Sports Friday, September 4, 2020 11 QFA and Supreme Committee announce new strategic partnership with Concacaf Collaboration focuses on Qatar’s participation in the Gold Cup and long-term football for development partnership The Concacaf Gold Cup is a prestigious tournament and we’re thrilled Qatar has Sc.qa been invited to compete DOHA in the 2021 and 2023 editions. With just over two years to go until the FIFA World Cup QFA President, HE Sheikh Qatar 2022™, the Qatar Foot- Hamad bin Khalifa bin ball Association (QFA) and Ahmed Al Thani. the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) have the FIFA World Cup 2026™, formed a new strategic part- which will take place in the nership with Concacaf, the Concacaf region. governing body for football in Concacaf President and North America, Central Amer- FIFA Vice President, Victor ica and the Caribbean. Montagliani, commented on The partnership will see the Qatar national team’s in- the QFA the SC play an impor- The partnership will see the Qatar Football Association (QFA) the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) play an important role in all levels of football and sport across the vitation to play in the 2021 tant role in all levels of football Concacaf – the governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean – region and help deliver long-term football for development programmes. and 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup and sport across the Concacaf completions. region and help deliver long- focus on community coach the Caribbean, well after the “In 2017 we entered into a term football for development development, which will ben- last ball is kicked in 2022.” Memorandum of Understand- programmes across the region. efit thousands of young people Al Thawadi added, “From ing with the Asian Football Firstly, the partnership in- across the region, and help en- a footballing perspective, it Confederation which has been cludes Qatar’s participation as sure a lasting human legacy for will be great to see Qatar’s mutually beneficial for both a guest nation in the region’s the FIFA World Cup 2022™. national team take on some regions, and paved the way top football competition, the “The Concacaf Gold Cup is of the world’s best when they for this important agreement Concacaf Gold Cup, in both a prestigious tournament and meet in the 2021 edition of between Concacaf, the Qatar 2021 and 2023. The reigning we’re thrilled Qatar has been the Gold Cup, ahead of their Football Association and the AFC Asian Cup champions will invited to compete in the 2021 historic participation on Supreme Committee. make their Gold Cup debut in and 2023 editions,” said QFA home turf at the FIFA World “The Qatar National Team July of next year after their President, HE Sheikh Hamad Cup 2022.” will be a guest participant in second appearance as a guest bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani. Since 2009, Generation the Concacaf Gold Cup, the nation at the Copa America, “Qatar’s participation in Amazing has used football for flagship men’s international South America’s top football the tournament next year development initiatives to ad- competition in our region. competition, next year. The takes place just 17 months dress social issues in countries We look forward to welcom- national team’s appearance before the FIFA World Cup with an identified need, in line ing them and we know that marks another important Qatar 2022 kicks off, so it will with the United Nations Sus- as reigning AFC Asian Cup football development mile- be a great opportunity to help tainable Development Goals. Champions they will provide stone on the road to the FIFA further prepare the national Through the construction of stern opposition for our na- World Cup Qatar 2022™ and team ahead of their opening community football pitches, tional teams. This innovative will help further prepare the World Cup match on 21 No- The partnership also includes long-term involvement in the region’s football for development initiatives the delivery of comprehen- partnership with the QFA and team ahead of their first match vember 2022. through the SC’s flagship human and social legacy programme, Generation Amazing, and the Concacaf sive football for development the SC includes a significant as host nation on Qatar on 21 “Winning the 2019 AFC NextPlay programme. training and the involvement football development and so- November 2022. Asian Cup marked an impor- of young people, the pro- cial responsibility component, The partnership also in- tant milestone in our devel- nership between the SC’s Gen- bid to host the FIFA World development programme, to gramme promotes sustain- offering huge benefits to the cludes long-term involvement opment plan, and so we head eration Amazing Programme Cup™, it has positively im- ensure the growth of both ini- able behaviours among young game across the Concacaf in the region’s football for de- into the Gold Cup confident and Concacaf’s NextPlay Pro- pacted the lives of more than tiatives and deliver a greater people in Qatar and around region. It will also provide a velopment initiatives through that we can compete with Con- gramme. 500,000 people around the impact on the lives of even the world. great knowledge sharing op- the SC’s flagship human and cacaf’s best teams. We look “Generation Amazing world. Looking to the future more people, in even more As hosts of the next FIFA portunity between the hosts social legacy programme, Gen- forward to the competition.” uses the power of football to and the further expansion of countries. Most importantly, World Cup™, the collabora- of the FIFA World Cup 2022, eration Amazing, and the Con- SC Secretary-General, create sustainable social de- this important legacy project, this partnership will help en- tion will also provide multiple and our region as we look to cacaf NextPlay programme. Hassan Al Thawadi, com- velopment in communities we are excited to announce sure a sustainable, lasting knowledge sharing opportu- harness the full benefits of In particular, the partner- mented on the long-term around the world. Since it was this strategic partnership with tournament legacy in North nities between the organis- hosting the event in 2026,” ship will have a significant football for development part- launched as part of Qatar’s the Concacaf’s own football for America, Central America and ing bodies of Qatar 2022 and added Montagliani.

FIFA World Cup 2022 legacy programme Josoor Institute’s online education efforts ensure greater outreach SC.qa discuss action plans to deliver cate, meaning they not only to learn about sustainability Moving forward, we will long-term impact after a large A substantial part of got to the end of the course within the context of a FIFA see a greater number hen Josoor Institute tournament is held. Josoor Institute’s program- but also completed the cer- World Cup™, one of the larg- of Josoor Institute pro- launched in Decem- Afraa Al Noaimi, Execu- ming is now online and tification exam. The ratio est sporting events in the world grammes shift online? Wber 2013, it set out tive Director of Josoor Insti- includes ‘Sustainability between enrollments and – being held in this part of the First and foremost, our priority with the purpose of building the tute, discusses the future of certifications was in line with world for the first time – and is to guarantee the continuity capabilities of the sports and online education within the and Major Sports Events’, global MOOC standards. with so much innovation and of our current educational of- events industries in Qatar and context of creating a centre of a massive open online For this second edition of national coordination at all fering, namely the online pro- the MENA region. Through ed- excellence in the sports and course (MOOC) it delivers the MOOC, we hope to attract levels. Thirdly, sharing les- fessional diploma programme ucation, training, and research, events industries. with Hamad Bin Khalifa a larger and even more diverse sons taught in sustainability in sports and events manage- Josoor Institute has worked University (HBKU) on audience, especially from the from the tournament will get ment in partnership with SDA with thousands of students and Where did the idea to cre- HBKUx, an online learning MENA region, which remains a factored into future projects in Bocconi School of Manage- trainees in the region as part of ate a MOOC around sus- priority for us. At the same time, sports and events in Qatar, the ment. In general, Josoor In- a robust legacy programme of tainability and the FIFA platform powered by EdX, we believe that linking this topic MENA region, and beyond in stitute is strategically pursuing the Supreme Committee for De- World Cup™ come from? a non-profit online learn- with FIFA World Cup™ makes the coming decades. online education. The second livery & Legacy (SC). The idea to create a MOOC on ing platform created by this kind of MOOC highly ap- MOOC in Sustainability is an A substantial part of Josoor Sustainability came from Dr Harvard and MIT. Afraa Al Noaimi, Executive pealing to a global audience. What are some of the next example, along with online Institute’s programming is Gerard Akindes, the former Director of Josoor Institute. steps for this programme? training for Volunteers in the now online and includes ‘Sus- head of the research arm of What are some of the long We are now in the promo- run up to the FIFA World tainability and Major Sports Josoor Institute, who realised FIFA), and approached HBKU on sustainability, as well as the last legacy impacts that this tion phase of the MOOC. In Cup™, and a regular series Events’, a massive open online the huge potential of sharing as a partner because of their responsibility to assemble and type of programme will the long term, we look for- of online panels developed in course (MOOC) it delivers with the SC’s wealth of knowledge shared vision and their exper- coordinate the resources that have on Qatar and beyond? ward to connecting with the partnership with colleagues at Hamad Bin Khalifa University and expertise in sustainability tise in creating a robust online are needed to make sure the de- Usually, people take a MOOC most active participants to Generation Amazing, the SC (HBKU) on HBKUx, an online with a large audience. We and educational platform. livery is first-in-class. either because they are inter- facilitate connections and col- Sustainability team, University learning platform powered by colleagues at the SC discussed Once all parties were aligned, JI To that end, partnering ested – or just curious – about laborations. The ultimate goal Campus of Football Business EdX, a non-profit online learn- Gerard’s idea and agreed we coordinated the kick-off of the with HBKU is strategic. HB- a particular topic or a particu- of this kind of projects is to (UFCB) and others. ing platform created by Har- had an unmissable opportunity project and managed the pro- KUx, the online platform of lar domain, or because they generate a network of people, We are also making all re- vard and MIT. to divulge interesting informa- ject throughout the delivery, re- HBKU powered by edX, guar- aim at getting certified in that content and platforms to en- search case studies by Josoor Launched last year, the tion to a large audience, and ex- viewing content, working with antees a high quality of deliv- domain as a way to step up hance knowledge and human Institute available online, free MOOC has been taken by hun- pand our professional network the instructional design provid- ery. But also more generally their qualifications and in- capital, ultimately generating of charge, hopefully soon in dreds of students from around around the subject matter as the ers to organise video shoots, and equally important, a strong crease their chances of finding value in a particular domain. Arabic as well, which is some- the world, with a certificate be- FIFA World Cup 2022™ draws coordinate access to facilities alignment in vision, mission a job or enhancing their cur- From a strategic stand- thing of utmost importance ing granted to those that suc- nearer and best practices and (including stadiums), and pro- and goals makes it natural for rent role and so on. point, because education is for us as we reach out to new cessfully complete two courses, innovation emerge. mote the project through social Josoor Institute and its team to Beyond that, a MOOC that a countercyclical sector, the audiences across the MENA one on planning and the other media and other channels explore strategic collaborations specifically focuses on sustain- current challenging economic region. Over the coming on implementation. What has been Josoor In- with colleagues at HBKU. ability will have an impact on situation created by the global months, we will also be an- The ‘Sustainability and stitute’s role in putting this How important is it to have Qatar and the region in several pandemic may incentivize nouncing new online offerings Major Sports Events’ MOOC first of its kind initiative partners like HBKU and How many people have ways. Firstly, it raises aware- even more people to enrol in in education and training, is now in its second edition with HBKU together? edX on board? benefited thus far from the ness about the importance of this MOOC and other online some of which are in the areas and explores sustainabil- At the Institute, we assembled a As the education and training initiative? delivering sustainable major activities. As everyone adapts of sports and event manage- ity within the context of major group of subject matter experts arm of the SC, JI has the oppor- About 900 people enrolled in sports events. Secondly, it of- to the situation and the cur- ment, but also in others in ar- sport events, giving students from the SC, FIFA, Q22 (the tunity to take the lead on strate- the first edition of the MOOC. fers students and professionals rent uncertainties, distance eas previously unexplored by a chance to learn more and joint venture between SC and gic projects such as this MOOC Of these, 70 got the certifi- an unprecedented experience learning is a powerful tool. Josoor Institute. (SC.qa)