Five Ashesi students have been selected to represent Ghana in Doha, Qatar, for the 2013 Doha GOALS (Gathering of All Leaders in Sports) Conference from 9th to 11th December 2013.

The students, Joseph Mills ’14 (member of the university football team Ashesi Student Council's Sports Committee), Effie Bartels-Kodwo ’16 and Jessica Boifio ’14 (active campaigners for sports on campus), Anastasia Bulley ’16 (who has played for Ghana's junior and senior national tennis teams) and Ralph Quaye ’16 (member of Ghana's national swimming team), will be among close to 400 other students from other top universities worldwide participating in the conference.

Heading to Qatar: Ashesi students selected to represent Ghana at Doha GOALS conference

Founded under the high patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, the conference is the world’s premier platform for world leaders to create a roadmap to build initiatives and partnerships for global progress through sport.

Various CEOs, government officials, NGOs and other key stakeholders in global sports will be present at the event to tackle the most pressing social issues through focused taskforces, that will enable constructive brainstorming and collaboration. Speakers include Michael Johnson, Olympic and World Champion sprinter, Roger Milla, former Cameroon football team captain, and Tony Hawk, X-Games .

The students were selected for their academic, leadership and athletic abilities, and for their involvement in extracurricular activities in the Ashesi community. The Ashesi students will get to interact with world leaders and sporting heroes, join the Doha GOALS community and contribute to building progressive initiatives through sports.

 “It is exciting to be able to have the opportunity to meet all these global leaders in one place,” says Joseph Millls ‘14. “I hope to not only be able to share my ideas, but also to engage and learn from the inspiring people attending this conference.”

“I am looking forward to joining the conference,” says Effie Bartels-Kodwo ‘16. “The conversation about sports and its impact, especially in Ghana, is too often dominated by men, and football. Conferences like Doha GOALS are a major step towards changing the conversation, and bringing a balance to the perspectives at the table.”