Tribune News Network
Doha
"As an active individual and someone who loves playing and organising sports, I fully understand the need for a ladies-only space where women get the chance to practise a healthy lifestyle. I also understand the benefits that something like ladies’ night could bring to the community,” said Buthayna Al Khater, an avid sports enthusiast and an Engagement & Activation Specialist at Qatar Foundation who has been creating women’s only health, wellness and sports activations since 2018.
In early 2018, the idea of an outdoor ladies-only night in Education City was sparked. We secured Oxygen Park in Qatar Foundation’s Education City to serve as the back-drop, where these nights were initially held twice a week from October to May that year, she said.
"When we started out, the idea was met with skepticism and visitor numbers were initially low, but over time we have grown to attract more than 10,000 visitors on some nights.”
Being able to get outside and practice an active lifestyle can be difficult for some women in Qatar, so the opportunity to create this space for them is huge. It allows them to freely participate in sports and have an active lifestyle, while also offering an opportunity for them to meet up with friends and like-minded people to enjoy an evening outside in the fresh air. In my own experience, sometimes just going to the gym or a regular fitness class in the studio can get boring – so going to a new place outdoors helps mix it up and keep it interesting, she said.
From 2018 to 2023, Ladies’ Night was held in Oxygen Park during the cooler months, and offered everything from fitness classes with Qatar Women’s Sports Committee, and grassroots football sessions with Generation Amazing, to beach volleyball, and providing a space for community running clubs to run outdoors.
She continued: "We always had to break for the summer months as it is just too hot outdoors, but we were still receiving lots of requests for alternatives during the summer. It struck us that we have the Education City Stadium within our campus making it the perfect space to continue our Ladies Nights throughout the hotter months to help us maintain a year-round outdoor sports program for women and girls.”
"How often do you get the chance to go to a World Cup stadium outside of a professional football game, let alone have the opportunity to be on the field where some of the most famous and talented football players in the world have played? It was a double-whammy for me because I got to organise and participate,” she concluded.
The stadium’s football pitch was split into sections to host different sports, and some indoor spaces within the stadium and a concourse was opened up as well. We try and offer something for everyone.
New sports held in the stadium at the last Ladies Night included basketball with the US Women’s National Basketball Association, volleyball lessons with Qatar Volleyball Association, and an introduction to fencing through a local fencing academy with close ties to the Qatar Fencing Federation.
"We also had others, including football with Paris Saint-Germain, health and fitness classes with OX Fitness, Tek Ball, Pilates, spaces for grassroot running clubs, and a spinning class on the fourth-floor viewing deck looking out at all of the other activities taking place.
The last edition also featured a health and wellness section for visitors to check their BMI and receive nutritional advice. This summer we also launched a volunteer programme for Ladies Night where we had 15 women support us in delivering all of these activities,” she said.
Buthayna Al Khater has been working with Qatar Foundation for 12 years, and has a strong focus on community and social development. When she is not working , she is competing in local padel tournaments. She also has a passion for interior design.