The content aims to encourage dialogue around issues of critical interest to Arab youth
Qatar Foundation’s Doha Debates has released its first Arabic-language podcast Lana, which explores timely issues impacting young Arabs. Doha-based journalist Rawaa Augé hosts the podcast, produced in partnership with Amman-based podcasting company, Sowt.
Rooted in Doha Debates’ mission to bring people together around complex global topics by bridging divides and seeking consensus, Lana – the Arabic word for Ours – features young Arabic speakers who represent different sides of an issue, but are committed to listening to one another and engaging in open, thoughtful dialogue.
During the podcast’s first season, guests will discuss contemporary issues such as cancel culture and beauty standards, as well as long-standing challenges such as immigration and work.
The podcast’s launch event recently took place during the TEDinArabic Summit, organised through a partnership between TED and Qatar Foundation. The summit was held on 18 and 19 March at the Qatar National Convention Centre.
Rawaa Augé
Lana is hosted by Rawaa Augé, a news anchor, producer, moderator, and digital content host at Al Jazeera Media Network. Augé hosted and was executive producer of 70 episodes of the award-winning show Bekasretaa (which means Women’s Voices) for Al Jazeera Arabic TV from 2019 to 2021. Since joining Al Jazeera in 2014, she has reported and produced stories from across the globe, including Central Africa, Bosnia and Lebanon.
Augé has also conducted a number of high-profile interviews for Al Jazeera, including with Nobel Prize winner Nadia Murad at the Doha Forum 2018. She holds master’s degrees in geopolitics and mass communication and received a Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism from the Carter Center in 2021.
Augé said she has been following Doha Debates’ English content, and hosting the Arabic edition has been a dream.
I am very proud to have been selected as a host of their first Arabic podcast. I look forward to listener responses to the topics we’ll tackle, which are close to the interests and concerns of today’s youth.
The inaugural episode of Lana will explore the use and value of online debate. Other episodes in the first season address the evolution of the Arabic language, mental health issues affecting younger generations and the complex topic of immigration and asylum.
Space for diverse viewpoints
Doha Debates Managing Director Amjad Atallah said that at Doha Debates, they’ve been able to create a number of spaces for people with diverse viewpoints to seek common ground despite their differences.
We’ve found an excellent partner in Sowt for our first Arabic-language podcast, and we’re confident that it will create a similar space for Arab youth to engage in the kind of constructive dialogue that leads to social change.
Sowt CEO Ramsey Tesdell added that their goal has always been to create thought-provoking, intellectual and engaging content. When they started speaking with Doha Debates about a podcast, it was clear that they are closely aligned on this goal.
He said that launching the podcast is a collective effort that they strongly feel will tackle difficult topics faced by young Arabs today and will help push the debate in a more constructive direction.
You can listen to Lana at dohadebates.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
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