Secretary-General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) Hassan al-Thawadi has said that the National Day is an occasion to strengthen our ties to the land and a chance to return the favours offered by our homeland.
Al-Thawadi said the National Day is an important symbol of the people’s embrace of their leadership. He added that seeing His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Father Amir and his children among the people of Qatar on the Corniche reflects this unique relationship between the leadership and the people of Qatar.
He pointed out that the joy of children and their families during the annual celebrations of this day is a true indicator that the love of Qatar is inherited through generations.
The Secretary-General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy said that the co-operation of various governmental and semi-governmental institutions during the activities of the National Day, especially in Darb Al Saai, is a valuable opportunity for institutions to communicate with each other and with various segments of society.
Al-Thawadi stressed that the renaissance and achievements witnessed in the State of Qatar are a clear indication that countries are not measured by their geographical size, but by their ambition and the productivity of their citizens. He added that Qatar has redefined the limits after it continued to overcome difficulties to progress step by step to the ranks of advanced countries. The Secretary-General believes that Qatar’s success in winning the right to host the World Cup 2022 is a continuation of this custom that differentiated Qatar over the years.
He said that Qatar is, undoubtedly, among the first countries in the region to grow and flourish in various fields, including sports, adding that Qatar became a capital of sport and the destination of many major sporting events.
Al-Thawadi said that the ambitious vision of the leadership embodied in Qatar National Vision 2030 will move the society to new, more prosperous, sustainable and independent horizons in which human beings are at the centre of this growth and prosperity. He pointed out how hosting the World Cup acted as a catalyst for positive change not only in Qatar but also in the region.  The Secretary-General emphasised that the State of Qatar aims to make hosting the World Cup contribute in the mobilisation of Arab human capacities and the advancement of development in Qatar on the social, environmental, human and economic fronts.
He said that the steadfastness of the State of Qatar in the face of the unjust blockade and its success ability in confronting and overcoming its effects after a year and a half is not abnormal for Qatar and its people. He said that we have become accustomed, in Qatar, to the close unity between the leadership and the people in order to defend this land and adapt to the various difficulties we have faced in the past.
Al-Thawadi believed that the various challenges Qatar experienced have always strengthened its unity, adding that difficulties always carry great opportunities to achieve the best, which was obvious during this crisis.
He explained that the Hamad International Airport and Hamad Port played a significant role in reducing the amount of damage that could have affected the projects of the World Cup 2022 after the unfortunate actions taken by some neighbouring countries. Due to these facilities, the operators responsible for all projects in the country, including World Cup projects, were able to establish shipping lines across Oman, India and Turkey.  Al-Thawadi stressed that all projects of the World Cup in Qatar 2022 are proceeding normally according to the timetable set for them. He denied that the blockade imposed on Qatar a year and a half ago affected the preparations for the tournament.
He also said that the State of Qatar went to the neighbouring GCC markets because of its belief in investing the FIFA World Cup 2022 in mobilising regional economies. This is a reflection of our vision, he said, adding that the World Cup event must be of benefit beyond the borders of Qatar. He stated that the decision to head to the Gulf markets was voluntary.  Al-Thawadi said that the State of Qatar has always provided for its citizens, stressing that it is the duty of everyone now to repay the favour so that Qatar can take its rightful place among civilised and developed nations.