The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is not just about football matches, but it is a global event that is associated with many activities and a series of programmes that promotes environmental protection and UN sustainability projects with the aim of utilising football to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The experience gained from Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup undoubtedly will benefit the peoples of the region and countries of what is known as the Third World which is often questioned about its ability to organize and host events such as the World Cup.
Even though many doubted the ability of a small country like Qatar to host the World Cup, Qatar has impressed and embarrassed even those who enlisted themselves in smear campaigns against the host country.
As soon as the World Cup matches began, praise began for the high organizational capabilities of the State of Qatar, and many after coming to Qatar have changed the wrong image they had about the region in general, not only of Qatar. Qatar’s experience in organizing and harnessing its potential and capabilities to make football a tool of unity and understanding among the peoples of the world was admired from the moment the tournament kicked off on November 20.
The Qatari experience in hosting is an inspiring one, that is why initiatives like the flagship FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 legacy programme - the Generation Amazing Foundation - hosted delegates from Canada, Mexico, and the US, which are hosting the next FIFA World Cup 2026, to share its experience and learning obtained over the past years. Generation Amazing passed on its learnings to the next FIFA World Cup organizers and outlined how the project had positively impacted more than 1 million people globally over the past 12 years.
During the festival, 30 young people met delegates from Canada, Mexico, and the US within an inclusive activation, which teaches key life skills through football, including teamwork and leadership.
The event was held on the sidelines of the Generation Amazing Youth Festival, which was attended by Minister of Sports and Youth H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, US Secretary of State H E Antony Blinken, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs H E Marcelo Ebrard, Canada’s Minister of International Development H E Harjit Sajjan, and Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) and Chairman of the Generation Amazing Foundation Hassan Al Thawadi.
