Social responsibility is one of the key priorities of the Qatar
Football Association (QFA). The purpose of engaging the society
through various football-related programs has been well received by
the public in recent years. The Board of Directors of QFA, the
President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, and the
Marketing Department of the football ruling body is working round the
clock to work according to the programs charted out in the country's
annual calendar of football activities.
The QFA realizes the importance of the football ruling body considered
as a social institution that helps young children and adults believe
in fair play and healthy living. The process of engaging society
through means of sports has been a massive success not just at the
community level but schools, government and private organizations have
also been a major source of spreading the message of healthy living.
Qatar Foundation, Al Noor Institute For The Blind, Shaffalah Centre,
Dhreima and other such social institutes have played an important role
in engaging the society through sports. Their social activities have
been well received by the public at large.
The QFA aims to strengthen the role of engaging the society through
sports activities under the 2021 vision of the football ruling body. A
wide-range of programs and activities will be part of the annual QFA
calender that will help young children take to the sport with emphasis
on healthy living.
Promotion of football in the country
QFA's three-year agreement with Doha Children's Cultural Center
reflects the ruling body's keenness to take the sport of football to a
new level of popularity among young kids. This partnership is being
used as a means of long-term relationship of kids with sports. This
has already resulted in the change of behavior of young children who
now show profound interest in sports, studies have suggested. This
method has been successfully applied to achieve such results in the
developed countries around the world.
Meaningful programs and events are part of the QFA charter on social
responsibility. New programs and activities or events will be added to
the calendar in the coming months and years. More organizations will
be brought into this network to keep the message of healthy living
making way into all segments of the society.
Al Noor Institute for the Blind and future prospects
The QFA and the Al Noor Institute of the Blind have pledged to bring
more young kids to football venues and activities during popular
events in the country like the Heir Apparent Cup and the Emir Cup.
Visits of kids from the institute to QFA events have laid the
foundation of what should be a long and fruitful partnership. QFA is
also willing to help interested parties who would be keen to attend
the games of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
QFA and Qatar Foundation Centre for Elderly Care
QFA's pledge to help young kids at the Al Noor Institute for the Blind
and the success achieved from the programs prompted officials to
engage Qatar Foundation Centre for Elderly Care. The QFA is helping
senior citizens of the country get to watch matches - whether at
venues or at the institute. The QFA has also provided technical
assistance to the institute with installations of flat television
screens.
A variety of programs and one goal
Similar activities to engage institutes like Dhreima and Shaffalah
Centre have also produced impressive results. QFA's initiatives to
engage society at all levels has a one-goal agenda - to bring people
from all walks of life together with the aim of improving their health
through sports activities. Qatari and foreign schools have also been
part of the QFA's charter on social responsibility. The QFA has held
lectures and conducted workshops on various topics to keep their
interaction with the society alive and kicking, so as to say.
Corporate giants like Fifty One East, Qtel, Qatar National Bank and
Shell Qatar are also part of this successful agenda that clearly binds
together the society and its passion of the game. The QFA partners
have played a very important role in helping take out the message of
'healthy living' to new audiences in the country and the region.
Helping develop civic sense at an early age
The QFA is keen to play every role that helps young kids develop their
civic sense as they work on their interests in sport. The QFA believes
young kids need to nurtured carefully as they are impacted with their
environment they live in. The programs and activities of QFA and
various institutes have helped in this regard immensely as recent
increase in number of football fans suggest. The last two seasons have
clearly seen a massive rise in number of young kids showing interest
in sports.
QFA and Shell Qatar - a winning partnership
QFA and Shell Qatar have joined hands for what experts call a 'winning
partnership'. The two parties have initiated a program that aims to
change the lifestyle of children and young people.
The program is for kids falling in three age brackets:
1 - Play (ages: 7-12 years)
2 - Your game (ages: 13-17 years)
3 - Night programs (ages: 18-24 years)
A unique world record
Last week a unique world record was created in Qatar. The Guinness
World Record for the longest ever 5-a-side football match was broken
at Aspire Zone on National Sport Day. The highly anticipated match was
organised by the QFA and Qatar Shell, and officiated by Guinness World
Records.
The match which ran continuously for 11 hours, 58 minutes and 12
seconds was played by a total of 523 participants from all over Qatar.
The event was attended by His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh
Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry, who came on to play as one
of the record breaking players surpassing the 464-player mark that was
set by BBC Radio 5 Live, at the Sheffield United Academy, UK on 13
October 2012.
Other record breakers included Wael Sawan, Managing Director and
Chairman of Qatar Shell Companies, Sheikh Thani Al Thani, Deputy
General Manager, Qatar Shell and Hamad Al Kuwari, Head of Marketing &
Commercial, QFA.
The Guinness World Record attempt was part of the QFA and Qatar Shell
initiative KOORA TIME, a five-year sustainable initiative which is
designed to improve the health and well-being of Qatar’s youth through
football.
Qatar vs. Egypt friendly revenue donated to Egyptian Cancer Center
Qatar national football team played their Egyptian counterparts in an international football friendly held at Thani bin Jassim stadium of Al-Ghrafah SC on March 7.
Qatar Football Association (QFA) and the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) agreed to allocate the match revenue in favor of the cancer patients in Egypt in a humanitarian step reflects the social responsibility of sport federations towards the communities.
The proceeds from the match will be donated to Cancer treatment charities in Egypt.
Asian Communities Tournaments
The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has concluded a new event
that was contested by numerous communities residing in Qatar, it
emerged on Friday.
The new event was held as part of the festivities planned for the 2013
Emir Cup.
"We know that there are many communities who actively take part in
football events. We also know that most football fans can't wait for
the Emir Cup football festival to start. So we thought why not have a
new event during the Emir Cup, a QFA official said.
The aim of this event was to raise awareness of healthy living
through sports activities.
Indian Community Tournament
The Qatar Football Association (QFA) joined hands with
the Indian community in Qatar to establish an annual tournament for
children of the Indian community living in Qatar.
At the onset of the tournament, 16 teams in various age groups were
allowed to take part.
The new move is expected to raise awareness of healthy living through
sports activities.
Copa Coca-Cola
A total of 16 school teams took part in the Coca-Cola Cup which
was organised along side the Emir Cup.
The 16 teams comprised of local and overseas schools.
The Emir Cup remains the most popular football event in the country
and football fans usually see numerous events staged along side the
final football tournament of the season.