09 May 2018 – 10:18
QNA
Doha: President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, praised the State of Qatar’s preparations for hosting the 2022 World Cup for the first time in the Arab world and the Middle East region, expressing his admiration of the legacy plans of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), which aim to benefit from hosting the showpiece in terms of boosting human capacities in Qatar and the region.
Speaking during a visit to SC headquarters yesterday, the President reaffirmed the significant role that football can play in enhancing the understanding between peoples and cultures, especially in the World Cup, referencing the great opportunity that the South Africa World Cup offered to Africa in 2010 to showcase the bright sides of the African culture’s different components.
President Mnangagwa expressed his deep admiration of the designs of the proposed hosting venues of the 2022 World Cup, particularly as they portray the Arab identity and the Qatari culture.
The President and the accompanying delegation toured the legacy pavilion, accompanied by Nasser Al Khater, SC’s assistant secretary general for tournament affairs, who gave a detailed explanation to the President on the latest preparations to host the first World Cup in the region, in addition to the major SC programs and initiatives as well as the history of football in Qatar.
Meanwhile, H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice-Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation (QF), yesterday welcomed the President of Zimbabwe to Education City.
Sheikha Hind met with the President at QF Headquarters. As part of the visit, Mnangagwa was given a presentation highlighting QF’s different academic institutes, science and research centres, and community development initiatives.
Following the presentation, the Zimbabwean delegation was taken to the open-air viewing platform on the eighth floor of QF HQ, where they were shown the infrastructure of Education City and discussed future plans of the Foundation.
At the end of the visit, Mnangagwa signed the QF Visitor’s Book, and Sheikha Hind and the president exchanged gifts.
