GUQ Speaks

GUQSPEAKS coordinator
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Life at GUQ is a diverse experience, and we’re just trying to piece it all together as we go. That’s exactly what we’re up to here – taking it one conversation at a time. Founded by Ibrahim Absar and Remas Alhawari (Class of 2026).

  1. Jun 17

    Kirby Takes Over: Undercover on GU-Q Speaks | #048

    For over 4 years, Kirby, a small pink plush ball , has been quietly traveling the world on Instagram, showing up in cities, landscapes, and moments across the globe, all through an anonymous account that's grown to nearly 1,000 followers without ever revealing who's behind it. In this episode, we finally sit down with the person carrying Kirby everywhere to talk about how it all started, what it's like to build a community around something so simple, and why staying anonymous has always been part of the charm. And of course, what's next for Kirby? More countries? More adventures? We get into the future of the little pink plush who's seen more of the world than most of us ever will.

    15 min

  2. Jun 9

    GU-Q Faculty on Air: Professors in Global Media | #047

    We love seeing our professors on global screens, but what actually goes into it? This episode features two GU-Q faculty members stepping into the spotlight. Dr. Raha Hakimdavar is a hydrologist, space science leader, and science policy expert whose work on water and climate security has made her a go-to voice since February 28. Professor Gabor Scheiring, a former Member of Parliament turned academic, has appeared on news outlets across all 6 inhabited continents. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at your professors' side quests! Hosted and Edited by Remas Alhawari (Class of 2026)

    40 min

  3. May 15

    Best Duo: Keep Finding Each Other, The Class of 2026 on Friendship | #046

    They were voted Best Duo by the Class of 2026, and if you know Farkhunda Fazelyar (CULP 2026) and Mahwash Sarwari, (IECO 2026), you know why. Ten years of friendship carried across Afghanistan, India, Washington D.C., and Qatar. Different cities, different chapters, the same two people showing up for each other. As we close out our time at GU-Q, they sit down to talk about what it actually takes to keep a friendship alive, through distance, change, and everything in between. This one's for the Class of 2026: on the people who walked with you, and how you hold onto them from here.

    33 min

  4. Apr 24

    The Handoff: Power, Pressure and What Comes Next for SGA | #045

    In this episode, outgoing SGA President Ali sits down with Panos, the newly elected 21st president of Georgetown University in Qatar's Student Government Association, to talk about what the job actually looks like the campaigns, the defeats, the WhatsApp wars, and the weight of a title that never quite lets you off the hook.From a joke introduction during room visits to a genuine shot at the presidency, Panos reflects on how he got here. Ali reflects on what he's leaving behind. Together, they talk about what it means to represent a community you cannot always satisfy, and why that tension is, maybe, the whole point.Hosted by Ali Nasir (Class of 2026). Featuring Panos, incoming SGA President (Class of 2027).

    44 min

  5. Apr 15

    Letters from the Front Line: Voices of GU-Q | #044

    Spring 2026 may be remembered as one of the most turbulent semesters in Georgetown University in Qatar's history. As missiles fell and the region held its breath, members of the GU-Q community did what communities do. They bore witness, they reached out, and they wrote. This episode documents the lived experiences of students, faculty, and staff navigating an uncertain world from the heart of Doha. Some returned. Some departed. Some stayed behind. Together, their voices paint a portrait of what it meant to be part of GU-Q during what some are already calling the Third Gulf War. Featuring reflections from Zain Assaf (Class of 2023), Ali Nasir (Class of 2026), Maryam Al-Ansari (Class of 2026), Aisha Al-Emadi (Class of 2028), Mohtasim Hafiz (Class of 2029), Professor Magda Rostron, and Professor Ian Almond. Special thanks to Maryam Al-Ansari for conducting interviews across our community and bringing this project to life.

    40 min

  6. Apr 5

    Speaking Truth to Power: Walkout or Speak Up? | #043

    She arrived at GU-Q just weeks into her tenure as President of the United Nations General Assembly — a role meant to represent the world's nations equally, impartially, together. But Students for Justice in Palestine weren't there to celebrate the appointment. As Germany's Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock had taken positions on Gaza that they could not let pass quietly into her new chapter. So they didn't. This episode asks the harder questions underneath that choice. What does it cost to speak? What does it cost to stay silent? And as GU-Q continues to shape its identity as a campus with a conscience, what kind of activism is this community willing to hold — and to honor? With contributions from Ahmed Zayed (Class of 2026), Rania Harrara (Class of 2026), Ayet Bouhajeb (Class of 2024), Professor Omar Khalifah, and Professor Gabor Scheiring. Edited by Ibrahim Absar (Class of 2026). Narrated by Remas Alhawari (Class of 2026) and Ibrahim Absar (Class of 2026).

    51 min

  7. Feb 28

    The Gen Z Revolution in Nepal: Bimba Panthi on Writing Lungri | #042

    In this episode, we welcome a first for our podcast: a faculty host. Professor Magdalena Rostron sits down with Bimba Panthi (Class of '29), a freshman who has already made his mark as a published author. His book, Lungri, chronicles the Gen Z revolution in Nepal that put young people at the center of the conversation. Bimba takes us behind the pages, sharing what drove him to write the book and what it means to document a generation's uprising from the inside.

    39 min

  8. Feb 13

    Transfer Student Stories: Terry and Levan from GU-Q to GU | #041

    Georgetown University first opened in Washington, DC in 1789. More than two centuries later, the School of Foreign Service expanded globally with the opening of the Doha campus in 2005 , now known as GU-Q , and most recently with a new branch in Indonesia. Across these campuses, students receive a Jesuit education shaped by very different cultural and social contexts. But what happens when a student experiences more than one Georgetown? In this episode, host Ali Nasir speaks with Levan Baidashvili and Terry Li about their journeys transferring from Georgetown University in Qatar to the main campus in Washington, DC. From academic expectations to campus culture and identity, they reflect on what it really feels like to navigate two campuses that share the same name , yet feel worlds apart. Tune in to hear their stories.

    36 min
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About

Life at GUQ is a diverse experience, and we’re just trying to piece it all together as we go. That’s exactly what we’re up to here – taking it one conversation at a time. Founded by Ibrahim Absar and Remas Alhawari (Class of 2026).

Information

  • Creator
    GUQSPEAKS coordinator
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © GUQSPEAKS coordinator
  • Show Website
    GUQ Speaks