Doha, November 01 (QNA) - The 11th General Assembly of the Global Public Diplomacy Network (GPDNet) will convene in Doha on Monday, bringing together representatives of member institutions from 29 countries across the world's continents to discuss ways to advance the network's work, vastly expand international cooperation, and bolster the role of public diplomacy, culture and soft power in building people-to-people connections and understanding.

Speaking at a press conference Sunday, General Manager of Katara Cultural Village and President of GPDNet, Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, underscored that Katara's hosting of the assembly confirms its commitment to supporting joint international action and bolstering the network's role as an instrumental platform for public diplomacy, cultural exchange and dialogue among institutions and peoples.

He highlighted that the convention is an opportunity to take stock of achievements, exchange views on advancing the network's operation, explore new prospects for cooperation, and move full steam ahead with practical initiatives capable of delivering an enduring impact.

Last year, Katara secured the confidence of a vast number of member countries and institutions, which voted in favor of nominating it for a third term as head of the network, in recognition of its role over the previous two terms and its efforts to develop the network's operation and strengthen its international presence, Dr. Al Sulaiti highlighted.

Al Sulaiti stressed that Katara's continued presidency of the network for three consecutive terms suggests an additional responsibility and a tremendous incentive to sustain its efforts and further foster its performance. He added that the vision for the next phase is essentially anchored in investing in knowledge and young talent, keeping pace with digital development, and strengthening cooperation among member institutions to expand the reach and influence of public diplomacy.

For her part, Secretary-General of GPDNet, Maryam Majid Al Saad, highlighted that the network's membership, comprising 29 countries across the world's continents, reflects considerable geographic and cultural diversity, opening up plenty of opportunities for sharing expertise and developing joint initiatives.

The assembly meetings would explore opportunities to launch cultural and knowledge-exchange programs and organize joint events among member institutions, Al Saad continued, emphasizing that the meetings would hopefully produce substantive recommendations that translate into projects and programs with a long-standing impact. (QNA)