DOHA: The National Planning Council (NPC) concluded its participation in the Strategic Foresight Forum on Global Youth Competencies and Lifelong Learning, held from 12 to 14 October 2026 and organised by the Ministry of Sports and Youth in cooperation with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
Through its Strategic Foresight Corner, the Council offered a compact, interactive experience that enabled visitors to apply foresight thinking in a practical and accessible way.
The experience guided visitors on a journey from identifying emerging shifts and future trends, through exploring challenges and their potential implications, to defining the key capabilities and competencies young people and leaders will need in the future.
The Council’s corner also featured an interactive experience entitled ‘What Will Leadership Require to Thrive in Qatar’s Future?’ Drawing on diverse future scenarios and challenges, the experience invited visitors to anticipate potential shifts, identify the capabilities and competencies needed to navigate them, and contribute to an interactive future-skills map reflecting their perspectives on the competencies young people and leaders will need in the future.
During the forum’s opening session, entitled ‘Youth and Future Leadership: From Anticipating Shifts to Creating Opportunities,’ the Strategic Foresight Researcher at the National Planning Council’s Center for Future Foresight and National Visions, Maha Al-Maadeed, presented Qatar’s experience in embedding strategic foresight as an institutional function within the national planning system.
The session explored the key shifts shaping young people’s futures and the role of strategic foresight in transforming these shifts into opportunities and avenues for action. Al-Maadeed highlighted the role of strategic foresight in supporting long-term planning and preparing young leaders in alignment with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy.
She also emphasised the importance of incorporating young people and their aspirations into national scenario-building and empowering them to interpret future trends and navigate accelerating change.
The forum aimed to strengthen young people’s strategic foresight capabilities and hone their skills in interpreting future shifts, building scenarios, and making informed decisions. It also provided a platform for exchanging expertise and perspectives on the future of youth, lifelong learning, and the competencies needed to keep pace with global change.
The National Planning Council’s participation in the forum underscores the importance of strategic foresight in supporting decision-making, enhancing young people’s readiness for the future, and developing the competencies needed to navigate diverse and changing environments. It also highlights the State of Qatar’s experience in integrating strategic foresight into the national planning system and preparing the next generation of leaders.
