His Highness the Amir, in his address to the 67,372 crowd present at the tent-shaped venue and billions watching on TV, welcomed the world to the football showpiece event, the first to be staged in the Middle East and Arab world.
“From Qatar, from an Arab country, I welcome everyone to the World Cup 2022. We have worked hard, along with many people, to make it one of the most successful tournaments. We have exerted all efforts and invested for the good of all humanity,” he said.
“Finally, we have reached the opening day, the day that you have been eagerly waiting for. Starting from this evening, and for a period of twenty-eight days, we will follow, and with us the whole world, God willing, the great football festival, in this spacious ambience for human and civilised communication,” the Amir added.
"People of different races, nationalities, faiths and orientations will gather here in Qatar, and around screens on all continents to share the same exciting moments.
"How beautiful it is for people to put aside what divides them in order to celebrate their diversity and what brings them together at the same time.
"I wish all the participating teams a magnificent football performance, high sportsmanship, and a time full of joy, excitement and delight for you all. And let there be days that are inspiring with goodness and hope.
"Welcome and good luck to all."
The opening ceremony, which ran for 30 minutes, was attended by His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, His Highness Personal Representative of the Amir Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE Sheikh Jassim bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani, HE the Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanim, and a number of Sheikhs and ministers.
The opening ceremony was also attended by leaders of friendly countries, heads of the diplomatic missions accredited to the State and senior sports officials.
The opening ceremony amazed the thousands in attendance and billions watching around the globe. Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman and featuring Jung Kook from Korean supergroup BTS, the ceremony showcased Qatari culture and heritage while highlighting football’s ability to unite people from different countries and cultures.
A host of special guests from Qatar took part in the ceremony, including Ghanem al-Muftah, Dana and Fahad al- Kubaisi – and they were joined by hundreds of performers and tournament volunteers.
The ceremony featured eight distinct parts, culminating with giant jerseys from all 32 participating nations, every mascot in FIFA World Cup history, including the Qatar 2022 version La’eeb, and a huge inflatable emblem. Conceived as a joyous and contemporary one-of-a-kind spectacle with an important unifying message, the ceremony was produced by Executive Artistic Director, Ahmed al-Baker, CEO of Katara Studios, with support from Creative Director, Marco Balich, and Artistic Director, Anghela Alo.
The ceremony presented a contemporary global show that carried an important message from Arabs to the whole world, extending an invitation to unify humanity, and bridge the gaps between all differences based on race, culture, color and nationality through acceptance, respect and coexistence, with the World Cup serving as one tribe connecting peoples and the earth as a homeland for all.
The show fused Qatari traditions with the global culture through seven dazzling performances.
The ceremony symbolically presented two bridges made of light, representing the significance of connecting the people's vastly distanced ideologies through dialogue and understanding to reach coexistence.
One of the highlights was 'To Know One Another', in which legendary actor Morgan Freemen talks with Qatar's Ghanem al-Muftah, who represents the new generations in the region, each of them standing on a lit bridge that expresses different points of view and different opinions. The two sides get engaged in a high level dialogue where misconceptions, that lead to applying double standards and hasty judgments, are corrected through dialogue which refers to the Qur'anic Ayah "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another".
The two bridges get united by a visual display symbolizing acceptance, respect and coexistence.
Qatar's story with football was told in the sixth performance, entitled 'Dream', through a visual historical narrative that shows how the dream was rooted in the heart of this country from the beginning, and then culminated in hosting some of the biggest events in the world, including the World Cup.
At the end of the video, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani hands a jersey to HH the Father Amir to autograph it as a symbol of legacy.
Footage from this historical video was displayed for the first time, showing HH the Father Amir and a group of his friends who have contributed to building this country, playing football.
At the end of the ceremony, the various elements of the ceremony come together: team jerseys, tournament mascots, actors and performers with a selected group of fans from all over the world, reliving the feeling of celebrating the championship in an absolutely unforgettable way in a spectacular wrap-up, for the sky to get lit by a dazzling firework show.
HE Hassan al-Thawadi, Secretary-General, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “What an incredible start to the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world. The opening ceremony was a magnificent celebration of both Qatari culture and the world’s passion for football. It showcased the unifying power of football and how this tournament will act as a platform to bring people together, dispel stereotypes and bridge the gap between East and West. We all feel privileged to be part of this historic moment for our country, the region and the world. This tournament is certain to leave a lasting legacy that will set a high benchmark for future mega-event hosts.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “Family of football. Welcome to Al Bayt Stadium. Dear friends, welcome to Qatar. Welcome to the World Cup. Welcome to your home. Welcome to celebrate football, because football unites the world. Now, let’s welcome the teams and let the show begin. All the best to everyone. Congratulations!”
Nasser al-Khater, CEO, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC, added: “Qatar 2022 is finally here and we celebrated with a mesmerising opening ceremony, passion in the stands and exciting football on the pitch. Our nation is gripped by football fever and the party will last all the way to the final on December 18.”
(With inputs from QNA)
