Doha, Qatar: Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) will host the 17th World Congress of Bioethics.
Organized by the Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics (CILE) and World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), the global health initiative of Qatar Foundation, the theme of this year’s event is “Religion, Culture and Global Bioethics.”
Taking place on June 3-6 at the Qatar National Convention Centre, this will be the first time the International Association of Bioethics (IAB) has staged its flagship event in the Arab world and the entire Middle East, a move which has prompted organisers to include the new feature of panels and sessions conducted in the Arabic language. The decision to bring the Congress to Qatar also reflects the IAB’s commitment to facilitating cross-cultural discussions on bioethics involving bioethicists from all parts of the world. To assist, the Congress’ focus on the interplay between religion, culture, and bioethics has been designed to attract more voices and perspectives for constructive dialogue that enhances the global standing of the discipline.
Mohammed Ghaly, Head of CILE and Chair of the Congress, said: “The decision of the IAB to entrust this edition of the Congress to a research institute based in the Arab and Muslim world marks a significant milestone in the field of bioethics, and stands as a testament to the impactful contributions made by CILE, HBKU, and WISH within this field. Hosting this prestigious event in Qatar provides a unique opportunity to convene diverse voices and perspectives, fostering critical dialogues that shape contemporary bioethical discourse. These include researchers and scholars from the Middle East, Arab-Muslim World, and Asia, regions that have typically been underrepresented at previous editions of the Congress.”
Representing WISH, Sultana Afdhal, Co-chair of the World Congress of Bioethics, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with HBKU to co-host the 17th edition of this event, which brings together the world’s leading thought-leaders and academics in the field of bioethics. Since its inception, WISH has also been a proud partner of HBKU’s Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics (CILE).”
