Qatar Embassy in Mexico Organizes Webinar on World Cup 2022

Mexico City, July 08 (QNA) - The Embassy of the State of Qatar in the United Mexican States organized a webinar on the World Cup 2022 edition's ability to bring cultures together. The webinar also discussed the similarities between World Cup 2022 and World Cup 1970 in Mexico. The session was attended by HE Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Hassan Al Thawadi, HE Ambassador of the United Mexican States to Qatar Graciela Gomez, the, President of the Mexican Football Federation Yon de Luisa, Bora Milutinovic, who is a former Mexico head coach and now an advisor to the SC, and Mexican international Marco Fabian. HE Al Thawadi said during the opening session that Qatar is preparing for a special World Cup 2022, which will remain in the memory of fans as a legacy for the region and the world. He pointed to the completion of four stadiums that will host matches in the World Cup, in addition to the continuous work being done to complete the remaining stadiums and the infrastructure required to provide all the necessities that will ensure that the World Cup is organized according to international standards. His Excellency sent a message of hope to the world in light of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, pointing out that the World Cup will unite the world and bring people together after the crisis ends. His Excellency said that there is a sense of anticipation in football all over the world with regards to the coronavirus crisis, something that prompted the Committee to cooperate with several parties, including FIFA, and communicating with football federations around the world, including Concacaf, UEFA Champions League and the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to benefit from their experiences in hosting events while facing the Coronavirus pandemic. His Excellency congratulated the Mexican and Qatari people on the 45th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Qatar and Mexico. He spoke about what the State of Qatar witnessed during its hosting of the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, when the Mexican fans, who were accompanying their team C.F. Monterrey, were able to identify in many ways with the State of Qatar and its people, as their visit was distinguished in terms of contact with the Qatari people and their admiration for the Qatar's way of life and traditions. He said that Qatar's hosting of the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup and several international tournaments with FIFA, including the International Championship for Arab teams next year, will be important preparation for the World Cup 2022. He also shed light on the role of women in sport and in the 2022 World Cup, saying that Qatar is focused on sport and there is no difference between human and social rights, but stressed that women play a very important role in sports, as there is a women's football team and a Qatari women's football league. He pointed out that women in the State of Qatar play a fundamental role in several fields and have an important role in society citing Communications Director at Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy Fatima Al Nuaimi as an example. For his part, HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Mexico Mohammed bin Jassim Al Kuwari, indicated that Qatar is one of the most supportive countries of sport in the region, especially through its organization and hosting of the most important sporting events, in the belief that sport is an essential factor for the development of societies. HE the ambassador spoke about the vision of the State of Qatar in organizing a major event such as 2022 World Cup, which constitutes an opportunity for bringing cultures closer and learning about the State of Qatar. The Ambassador referred to the convergence between the Qatari and Mexican cultures in terms of passion for football, as Mexico is one of the countries that previously hosted the World Cup in 1970 and 1986, Mexican fans are also known to be among the most enthusiastic fans in the World Cup. He said that the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Mexico is carrying out several projects for permanent communication with Mexicans before 2022 World Cup by publishing useful information for the Qatari culture in addition to sports and cultural activities. It is worth noting that Qatar has granted facilities to several countries by exempting them from entry visas, including Mexico. HE Ambassador of Mexico to the State of Qatar highlighted the importance of diplomatic relations between the two countries that strengthened thanks to the World Cup 2022, an event she considers to be an important field of cultural and sports diplomacy between the two countries. Meanwhile, the President of the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) pointed out that the World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be the last version with 32 teams, and expressed hope that the Mexican national team performs well in that edition. She also expressed her belief that the 2022 edition will be a memorable one given it is the first time for an Arab country and the Middle-East to host the competition. In this context, Ambassador of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Bora Milutinovic, spoke about his experience as coach of the Mexican national team in the 1986 World Cup, which took place in Mexico. The Mexican team reached its highest position in a World Cup during that edition. He said that being in Qatar ahead of the World Cup 2022 was a unique experience. (QNA)