2025
The Qatar–South Africa Centre for Peace and Intercultural Understanding (CPIU) at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), Faculty of Humanities, cordially invites media representatives to a timely and crucial hybrid symposium.
Titled: ‘From the UN’s Pact for the Future to Everyday Actions for Peace: South Africa, Qatar, and the Role of Universities’, the symposium is an invitation to navigate an era of profound turbulence, with violent conflicts, climate emergencies, and widening inequalities at critical levels—and to explore the practical meaning of “acting for peace” in a context of geopolitical rivalry. This symposium will move beyond reflection to consider what tangible, context-sensitive actions are needed to bridge the gap between global peace aspirations, such as those outlined in the UN’s Pact for the Future, and everyday reality.
Event Details:
DATE: Monday, 6 October 2025
TIME: 15:00 – 17:00 Johannesburg | New York 09:00 – 11:00 | Doha 16:00 – 18:00)
FORMAT: Hybrid Event, followed by in-person reception (17:00-18:00)
VENUE: Ubuntu Chambers, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus (APK)
Key Discussion Points
With the UN marking its 80th anniversary in 2025 under the theme “Act Now for a Peaceful World,” the symposium will spotlight:
- What “acting for peace” means when multilateralism and universal agreements are under siege.
- The distinct diplomatic legacies and roles of South Africa and Qatar as influential middle powers in advancing peace and security.
- How universities can serve as incubators of peace, generating innovative, grounded strategies to translate global commitments into concrete change through research, teaching, and activism.
Distinguished Speakers and Discussants:
Media will have the opportunity to engage with senior policy leaders, diplomats, and globally recognized scholars:
Welcome statements:
Professor Kammila Naidoo, Executive Dean, Faculty of Humanities, UJ
Ambassador Ghulam Hossein Asmal, Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in the State of Qatar
Keynote speakers:
Zaheer Laher, Chief Director: United Nations Political, Peace and Security, DIRCO
Ambassador Faisal bin Abdullah Al Hanzab, HE, Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Qatar
Nelson Muffuh, UN Resident Coordinator in South Africa
Discussants:
Professor Marie-Joelle Zahar, University of Montréal, Distinguished Visiting Prof, CPIU, UJ
Professor Sultan Barakat, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Distinguished Visiting Prof, CPIU, UJ
Nudhara Yusuf, Executive Coordinator, Global Governance Innovation Network facilitator, Stimson Centre, Washington D.C.
Dr Tim Murithi, Head of the Peacebuilding Interventions Programme, Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, Cape Town
Chair: Professor Erin McCandless, Acting Director, Qatar-South Africa CPIU, UJ
Ends.
Note to the media: To confirm attendance please RSVP by midday, Friday 03 October 2025. Space is limited and therefore RSVPs are essential. No walk-ins will be permitted.
Issued by:
Masego Panyane
Media Relations
Email: masegop@uj.ac.za
Tel: (011) 559 1571
