Koora Time, a sustainable initiative created and designed by Qatar Shell and Qatar Football Association (QFA) to improve the health and well-being of young people in Qatar through football, has added a new accolade to its growing list of awards.
Koora Time has won the ‘Best Community Programme Award’ at the 11th Global CSR Summit and Awards in Malaysia, bringing the total number of local and international honours received to 10 since the initiative was launched in 2012.
The award, which was presented at the Global CSR Awards 2019, Asia’s most prestigious recognition programme for corporate social responsibility, “bears testament to the successful partnership between Qatar Shell and QFA”, according to a statement.
Khalid Mubarak al-Kawari, QFA’s director of Marketing and Communication, noted that the association’s social responsibility programme is an essential part of its Vision 2021. 
“The success of Koora Time, which has gained an international reputation, motivates us to further expand the initiative to reach more of our youth. There is no doubt that the latest award comes within the framework of our renewed efforts since the beginning of this season, to effectively engage the local community and achieve our objectives, in cooperation with our partners at Qatar Shell,” he explained.
Al-Kawari also added that this award represents another incentive to pursue further achievements, both locally and
internationally.
“I would like to thank the Koora Time team members from Qatar Football Association, Qatar Shell and QFA’s executive board members, as well as the QFA President, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani, for his support and for prioritising social responsibility initiatives within the framework of our Vision 2021,” al-Kawari said.
“I would also like to highlight the pivotal and strategic role that the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and Aspire Academy play in promoting Koora Time, which seeks to improve the health of youth through football.”
Rashid Majed al-Sulaiti, deputy general manager of Qatar Shell Companies, noted: “Qatar Shell’s social investment initiatives are an integral and vital part of our business
“Since the launch of Koora Time, we have proudly benefited more than100,000 youth across Qatar. This latest award recognises the tangible contribution of our partnership with QFA in this regard.”
Qatar Shell and QFA recently wrapped up the seventh season of Koora Time, which attracted a weekly average of 3,500 participants who had access to 30 venues for football and sports-related activities compared to eight venues when Koora Time was launched in 2012.
The initiative’s success was evident in numbers, with a significant number of participants having improved their Body Mass Index. The latest season further contributed to empowering women in Qatar, with girls accounting for half of the participants.
To find out more about Koora Time, one can visit www.kooratime.qa.

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