Qatar’s embassy in Spain organised a ceremony to welcome Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup in conjunction with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani receiving the mantle of the tournament from Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The celebration, which was held at the residence of Qatar’s ambassador to Spain, Mohamed Jaham al-Kuwari in Madrid, was attended by more than 500 personalities including Spanish MPs and politicians, diplomats, sports stars and celebrities, as well as a large group of journalists from leading Spanish newspapers.
In his opening speech, the Qatari ambassador highlighted the special importance of Qatar 2022 World Cup because it is the first of its kind in the Middle East and will serve the interests of all countries in the region for its prominent role as a bridge between Arab and Western civilizations and cultures, as well as its economic, political, cultural and humanitarian dimensions.
The ambassador underlined that sports is an essential part of the policy of Qatar, which will continue to support young athletes through serious projects such as Aspire Academy and AS Arabia, noting that Qatar will continue to organise important sports events, the most important of them being the 2022 FIFA World Cup, preparations for which are in full swing.
The ambassador stressed Qatar’s keenness to protect the rights of workers, which was commended by competent international bodies such as the International Labour Organisation, and called on everyone to visit Qatar and discover the open and hospitable country.
The celebration included a Spanish-language video produced by the embassy which presented Qatar’s key achievements and projects in the field of sports, such as the Aspire Academy and the World Cup stadiums.
In line with Qatar’s policy of supporting young people and enhancing the role of sport and culture, the ambassador honoured two of the most promising Spanish talents.
He presented the Estrella del Deporte sports prize to Diego Rodriguez Ferrero, and the Ojal award to Spanish singer Maria Beatriz Veiga Piriz.
A Spanish band presented a song about the role of Qatar 2022 World Cup as a bridge between different peoples and cultures.
For his part, the Mayor of Lyon Antonio Silban said that the Qatari model in the management and marketing of football as key to inter-people relations as it plays a prominent role in supporting Qatar’s bid for the 2022 World Cup.
Meanwhile, former president of Spanish sports club Real Madrid Ramon Calderon said that during his frequent visits to Doha, he noticed the great work that has been achieved in Qatar. He is certain that Qatar 2022 will be the best in terms of organisation in the history of the tournament.
Director of the Arab House Foundation Pedro Martinez underlined the great role of Qatar through what he described as “sports diplomacy”, noting that his institution hosted several meetings and seminars in co-ordination with Qatar on the importance of sports as a common factor among peoples.
He expressed the hope that Qatar would organise a World Cup worthy of the size of the sacrifices made by Qataris in order to host a major event like the 2022 World Cup.
The Qatari celebrations resonated widely in the Spanish media.
Spanish daily El Mundo said that His Highness the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani attended the closing of Moscow 2018 World Cup with a busy international agenda and has devoted a lot of money to marketing Qatar World Cup.
The newspaper also noted the emergence of the role of Paris as an intermediary in the current Gulf crisis and the comments of French President Emmanuel Macaron when he said: “Qatar is a key partner to help us achieve peace in the Middle East,” as well as his praise for the Qatari efforts in the fight against extremism and terrorism.
El Mundo also highlighted the Amir’s extensive diplomatic tour which included the United States and a number of countries.
The Qatari ambassador’s speech on foreign workers during the celebration received a positive reaction in the Spanish media. The Diplomat in Spain newspaper published an article entitled “Qatar Guarantees Workers’ Rights in the 2022 World Cup”, in which it referred to international reports that document the measures adopted by the Qatari institutions to improve the conditions of the workers and ensure their rights.
The newspaper highlighted the statements of ambassador Jaham al-Kuwari on Qatar’s commitment to continue its efforts in this regard.
Ambassador Mohamed Jaham al-Kuwari presenting the Estrella del Deporte sports prize to Diego Rodriguez Ferrero, and the Ojal award to Spanish singer Maria Beatriz Veiga Piriz.
