Doha: The Earthna Summit 2025, organized by Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future, a member of Qatar Foundation, concluded today following two days of impactful discussions, cross-sector collaboration, bold propositions, and inclusive dialogue, under the theme “Building Our Legacy: Sustainability, Innovation, and Traditional Knowledge.”
According to Qatar News Agency, this year’s summit welcomed over 2,000 participants, reinforcing Earthna’s status as a leading platform for sustainability innovation in hot and arid regions. Day two opened with a session titled “Women Leading Collaboration: Partnerships for Sustainable Development,” which highlighted the vital role of women in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 17 on global partnerships. The session brought together leaders from government, diplomacy, and development sectors, who explored the importance of inclusive leadership in fostering impactful partnerships, designing innovative financing models, and shaping sustainability-supportive policies.
HE former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and founding partner and CEO of Onepoint5, Ambassador Patricia Espinosa Cantellano underscored the importance of empowering women and equipping them with the necessary resources. She said: “It is time to support their leadership with the tools and resources they need, and to walk alongside them in shaping a more collaborative and equitable future. The moment to act together is not coming: it is already here. Change does not happen in isolation. It happens when we invest, innovate, and generate impact together.”
From her side, HE Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti emphasized the need to strengthen partnerships to achieve the SDGs. She stated: “It is the voices, vision, and values of women that are forging the most resilient and transformative pathways toward a more sustainable and equitable world.”
The second day’s program also featured sessions hosted by several partner organizations, followed by high-level dialogues that tackled urgent environmental issues. These included rethinking sustainability indicators beyond GDP and the role of faith and belief systems in advancing environmental governance. A key highlight of the day was the plenary session on the Arid Cities Network, during which participants discussed plans to establish a global alliance to exchange knowledge and best practices on climate solutions tailored to arid urban environments.
In this context, Rafael Lopez Aliaga, Mayor of Lima, Peru, remarked: “What I’ve witnessed here is more than a summit, it’s a movement. Over the past two days, I’ve had the honor of reconnecting with peers and engaging with inspiring individuals from across sectors and around the world. There’s a shared energy here ‘everyone is eager to go home, stay connected, and continue driving forward toward real, scalable solutions. This momentum is only the beginning, and I want to thank Earthna for bringing us all together.”
Roundtable sessions addressed various challenges such as the plight of displaced populations, drawing inspiration from traditional architecture, and exploring mechanisms for regional coordination to improve air quality. Meanwhile, interactive Agora Sessions and the Earthna Village showcased community innovations, social enterprises, and grassroots initiatives. These also included conversations about the importance of preserving traditional architecture and cultural heritage in post-conflict reconstruction, resilience building, and restoring community identity.
In a keynote speech, CEO of Msheireb Properties Eng. Ali Al Kuwari said: “It has been an honor to host the Earthna Summit in Msheireb, a living example of what sustainable urban innovation can achieve in arid environments. Cities like ours face immense challenges, but through collaboration, shared knowledge, and bold thinking, we can shape resilient cities for generations to come.”
Earthna Summit 2025 was held in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and supported by a wide array of public and private sector partners. These included the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute and the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, Woqod, Msheireb Properties, QatarDebate, Ashghal, Al-Mujadilah Center, the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, Doha Debates, and the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE).
International partners included the Middle East Council for Global Affairs, Caravane Earth, the American Institute of Architects, Middle East Chapter, Royal Holloway University of London, the Climate Governance Commission, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the King’s Foundation, and the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism (INTBAU).
The Earthna Village was the result of partnerships with the International Trade Center, Qur’anic Botanic Garden, Torba Naturals, Zero Waste Design, Carvers, Texas A and M University at Qatar, the Royal Thai Embassy, Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar, Hadiqaa, Heenat Salma, and Herfah at Al Khater House, a Qatar Foundation initiative.