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The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) recently participated in the International Conference on Happiness Education in Beijing. The gathering was hosted by the National Institute of Education Sciences of the People’s Republic of China in collaboration with the Beijing Haidian Education Commission. The three-day conference featured presentations from global experts on mental health education, and on learning difficulties such as dyslexia and other conditions. Additionally, the event included a seminar on how mental health education is integrated into school systems, and how it is taught. Mohamed Salman bin Mohamed Khair, senior research associate at WISE, presented the current work of WISE related to mental health education. He outlined aspects of mental health as addressed in education systems, and reviewed previous research related to the topic carried out by WISE. Khair also considered several case studies reflecting the importance of well-being in schools and communities. He presented findings related to aspects of children’s rights, the role of children in social change, and described initiatives that are reshaping learning environments to better support well-being, including a project to counter Internet addiction among young people.   Khair remarked, “It is no surprise that the importance of a child’s well-being in learning is similar across cultures. What is just as important though, is how we portray and manage happiness education in relation to other emotions including the negative ones. Children will benefit the most through this more holistic and complete view of mental health issues. At WISE 2017 this November, we will further explore some of the ways global experts are involved in shaping healthy minds.” The WISE Summit, an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), will take place in Doha, from November 14–16, under the theme ‘Co-exist, Co-create: Learning to Live and Work Together’.

Two mobile apps from Qatar were among the 40 winners selected from 451 nominations for the World Summit Award, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) said in a statement. The MoTC said the ‘WSA Mobile 2016’ “brought a diameter of innovation by choosing the best of the best from Mexico to Bangladesh, from Qatar to Germany.” The two winners were ‘Accessible Qatar’ by Sasol and the Arabic alphabet wheel, ‘Madar Al-Huruf’ by Qatar Foundation International. The 2016 WSA winners, the MoTC added, “demonstrated the richness and diversity of mobile content globally and proved how mobile innovation can improve society.” The WSA is a global initiative within the framework of the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), and is the only ICT event that reaches the mobile community in 178 countries. The WSA highlights digital content that helps improve society and focusses on local content with global relevance. ‘Accessible Qatar’, which won in the ‘Inclusion & Empowerment’ category, is a smart phone application that helps the ‘disabled community’ view and determine the accessibility of public and touristic locations and outlets in Qatar. The information provided by ‘Accessible Qatar’ will encourage public establishments to make their premises accessible to all patrons. The MoTC said ‘Accessible Qatar’ will help promote Qatar “as an accessible destination.” The Arabic alphabet wheel, ‘Madar Al-Huruf’ won in ‘the Learning & Education’ category. It matches English letters and sounds with their Arabic counterparts. The wheel gives new learners their first taste of the Arabic alphabet using engaging hands-on activities, in which users can transliterate proper nouns and their names while learning how to connect Arabic letters from left to right. The app uses sound and also allows users to customise and share their names in Arabic as a digital sticker on social media. The WSA winners were selected by a jury of international ICT experts. Each UN member state had nominated one product per category through a national pre-selection committee assigned by Reem al-Mansoori, the assistant undersecretary for Digital Society Development Sector at MoTC and the competition’s national expert.

The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) recently participated in the 25th Ibero-American Conference of Education Ministers in Andorra la Vella. The group is an association of 23 Spanish and Portuguese speaking nations in Europe, the Americas, and in Equatorial Guinea in Africa supporting international co-operation in education, science, and culture.   Stavros Yiannouka, CEO, WISE, hosted a roundtable discussion on education priorities, and announced that WISE would partner with the Organisation of Ibero-American States (OEI) in presenting a special session at the 2017 WISE Summit. Yiannouka said WISE would explore possible joint research with the OEI. “I believe we can work together with other partners as well look into research issues that are of particular concern to Ibero-American States. We can partner to convene and bring together global policy makers, educators, business leaders, and social entrepreneurs to discuss, debate and share best practices. In this way, I believe we can learn from one another and we can support the one priority we both exist to promote: education,” he added. WISE, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is exploring joint research opportunities with international education leaders and helping to build the future of education in Qatar and worldwide through collaboration.

The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, will host its first event in Tunisia titled ‘Dialogue for Education and Peace’ on May 26. Néji Jalloul, Minister of Education, Tunisia will attend the event, supported by local partners Banque Internationale Arabe de Tunisie and Ooredoo Tunisia. The symposium at IHEC Carthage Business School is the first of its kind in Tunisia. It will bring together WISE Prize for Education Laureate Dr Sakena Yacoobi, along with Ouided Bouchamaoui, the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize winner and representative of the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet. Other high-level international experts from the United Kingdom, Singapore and Finland, including Atifete Jahjaga, the former president of Kosovo, Zeinab Badawi, international broadcaster, and Stavros Yiannouka, WISE CEO, will also attend the forum to discuss the role of education in national reconstruction efforts. In preparation for the symposium, Jalloul met with a representative from WISE and was presented with the WISE Research Series, which was produced for the 2015 WISE Summit in Doha. The Tunis event aims to engage key national and international stakeholders in dialogue to promote social change. The symposium will also explore Tunisian youth employment solutions, innovation in teaching, higher education priorities, and entrepreneurship education.

The seventh edition of the World Stadium Congress—in partnership with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy—returns to Doha this month. Serving as a comprehensive sports and stadia summit, the event will lay the groundwork for 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar and other future FIFA World Cups, distinguish among the latest in stadium technologies, outline the best venue and event security systems and protocols, share best-practice legacy programmes, and make transparent the social and economic growth that sporting excellence and tournaments can bring to society. “As 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar gradually approaches, it’s important for Qatar to have access to unparalleled knowledge, expertise, and topical case studies from the most proven and renowned sports and stadia industry leaders across the globe,” said David Zabinsky, Conference Director. “With presentations from government, federation, club, and stadium directors from Barcelona, Brussels, Cairo, Geneva, Frankfurt, London, Zurich, and more, the event will allow Qatar to prepare for a successful delivery of sports and stadia projects bound to spur socioeconomic growth in the region for all. “I’m confident that this year’s summit will act as the most diverse and comprehensive summit of its kind. Not only will you hear from the stadium architect, consultant, or operator on venue enhancement, but you will also gain the perspective from the player himself, as famous retired footballer Louis Saha and high jump athlete Mutaz Barshim will speak on the importance of stadia perfection, ranging from the locker room to the white on-field lines to the pitch. “ESSMA will also host a pre-conference workshop dedicated to venue and event security, while FIFA and UEFA representatives will deliver keynotes on tournament and league requirements, respectively.” While the event boasts global and international intrigue, with case studies from Bilbao Arena (Spain), Camp Nou (Spain), DFL Bundesliga (Germany), Estádio Plácido (Brazil), Emirates Stadium (UK), the summit will also dedicate much of the agenda to 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar and other Qatari themes. Partners of the event, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), is tasked with delivering proposed tournament venues and projects for the 2022 FIFA World Cup—the first to be held in the Middle East—while ensuring that its preparations align with Qatar’s other development imperatives. “The SC is proud to be partners for this year’s summit, which will bring together experts from around the world on innovative discussions and solutions to stadium planning, operation and management. The impact of our plans for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the legacy it will leave behind will benefit Qatar and the region for future generations to come,” said Othman Zarzour, Competition Venues Deputy Executive Director at the SC. With such a potential to impact and catalyse sports and stadia projects in Qatar, the Middle East and beyond, the World Stadium Congress—in partnership with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy—is slated to serve as a precursor to successful tournament and project delivery around the world. Speakers confirmed to showcase their expertise and discuss respective projects include: HE Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad bin Nasser al-Thani, Chief New Line of Business Officer, Ooredoo Qatar; Jürgen Müller, Head of Planning & Infrastructure and Head of 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar; Othman Zarzour, Competition Venues Deputy Executive Director, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy; Keith Dalton, Senior Match Operations Manager, UEFA; Birger Nass, Head of Stadium & Security Department, DFL Bundesliga; John Beattie, Stadium and Facilities Director, Arsenal Football Club; Dimitri Huygen, Managing Director and EURO Brussels 2020 Project Director, ESSMA; Prof. Dr Ashraf Sobhi, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Youth & Sports, Egypt; Bill Mannarelli, Director, Àrea Patrimonial, Espai Barça; Chris Dite, Associate Director, Sport Venue Design and Major Events, Arup. World Stadium Congress will be held from May 16-19 at Westin Doha Hotel & Spa. For more information, visit: www.worldstadiumcongress.com/bljpr

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) held a special debate on education and well-being with the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE). The event marked the second collaboration between the two global initiatives of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF).Held at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha last week, the session was aimed at ensuring influential outcomes are reached in healthcare and education innovation in Qatar, the region and across the globe. The partnership between the two global initiatives supports QF’s continuing efforts in making great strides to promote a well-rounded healthy and educated society. Speakers at the session were CEO of WISH Egbert Schillings, director of Education Programming for CARE, USA Joyce Adolwa, president of the Palestine Technical University professor Marwan al-Awartani and director of the European Institute of Education and Social Policy Janet Looney.The 50 attendees of the session discussed the relationship between learning and well-being, including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual and ethical dimensions. Schillings said: “Access to quality healthcare and quality education are at the core of any thriving society. The brilliance of the vision of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, is to make a difference in these two pivotal, but complex, areas, not least through WISE and WISH. Because ultimately, investment in education will not achieve its goals if a society is unhealthy. In turn, only an educated population can make the right choices in their personal healthcare and become co-creators of health and wellbeing together with the system that serves them.”WISH has also established the Mental Health and Wellbeing in Children Forum, chaired by professor the Lord Richard Layard, director, Wellbeing Programme at the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics (LSE). The forum explored the role of education in well-being as part of its remit to produce evidence-based reports and provide recommendations for policymakers at the second WISH Summit that took place in February 2015 in Qatar.

UN Secretary General Ban addresses a plenary meeting of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015 at United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, New York.   Reuters/United NationsWorld leaders have adopted the most sweeping agenda ever of global goals to combat poverty, inequality and climate change, described by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as “a to-do list for people and planet”.Adopted in the shadow of the worst refugee crisis since World War II, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, call for shared peace and prosperity and cap three years of debate and discussions.The ambitious agenda addressing issues from education to the environment is to be implemented over the next 15 years with a big push globally to win public support for the objectives.The 193 UN member nations formally adopted the goals after an address to the United Nations by Pope Francis, who called the adoption “an important sign of hope”.“Solemn commitments, however, are not enough, even though they are a necessary step toward solutions,” said the Pope as the Vatican flag flew for the first time outside the United Nations where security was heightened for his visit.He said world leaders must follow through with “a will which is effective, practical, constant, with concrete steps and immediate measures” to protect the environment and end social and economic exclusion.“The simplest and best measure and indicator of the implementation of the new Agenda for development will be effective, practical and immediate access, on the part of all, to essential material and spiritual goods,” he said.The objectives replace the previous UN action plan, the Millennium Development Goals, that were adopted in 2000.Supporters say the SDGs go much further by addressing root causes of issues such as poverty and looking at means as well as ends. They also are intended to be universal, not just for the developing world.“They are a to-do list for people and planet, and a blueprint for success,” said UN Secretary General Ban after an opening ceremony with performances by Colombian singer Shakira and Benin’s Angelique Kidjo, both United Nations goodwill ambassadors.Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai, representing youth at the United Nations, urged the gathering of world leaders to “keep your commitments and invest in our future”.“Promise peace and prosperity,” said the teen, a prominent activist for girls’ education who was shot on a school bus in Pakistan in 2012 by the Taliban for advocating girls’ rights.Supporters say the hefty task that lies beyond the three-day SDG summit that concludes tomorrow is implementing the 17 goals and their 169 accompanying targets into programmes, policies and parliaments in member nations.Such implementation, requiring trillions of dollars in investment, will be monitored and reviewed using a set of global indicators to be agreed by March 2016.While critics have described the SDGs as too broad and ambitious, supporters argue the agreement is a positive step as a shared vision to improve lives globally.“There is a huge gap between the world we live in and the world we want. These goals represent people’s aspirations and rights and they must and can be realised,” said Salil Shetty, secretary general of Amnesty International.

A number of reports calling for action on top global health concerns were launched during the two-day World Innovation Summit on Health (WISH).The reports are on obesity, anti-microbial resistance (AMR), road traffic injuries (RTI), accountable health care, patient engagement, mental health and big data and healthcare.Experts examined obesity related health problems in eight countries, as well as the economic and social burdens it creates. The report also observed that obesity is a non-communicable disease but has reached epidemic proportions globally and has led to a sharp increase in related conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. International Obesity Task Force at University of Pennsylvania and Obesity forum chair Professor Shiriki Kumanyika said: “Public recognition of obesity as an important and non-communicable health crisis is not a debatable issue anymore.  Besides the financial healthcare costs related to obesity and its resulting illnesses, there will be other draining costs on economies. Globally we need to do more to build awareness in our schools and worksites.”AMR report examined a range of innovative solutions from around the world from the prevention and control of infection and the eradication of improper use of antibiotics to the need for research and development of new vaccines.Recommendations to global policy makers included building awareness and education on the appropriate use of antibiotics, conservation and judicious dissemination of antibiotics, and making sanitation and hygiene a public health priority. Speaking about the report, UK’s Chief Medical officer Professor and AMR forum chair Dame Sally Davies said: “Antimicrobial resistance is increasing all the time and the threat it poses is real and serious.  If we are to tackle this, we need to work together to find ways to increase awareness about the unnecessary use of antibiotics but also increase and encourage research into new antibiotics and bacterial vaccines.” The RTI report revealed that crash injuries is the eighth leading cause of death globally and the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-29 years. The annual global cost of dealing with the consequences of these crashes – including trauma care – runs into billions of dollars. Prof Adnan A Hyder of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health of International Health Department and RTI forum chair said: “Increasing road safety awareness requires participation and dialogue between governments, healthcare providers, and the general public. “Countries also need to consider improvements in their cost and delivery of trauma care for road injury accidents.”

The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), a global education initiative based in Qatar, has been awarded the “2012 Magisterio Prize for educational leaders”. Sheikh Dr Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, WISE chairman and vice president (education) at Qatar Foundation for Education Science and Community Development, accepted the prize from Letizia Ortiz, Princess of Asturias in Madrid on November 29. Established in 2009 by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Qatar Foundation, WISE is a platform that brings together the world’s most creative thinkers and ideas from around the world to tackle the key issues facing the sector. The Magisterio Prize honour follows on the heels of the successful WISE 2012 Summit, which concluded in mid-November and welcomed more than 1,200 innovators from more than 100 countries to Doha, Qatar to exchange, debate and network under the theme “Collaborating for change.” Accepting the Magisterio Prize, Sheikh Dr Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani said: “From the very beginning we understood that education was an international issue, not just a national one. One of the priorities we addressed at the WISE Summit this year was education and employment - a topic which, we found, transcended the divide between developed and developing nations. It was challenges such as this that inspired us to create WISE and its year-long programmes that provide a multi-sectoral, global platform for creative thinking, debate and, most importantly, action. “To be acknowledged for this work is an honour and I am delighted to accept this recognition on behalf of all the people who have contributed to making this initiative a success over the past few years.” The Magisterio Prize was created by Siena, a Spanish editorial group focusing on educational publications. Siena is the founder of Magisterio Español, Spain´s oldest educational newspaper and for which the Magisterio Prize is named. WISE took the top prize for promoting best practices in education worldwide and for its efforts in urging collaboration amongst various sectors – from the public sector to social enterprise, from education to the media. Last year, this prize, launched in 2009, was awarded to Andreas Schleicher, for his contribution as division head and co-ordinator of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the OECD Indicators of Education Systems Programme (INES). Congratulating WISE, José Mª de Moya, general director of Siena, said: “Each year, we select the most inspiring people and initiatives in education and WISE is a clear winner for this year’s Magisterio Prize. More specifically, it is a clear winner for its efforts to encourage collaboration between countries and among sectors – from global businesses to local non-profits – in order to find solutions that respond to today’s challenges in education. ” WISE is an action-oriented initiative that encompasses a growing number of year-round programmes and culminates in an annual summit. At the WISE Summit in November, HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser launched “Educate a Child”, a multi-partner initiative to bring high-quality education to millions of out-of-school children around the world. The WISE Prize for Education was also presented to the 2012 Laureate: Dr Madhav Chavan, a former chemistry lecturer who devised a simple formula to bring education and literacy to millions at minimum cost and who is co-founder and CEO of Pratham, the largest non-governmental provider of basic literacy and numeracy for underprivileged children in India.

Qatar Chamber has participated in the activities of the 5th World Entrepreneurs Investment Forum (WEIF), which is being held in Manama until May 16 in conjunction with the 33rd Arab Leaders Summit.The chamber’s delegation, led by board member Abdulrahman bin Abduljaleel al-Abdulghani, included board member Abdulrahman al-Ansari and acting general manager Ali Bu Sherbak al-Mansouri.The delegation also included Noora al-Awlan, director of the Research and Studies Department, and Alsayed Rajab, adviser to Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani.Held under the theme ‘Achieving the SDGs through Fostering Innovation and Economic Growth’, the forum was organised by the General Secretariat at the UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office in Bahrain, in partnerships with the League of Arab States, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in Bahrain, the Union of Arab Chambers, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce, and a number of local, regional, and international partners.Al-Abdulghani said the forum aims to support sustainable development by enhancing innovation and stimulating economic growth. He also stressed the vital role that entrepreneurs play in diversifying the economy and promoting sustainability, as well as enhancing innovation, which is essential for transitioning to a knowledge-based economy.Al-Abdulghani further highlighted the chamber’s interest in supporting entrepreneurs, helping them start their businesses and facilitating their participation in exhibitions, both domestically and internationally, that the chamber organises or takes part in.The WEIF was opened by the Abdullah bin Adel Fakhroo, Bahrain’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, while the executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), as well as Maria Fernand Garza, chairperson of the International Chamber of Commerce, spoke at the opening ceremony via video conference technology.The forum’s working sessions addressed a number of topics, such as building sustainable partnerships and creating a brighter future for Arab and African entrepreneurs. They also dealt with sustainable smart financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and innovation-enabling ecosystems, and investment pathways to achieve the SDGs.

The Generation Amazing Foundation – one of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy’s (SC) FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 legacy projects – and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) have marked the first anniversary of their joint football for development project, which is set to benefit thousands of children and coaches across North and Central America and the Caribbean. Since being launched during last year’s Concacaf Gold Cup in Houston, Texas, programmes have been rolled out in ten Concacaf countries to equip local coaches and volunteers with the tools and support to provide grassroots football training in their communities. After training, the coaches will lead six-week-long programmes in schools, academies and clubs to benefit hundreds of girls and boys aged 8-12. Later in the year, each country will host a football festival to unite participants and share key learnings. Following this, the Generation Amazing Festival will be held in Qatar from 16-21 November. The project will eventually reach all Concacaf’s 41 member associations over the next four years, during the build-up to the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico. Each project will be delivered with the community’s strengths and challenges in mind, relying heavily on collaboration between stakeholders to develop a tailored methodology. The project will ultimately provide more local coaches with the skills they need to deliver fun, safe and engaging football sessions for young people in their communities. Coaches will learn about the importance of their role, safeguarding, sport for development and how to use football as a tool to support social change. H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the SC, said: “The partnership with Concacaf truly reflects the ethos and ambitions of Generation Amazing. It is faithful to our pledge of ensuring that Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup has a genuine global impact, and that this impact reaches individuals and communities most in need. I am certain our partnership will continue to improve lives and inspire through the power of football for a long time to come.” Nasser Al Khori, Executive Director, Generation Amazing Foundation, said: “We are pleased to have co-developed this programme with Concacaf and hopeful it will see positive results across North and Central America and the Caribbean. As the leading legacy initiative of Qatar 2022, our vision is to continue beyond the World Cup – and our relationship with Concacaf will allow us to work closely in the region as it prepares to host the next edition of the tournament in 2026.” Concacaf’s Director of Development, Jason Roberts, said: “This programme is going to have lasting benefits in our region for years to come. It will support local coaches to ensure they deliver for young people in their communities. It will use the power of football to inspire social change across the region. We want to thank all the member associations and stakeholders who have supported the development of the programme and we look forward to implementing it across the entire Concacaf region.” The project between Generation Amazing and Concacaf was discussed during a panel session at the Concordia Americas Summit in Miami, Florida. Al Khori and Roberts took part in the discussion alongside Dr. Fadi Makki, Director of B4 Development – another Qatar 2022 legacy project which champions behavioural science – and Concacaf Community Coach, Mark Mungal. The session was titled ‘FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: A Legacy Beyond Qatar’. Al Khori outlined Generation Amazing’s work, saying the programme hoped to reach 1 million beneficiaries by the time Qatar 2022 kicks off. Thanks to projects in ten countries, including Qatar, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Argentina, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Rwanda, and Uganda, Generation Amazing has already impacted more than 750,000 people since its launch in 2010. Al Khori said: “The work we are doing with Concacaf is really exciting for us and the perfect springboard for our future ambitions. Generation Amazing will continue to function as a standalone foundation after Qatar 2022 – and over the next few years we plan to host festivals in the Concacaf region in the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.” Makki mentioned the collaboration between Generation Amazing, Concacaf and B4D, which has helped to shape football for development projects in Qatar and globally. He said: “The pioneering use of behavioural insights by Generation Amazing and Concacaf in their sports for development programmes strengthens their evidence base and reinforces their effectiveness.”

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) recently participated in the Generation Amazing Festival 2021, as part of its ongoing partnership with the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. The festival, which took place between 14-18th December, aimed to inspire a generation that is committed to social change through the power of sport. This year’s theme, “ALL IN”, emphasised the role of youth in the development of their communities. During the festival, WISH, Qatar Foundation’s (QF) global health initiative, hosted and curated a number of activities for the participants of the festival – predominantly 16- to 25-year-olds from across Qatar and the Arab region. These included art and photography workshops, and a panel discussion focusing on mental health and sports. Nick Bradshaw, director of Partnerships and Outreach at WISH, said: “We wanted to be involved in this year’s Generation Amazing Festival as we believe in the power of sport to create positive social impact, and to promote good physical and mental health. “For young people in particular, the ability of sport to shape their lives for the better should not be underestimated. This is especially true when reflecting on the negative impact that the events of the past couple of years have had on the mental health of our younger population. Access to, and participation in, sporting activities should be both protected and encouraged.” WISH hosted a panel discussion titled "Achieving Your Goals: Tips from Sporting Professionals on Maintaining a Healthy Mind in a Competitive World", which was also streamed virtually. Hosted by Nicky Crosby, presenter at beIN Sports, the session brought together a range of current and former sportspeople who discussed their own experiences regarding mental health and the role that sport plays in facilitating positive mental wellbeing. Speakers included an impressive number of ex-professional footballers including Qatar-based Dutch international, Nigel De Jong; Qatari footballer and founder and board member of the Qatar Players Association, Abdulaziz al-Sulaiti; France and Manchester United international, Louis Saha; and former Paris Saint Germain and Italy player, Arianna Criscione. Alexandra Chalat, Qatar Foundation’s Director of Community Engagement and World Cup Legacy, spoke about QF’s many sports initiatives, including the ability friendly program started by WISH and Liverpool Football Club in 2017. Elsewhere, award-winning photographer Giles Duley, who lost three limbs while on assignment in Afghanistan in 2011, spoke during the opening ceremony about the importance of overcoming adversity and the role sport can play in empowering people. He also delivered two workshops on the topic of “Telling Great Stories Through Pictures with Your Mobile Phone”, while world-renowned Colombian artist Dairo Vargas gave workshops on “Expressing a Passion for Football Through Paint”, encouraging the use of art as a therapeutic tool that encourages better mental health.