The Peninsula
The eye catching artwork ‘Come Together’ located on the Green Spine at Education City pays homage to all those in Qatar worked to realize the dream of hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The installation is designed by leading South Korean artist Choi Jeong Hwa and it combines materials from everyday life.
The artwork is made up of workers’ helmets, mirror balls, and traditional Qatari found objects. The iconic stainless-steel installation resembles a dandelion spore – a visual metaphor representing the passion and joy of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 spectators in Qatar spreading all over the world.
As reflected by the installation, the Qatar Foundation (QF) community comes together for the World Cup.
Director of Translation and Training Center of Translation and Interpreting Institute (TII) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Nada Al Mahmeed said that in partnership with the Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE), they hosted a commentary training program to enhance the match-day experience for partially sighted and blind fans.
“The intensive training program was delivered to prepare participants who are looking to commentate in Arabic, describing the on-pitch action and significant visual information. At TII, we are extremely proud of such contribution, as it exemplifies a number of great common values with our stakeholders. The entrust and support provided by Qatar 2022 and FIFA shows an ongoing commitment to deliver a prestigious and accessible tournament,” she said.
While, the Maker Majlis, a platform established under College of Islamic Studies of HBKU, has been offering youth programmes around sustainable development and faith. These programmes included offering many hands-on sessions to the Young Advocates of Generation Amazing who benefited from trainings on how to use football as a form of empowerment, social justice and challenging global inequalities.
“As a member of Qatar Foundation, we have reached out various high schools and created awareness on role of World Cup in creating awareness and consciousness on the importance of sports and sustainable development. This contribution made me realize that youth is looking for progressive educational models as QF envisions. The way we are able to connect with the youth and the feeling of catering to their needs assured me that I am in the right place,” said, Assistant Dean of Innovation and Community Engagement, College of Islamic Studies at HBKU, Dr. Evren Tok.
Senior Special Needs Football Specialist and Coach at QF, Ryan Moignard, emphasised that greatest legacy he has witnessed is being surrounding accessibility and everyone around embracing the challenges.
“The Ability Friendly program is a huge element of this, and we at QF have been fortunate to observe the change of behavior even in the past couple of years. Logistically we are working on a few additional partnerships that will continue after 2022, however the fact we are implementing Ability Friendly techniques across all our divisions, and willing to challenge the organization, is a major legacy from hosting the world cup,” he said.
Project Manager, Special Projects and Initiatives at QF, Nawaf Zainal finds it as an honor to be able to work on delivering the World Cup project for Qatar Foundation and for Qatar, an organization that advocates for education and a country blessed with hosting this event for the first time in the region.
“I believe that education, sport and culture have the ability to break down barriers and bring people together and I am certain that this will be evident with what we have prepared for the world through our activations at QF such as the D’Reesha Performing Arts Festival and the World Cup fan activations,” said Nawaf.
While, Director of World Cup Legacy at QF Alexandra Chalat finds herself proud that the work done with programs like Street Child World Cup, GOALS, Football 4 Schools, which will live on far beyond 2022 – by supporting and educating kids all over the world and here in Qatar using the power of football.
“I am also so excited that a legacy of the World Cup from QF will be providing more people who otherwise didn’t have a chance the opportunity to participate in sport whether that be as a fan through our ability friendly and accessibility initiatives or as a player, coach of referee through our women and girls programs,” said Chalat.
Project Manager, Communication Development, CCO Office Nardine Gerges considers herself grateful, and quite lucky, that her job at Qatar Foundation has allowed to combine passion, and life-long yearning to live in a more inclusive and accessible world, with daily work.
“As part of the QF World Cup team working towards building and developing a more inclusive environment and ecosystem for people of all abilities, it has been an honour and an extremely humbling experience. We are taking small but steady steps that are yielding considerable impact, witnessed in the growth and learning we have acquired in such a short time. Not only personally, as individuals, but collectively as an organization,” said Gerges.
Program Manager at Earthna, Nihal Mohamed who has been a focal point for the sustainability and accessibility efforts across QF’s community for the World Cup to build momentum on the sustainability and accessibility agenda ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
“I am proud of each milestone the different teams I worked on have achieved. I am also blessed to have been part of a variety of initiatives in partnership with the Supreme Committee, such as support for sensory facilities and services across Qatar during the World Cup,” she said.