SC secretary-general praises power of sport at Oxford summit

HE Hassan al-Thawadi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), discussed sport’s power to strengthen international ties, increase dialogue and break down social barriers during a summit at the University of Oxford in the UK.During the Sports & Digital Diplomacy: A Vision for the Future summit, which was organised by the University of Oxford, in collaboration with SOAS University of London, al-Thawadi said sport had the power to positively change people’s lives.“Nothing brings people together – and breaks down social barriers – like sport,” said al-Thawadi. “People’s passion for sport – in particular football – transcends linguistic and sociocultural differences.”Al-Thawadi continued: “In 2022, fans from across the world will visit Qatar, with the vast majority visiting an Arab and Middle Eastern country for the first time. And like we saw this summer in Russia, I’m confident that through football, people will see our country and region in a positive light. Negative stereotypes will be dispelled and – thanks to football – we will bridge the gap between East and West.”Hosted by Dr Corneliu Bjola, from the University of Oxford, and Dr Simon Rofe, from SOAS University of London, the event was attended by academics and practitioners in the field of sport and digital diplomacy, including representatives from Unesco, the UN, Special Olympics UK and the Red Cross.Sport’s ability to teach life skills was also discussed, with al-Thawadi referencing Generation Amazing, one of the SC’s flagship legacy programmes.“Our Generation Amazing programme, which harnesses the power of football to bring people together and teach new skills, is currently active in seven countries. Whether it’s leadership, teamwork or communication skills, football helps us to provide people with the skills they need to succeed in all areas of their lives,” he said.Also, during the event, the SC’s Communications director Fatma al-Nuaimi discussed digital diplomacy, including Qatar’s approach to sharing information.“Social media helps us to share our messages directly with members of the public,” said al-Nuaimi. “Social media also allows us to have two-way conversations, which I see as a positive when it comes to shaping the fan experience in 2022.”Al-Nuaimi also discussed the recent World Cup in Russia and said there was plenty Qatar could learn from the tournament. “Much of the media – and many fans – had a negative perception of Russia before the World Cup. But the tournament was a great success – everyone felt safe and was warmly welcomed by the Russian people. We are already engaging closely with our Russian counterparts, along with our colleagues at FIFA, to see how we can build on this positive sentiment ahead of our own tournament in 2022,” al-Nuaimi said. (SC.qa)