Today, the annual Three-day Generation Amazing Festival, which brings together young people in Qatar, the region and the world, began to demonstrate the power that football has in uniting people, empowering them and advancing positive change.
The Generation Dazzling Festival, organized by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, in cooperation with Qatar Foundation, the strategic partner for the second year in a row, affirms that sport has the ability to enhance communication between members of society and create links between societies and generations, as well as help in addressing global issues such as Corona / Covid-19 /.
The festival activities began with a discussion session under the title: / Celebrating the Power of Sport to Inspire Youth and Enhance Communication / in which Ms. Leadership, respect, and most importantly, tolerance between different cultures. It also contributes to achieving parity in society and containing individuals from many backgrounds under one banner.
She added that when a child watches sports teams that bring together players of different nationalities and backgrounds, whose members work together to achieve one common goal, this shows him that there is something greater than one individual and that we can work together as a team.
Mashael Al Nuaimi explained how this is reflected in Qatar Foundation’s endeavors to develop society, pointing to the activities that the Foundation organizes for all abilities, which include swimming, football and horse riding, with the aim of creating comprehensive opportunities for all in Qatar.
She added, “I had the honor to participate in five different tournaments of the World Cup, during which I experienced special moments. But when we see the power of sport, and when we talk to children, the horizons of our dreams about what we can achieve expand, regardless of the voices that try to dissuade us from achieving them.” But if we had the courage to elicit dreams of this magnitude, and were willing to work hard and pursue our dreams, and neglect the inhibitory voices, then I think anything will be possible. “
In a discussion about “creating a legacy that creates a long-term impact for the World Cup”, Nasser Ahmed Al-Khoury, Director of Programs Department at “Generation Amazing”, explained that there are many aspects of the legacy that the 2022 World Cup will leave, such as sustainability, environmental preservation and the World Cup stadiums themselves. Generation Amazing focuses on creating a human and social legacy.
“Our offers and programs have provided safe spaces for communities that did not have adequate infrastructure or youth programs. We will now look at how we can continue to help these communities and build a sustainable model, because social projects are very important,” he added.
“The moment we reached 500,000 beneficiaries was one of the most important milestones in the history of Generation Amazing since its establishment 10 years ago,” Al-Khoury said. Football is for good, and making that part of the 2022 World Cup legacy in Qatar. “
He added, “We are proud to present the Generation Amazing Festival 2020 with our strategic partnership with Qatar Foundation, and with the invaluable support of Qatar Airways, beIN Sports and I want. Globally, we continue to work on developing programs that inspire young people and enable them to change their societies for the better, through We have worked with global partners such as the Confederation of North and Central America and the Caribbean Football Association (CONCACAF) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. “
For her part, Andren Heigerberg, a Norwegian football player from the Italian club, Roma, spoke about the role of sport in helping children deal with the effects of / Covid-19 /, and overcome the psychological and mental stress caused by health restrictions and school closures.
“The value of football lies in its ability to enhance communication between people even when they are physically far away … You feel like you are with your team members, even though you are not really with them,” said Heigerberg, referring to her personal experience during the ban in Norway. “You also feel that you belong. “To something. I think for some reason, being part of a larger system gives you meaning to life. Sport is much more than the physical effort we put into training and matches. It is a bridge that binds people to each other, regardless of age, origin or gender.”
The panel discussion was also hosted by Tim Cahill, Australian soccer player and Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Ambassador, Carly Lloyd, FIFA legend, two-time Women’s World Cup winner, and former CONCACAF footballer and development director Jason Roberts, who said: ‘Sport is not just about providing An elitist path, by facilitating access to sport, engaging people, and then educating them to benefit their communities. “
It is noteworthy that the Generation Amazing Program was established in 2010 during the preparation phase of Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup, and Generation Amazing, affiliated with the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, uses soccer for development to teach beautiful values ​​to young people, such as the principles of gender equality, inclusion, and life skills. Such as communication, organization, teamwork, and leadership.
The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is a non-profit organization that supports the State of Qatar in its march towards building a diversified and sustainable economy. The Foundation seeks to meet the needs of the Qatari people and the world, by providing specialized programs, based on an innovative environment that combines education, research, science, and community development.
