Yahya Qanie

Mohammad Yahya Qanie (born January 6, 1994) is an Afghan social entrepreneur, researcher, and civic activist. He has served as the founder and president of the Kabul Model United Nations (Kabul MUN), the acting president of the United Nations Association of Afghanistan, and a co-founder of the National Youth Consensus for Peace. He has also represented Afghan youth at high-level United Nations forums, including the Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes in Doha, Qatar.

Qanie's primary focus is on international security, inclusive governance, civic technology (Civic Tech), and youth empowerment in peace and security processes.

Early life and education Mohammad Yahya Qanie was born on January 6, 1994, in Peshawar, Pakistan, during the Afghan Civil War. He pursued his higher education and completed his Master of Science (M.S.) in Global Affairs with a concentration in Transnational Security at the New York University School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs (NYU SPS CGA). He was notably one of the recipients of the Afghan Crisis Scholarship at NYU.

Professional and civic activities Kabul Model United Nations (Kabul MUN) In 2016, Qanie founded the Kabul Model United Nations (Kabul MUN) platform and served as its president.

International activities and peace process Qanie has played a prominent role internationally as a representative of Afghanistan's young generation. He was a member of the steering group for the development of a five-year global strategy on the "Inclusion of Youth in the Peace Process," a joint initiative advanced by the UN Youth Envoy, Search for Common Ground, and the United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY).

In January 2022, Qanie was invited as a youth representative to the opening ceremony of the "High-Level Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes" in Doha, Qatar. At this international event, he delivered a speech alongside António Guterres (Secretary-General of the United Nations), the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, and the First Lady of Colombia.

Civic technology and AI In recent years, Qanie has focused on the intersection of emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, and transnational security. He aims to create new models of civic participation, institutional accountability, and public trust building through public-interest technology. His writings primarily focus on the Afghan peace process, youth participation in governance, security challenges, and the migrant crisis: In an article for The Independent, he discussed the struggle of Afghanistan's young generation against the return of the Taliban and their role in the future of the peace process. In his writings for TOLOnews, he emphasized the importance of safeguarding the rights of the new generation and the necessity of inclusive platforms. In an op-ed for 8am, he pointed out that traditional peace negotiations have lost their effectiveness and that innovative approaches are required. He has also analyzed the challenges faced by Afghan migrants in neighboring countries, such as Iran, for publications like Kayhan Life.

Awards and honors Awarded the Medal of Honor twice by the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee (2017 and 2019). Received an official appreciation letter from the former First Lady of Afghanistan for his continuous efforts in developing youth platforms. Nominated for the Asia 21 Young Leaders Award in 2018. Recipient of the Afghan Crisis Scholarship from the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) in 2022.