tag

As football fans made their way to the Education City Stadium for the first of its FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 matches, they were greeted by an array of Qatar Foundation (QF)-organised activities focused on cultural heritage, innovation, and fun.**media[389244]**Activations within Education City on the route to and from the stadium, which hosted the group-stage encounter between Saudi Arabia v Oman, included interactive STEM elements organised with QF entities, sparking supporters’ curiosity through a blend of sports, science, and technology.**media[389247]**Acts such as stilt walkers, marching bands, DJs, and football freestylers entertained supporters on their walk to the stadium, which is staging five matches during the tournament.**media[389246]**Next on the Education City Stadium’s FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 agenda is Oman v Morocco at 5.30pm on December 5 (Friday), followed by Syria v Palestine (8pm, on December 7), Bahrain v Sudan (8pm on December 9), and a quarter-final match at 5.30pm on December 12. The activations on the way to the stadium will be available for everyone to experience and enjoy at all these matches.

Saleh al-Shehri produced a deft deflection in the second half to power Saudi Arabia to a feisty 2-1 win over neighbouring Oman on day two of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025.Al-Shehri, who charged into the Oman box, sent the ball home on a cross from the flank (77) as Saudi Arabia - coached by Hervé Renard - sealed a fighting win at the Education City Stadium. Earlier Firas al-Buraikan gave Saudi the lead in the 55th minute but that was cancelled by a superb snap-header by Oman’s Ghanim al-Habashi in the 70th minute. Al-Shehri’s late effort sealed the deal in Saudi’s favour. Oman - coached by Carlos Queiroz of Portugal - played an attacking game for most of the match. Oman will now play Morocco on Friday at Education City Stadium while Saudi Arabia take on Comoros at Al Bayt Stadium the same day. Dramatic draw Kuwait held Egypt to a dramatic 1-1 stalemate in their FIFA Arab Cup 2025 Group A clash at Lusail Stadium Tuesday. While Egypt controlled the tempo for large stretches of the match, they were left chasing the game after a second-half header from Fahed al-Hajeri gave the West Asian side a shock lead (64). The encounter remained tense until the final minutes, when a red card shifted the balance, forcing both sides to settle for a point in their tournament opener. Egypt wasted numerous opportunities to seize control early, with Kuwait goalkeeper Suod Alhoushan producing a string of saves to deny Mohamed Elneny and Ghanam Mohamed. The Pharaohs’ frustrations mounted when Amro Elsoulia missed a penalty in the first half - after Abdulwahab Alawadhi’s foul on Eslam Eissa - and Mohamed Sherif fired wide shortly after the break. Against the run of play, Kuwait capitalised in the 64th minute when al-Hajeri connected with Mohammad Daham’s corner to power a header into the top corner, leaving the Egyptian squad stunned. The match reached a chaotic conclusion in the 83rd minute when hero-turned-villain Alhoushan was sent off for a second bookable offence after fouling Marwan Hamdy in the box. Mohamed Afsha converted the resulting penalty against substitute goalkeeper Sulaiman Abdulghafour to level the score. Kuwait missed a late chance to seal the win prior to the red card, and they will now look to regroup against Jordan on Saturday, while Egypt prepare to face the UAE. 

The Doha Forum: Youth Edition 2025 opened Wednesday at Education City’s Student Centre, Multaqa, bringing together more than 150 emerging leaders from more than 100 countries.The two-day event is jointly organised by QatarDebate Centre and the Doha Forum, in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Sports and Youth and Media City Qatar.The opening ceremony drew high-level officials, including Her Excellency Lolwah bint Rashid al-Khater, Minister of Education and Higher Education, and chairperson of the Board of Directors of QatarDebate Centre; His Excellency Sheikh Dr Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, chairman of Media City Qatar; His Excellency Yasser al-Jamal, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports and Youth and vice chairman of QatarDebate; His Excellency Mubarak Ajlan al-Kuwari, executive director of the Permanent Committee for Organising Conferences; and D Hayat A Maarafi, executive director, QatarDebate, alongside a distinguished group of diplomats and international experts.**media[389612]**Al-Jamal emphasised the pivotal role of youth in shaping the future, addressing the participants by stating: “Your participation today sends a clear message that young people are not merely present on the scene, but are a force capable of transforming dialogue into initiatives, and visions into actionable steps that create real impact.”Al-Kuwari said: “Justice is not only debated within the halls of conferences but is tested in real-world contexts such as classrooms, digital spaces, workplaces, and communities.”He explained: “The Youth edition of the Doha Forum was launched specifically to ensure that your perspectives, interests, and priorities are genuinely integrated into the discussions before they reach the main stage”.Abdulrahman al-Subaie, director of Administration and Strategy at QatarDebate, said: “The relationship between the QatarDebate Centre and the Doha Forum is not a mere signed document or a partnership preserved in files, but a convergence of visions and a profound recognition that the voice of youth is not a fleeting echo, but a compass guiding the direction of the future.The event offers a global platform for youth to develop solutions and policy recommendations to be presented at the main Doha Forum. Held under the theme “Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress,” the programme tackles key issues in geopolitics, economic development, emerging technologies, cultural diplomacy, and security.**media[389613]**The ceremony also featured a dialogue with Sheikh Dr Abdulla on the role of media in empowering young people. He said: “Media is the true language of this generation. We are moving beyond simply consuming content; we are building an ecosystem where young creators lead the narrative”.The first day continued with a series of high-level panels examining global challenges. A key session, “Who Holds the Line: Rethinking Responsibility in Geopolitics,” explored shifts in global power dynamics and proposed new frameworks for accountability and international cooperation driven by young leaders.The first day of the forum also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between QatarDebate Centre and Qatar Foundation for Social Work. The three-year memorandum forms part of a partnership aimed at strengthening dialogue and communication skills within Qatari society through training programmes that foster a sound environment for constructive debate under the supervision of the QatarDebate Centre. 

At Qatar Foundation (QF)’s Marhaba event – the traditional welcome to its new students at the start of the academic year – the latest arrivals to Education City learned about the importance of stepping out of their comfort zones and seizing service-learning opportunities – from local outreach initiatives to international projects – to help tackle real-world challenges and drive meaningful, positive change.Juyoung Kim, a senior at Northwestern University in Qatar, spoke to more than 800 new students who attended the event at Multaqa, telling the story of her service trips to Laos and Nepal.In Laos, she helped build an eco-dorm for students who once had to walk long distances just to attend school.The new facility allowed them to live nearby and focus on their education.In Nepal, Kim contributed to a sustainable project that provided clean energy for a family living in the mountains.“It’s about being part of something – something bigger than yourself,” she told the students.“It’s about connection, empathy, and understanding,” Kim added. “These trips taught me to approach every community with humility, respect, I learned how to work with people – not just for them. And the value of every small act of kindness and collaboration.”Her advice for students is “step outside your comfort zone, be willing to learn, to contribute, and to grow”.“These opportunities may feel intimidating at first, but trust me, they will be the most meaningful experiences that you will have – not just as a student but as the global citizens you will all very proudly grow into,” she said.Amani Benamor, from QF partner university Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q), also spoke at Marhaba.She recounted that when she first began her journey at Education City last year, she believed – like many new students – that university, and especially medicine, was only about achieving good grades, sitting exams, and ultimately earning a degree.“However, the further I’ve gone into my journey, the more I ask the question: ‘Shouldn’t we, as active global citizens, be more than just a number on a transcript?’” Benamor recounted. “And shouldn’t life – the centre of all disciplines taught at the QF – be more than just memorising facts and checking off boxes?”“In Education City, learning goes far beyond the classroom,” she continued. “From volunteering, research, or even extracurriculars, real growth happens when we apply what we’ve learned in the classroom to real-world challenges.”“The QF is not just a place to study,” Benamor told the students, adding: “It is a place to learn how to grow, and how to help.”At QF universities, community service begins the moment they arrive.Their orientation week is more than just introductions and icebreakers; it is a chance to make a difference.At the WCM-Q, for example, new students took part in a hands-on initiative by packing donation boxes for Qatar Charity and serving a luncheon to recognise the contributions of support workers, learning from day one that service is a cornerstone of their journey at Education City.