Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation and the Chairperson of QNL Board of Trustees H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani; Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library H E Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari; and other dignitaries at the 36th Conference of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar National Library (QNL) is hosting the 36th Conference of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information (AFLI), a three-day event exploring the intersection of digital justice, global citizenship, and the knowledge economy in the Arab world.
The conference is organised under the theme “Digital Justice and Arab Information Institutions: Fostering Partnerships, Sustainability, and Transformation.”
Held from 23 to 25 November 2025 at Education City, the event brings together librarians, scholars, tech experts, and policymakers from across the region to explore how Arab libraries can harness emerging technologies to advance inclusive and sustainable access to knowledge.
The opening ceremony was attended by Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation and the Chairperson of QNL Board of Trustees H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani; Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library, H E Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari; and President of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information, Dr. Nabehan Al-Harrasi.
In his keynote remarks opening the conference, Dr. Hamad Al-Kawari said, “This year’s theme speaks directly to the critical juncture at which our region stands. Digital justice is no longer an abstract ideal but an urgent imperative—vital not only for safeguarding our identity, but for propelling the Arab world from a passive consumer of knowledge to an active architect of it. To realise this vision, we must look beyond simply increasing Arabic content online; we need to forge unified strategies and institutionalise open access policies that guarantee knowledge as a fundamental right for all.
He added, “We view this conference as a watershed moment for regional collaboration. It is our hope that this gathering will reinvigorate our collective efforts to advance digital justice, enrich Arabic scholarship, and foster sustainable professional practices across the region.”
Over the course of the three-day programme, participants will examine six central themes: Digital Justice and Equitable Access to Knowledge in Arab Information Institutions; Sustainable Practices for Advancing Digital Justice; Open Science and Its Role in Supporting Digital Justice; Global Citizenship through Digital Empowerment; Information Science and Cross-Disciplinary Integration to Advance Digital Justice; and Arab Experiences in Achieving Digital Justice and Shaping an Inclusive, Sustainable Digital Future.
Discussions will focus on how libraries and information institutions in the Arab world can leverage artificial intelligence, big data, open science, and open data platforms to bridge the digital divide, address algorithmic bias, and provide equitable access to information.
Participants will also explore the importance of cross-sector collaboration spanning education, healthcare, , the economy, and culture in promoting sustainable and inclusive digital practices.
