Ailyn Agonia
DOHA
Qatar Foundation (QF) is extremely proud and honoured to be home to Education City Stadium, an iconic, innovative sporting arena to host FIFA World Cup 2022 matches, said Mohammed A. Fakhroo, executive director of Outreach and Institutional Advancement at QF.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar Tribune on the celebration of the completion of the third match-ready FIFA World Cup 2022 venue, Fakhroo said that aside from hosting tens of thousands of people from across the world in less than two-and-a-half years’ time and drawing attention of millions who will be watching the games, the Education City Stadium will put a stamp on the future of Qatar and play an integral part in the QF community.
He said, "We are equally proud that, for decades afterwards, this stadium will continue to be a focal point of life within the community of QF and for the people of Qatar as well as visitors to the nation.
"One of the legacies of this stadium will be the opportunities it provides for people to enrich their lives through physical activity, learning and knowledge, and to see innovation and sustainability come to life through the medium of sport. I believe that is one of the finest legacies that any sporting venue can create.”
Fakhroo described the new Stadium as a beacon that transmits the value of embracing sport and active living to all members of Qatar’s community.
He said what the new facility stands for aligns with QF’s belief that sport is a vehicle for positivity, unity, wellbeing and bringing people of all ages, cultures and interests together.
"We already provide a wide spectrum of opportunities for the people of our nation to participate in sport, both for enjoyment and for the life benefits it provides, and the Education City Stadium will complement our offer and our ethos perfectly. Healthy lifestyles are essential to people realising their potential, with active living producing both physical and mental benefits, and the stadium will send a powerful message about the value of such lifestyles to people enjoying, and succeeding in, life,” Fakhroo said.
He added, "This is also a stadium that sets a new standard for sustainable sporting venues. With sustainability being at the core of everything Qatar Foundation does, this venue will have a key role in educating people about the importance of embracing sustainable lifestyles. It will empower and inspire them to think about, learn about and understand what sustainable practice really means and how they can make it part of their lives.”
The QF official described the stadium as a centre of learning in its own right, a role that will be pivotal in sustaining its legacy and the benefit it brings to Qatar and its people.
He said, "It will be more than a venue for some of the world’s best footballers to display their skills. As befits its name, this stadium is designed to be an educator.”
On the unique role of the stadium in QF’s community development initiatives, Fakhroo underlined that sport and active, healthy living are a cornerstone of QF’s community development.
He said the new facility will complement QF’s initiative as a sporting, leisure and social hub not only for the QF community but also for the wider community.
He said, "The Stadium will draw more people to Education City, a place that is open for everyone to experience and enjoy, and we hope that this will also increase engagement with our initiatives, programmes, facilities and open spaces. We also encourage people to engage with art and culture, as a way of sparking their own creativity and curiosity. The way the stadium provides a platform in this area is reflected by the fact that artworks created by 700 students at QF’s Qatar Academy Doha are already in place at the venue, complementing its architecture and bringing an added element of homegrown vibrancy to this arena.
"The stadium’s ‘green’ credentials have the potential to amplify our work and our message in sustainability area, encouraging people to recognise how sustainability can be part of the way we design our buildings, our habits and our lives.”
As the Education City is also known for being home to a slew of world-renowned iconic infrastructures and architectural wonders, Fakhroo reiterated that the new stadium, nicknamed ‘Diamond in the Desert’, is an architectural masterpiece.
He said, "This is a world-class sporting arena in every respect and its stunning design reflects the ambition of all involved in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to deliver a truly amazing experience. But beyond its visual appeal, the most striking aspect of the way in which this stadium dovetails with its surroundings at Education City is the fact that it stands at the heart of a vibrant community, which is characterised by knowledge, exploration, innovation, creativity and social interaction.
"The open and inviting nature of Education City will draw people to this stadium to use its facilities, admire its aesthetic excellence and the way it reflects innovation, and to simply gather within it and learn from it. This will make it a hub of community life and social engagement, where people meet to participate in sport and fitness activities, watch sporting events and meet, talk and share experiences because that is what this stadium will be.”
DOHA
Qatar Foundation (QF) is extremely proud and honoured to be home to Education City Stadium, an iconic, innovative sporting arena to host FIFA World Cup 2022 matches, said Mohammed A. Fakhroo, executive director of Outreach and Institutional Advancement at QF.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar Tribune on the celebration of the completion of the third match-ready FIFA World Cup 2022 venue, Fakhroo said that aside from hosting tens of thousands of people from across the world in less than two-and-a-half years’ time and drawing attention of millions who will be watching the games, the Education City Stadium will put a stamp on the future of Qatar and play an integral part in the QF community.
He said, "We are equally proud that, for decades afterwards, this stadium will continue to be a focal point of life within the community of QF and for the people of Qatar as well as visitors to the nation.
"One of the legacies of this stadium will be the opportunities it provides for people to enrich their lives through physical activity, learning and knowledge, and to see innovation and sustainability come to life through the medium of sport. I believe that is one of the finest legacies that any sporting venue can create.”
Fakhroo described the new Stadium as a beacon that transmits the value of embracing sport and active living to all members of Qatar’s community.
He said what the new facility stands for aligns with QF’s belief that sport is a vehicle for positivity, unity, wellbeing and bringing people of all ages, cultures and interests together.
"We already provide a wide spectrum of opportunities for the people of our nation to participate in sport, both for enjoyment and for the life benefits it provides, and the Education City Stadium will complement our offer and our ethos perfectly. Healthy lifestyles are essential to people realising their potential, with active living producing both physical and mental benefits, and the stadium will send a powerful message about the value of such lifestyles to people enjoying, and succeeding in, life,” Fakhroo said.
He added, "This is also a stadium that sets a new standard for sustainable sporting venues. With sustainability being at the core of everything Qatar Foundation does, this venue will have a key role in educating people about the importance of embracing sustainable lifestyles. It will empower and inspire them to think about, learn about and understand what sustainable practice really means and how they can make it part of their lives.”
The QF official described the stadium as a centre of learning in its own right, a role that will be pivotal in sustaining its legacy and the benefit it brings to Qatar and its people.
He said, "It will be more than a venue for some of the world’s best footballers to display their skills. As befits its name, this stadium is designed to be an educator.”
On the unique role of the stadium in QF’s community development initiatives, Fakhroo underlined that sport and active, healthy living are a cornerstone of QF’s community development.
He said the new facility will complement QF’s initiative as a sporting, leisure and social hub not only for the QF community but also for the wider community.
He said, "The Stadium will draw more people to Education City, a place that is open for everyone to experience and enjoy, and we hope that this will also increase engagement with our initiatives, programmes, facilities and open spaces. We also encourage people to engage with art and culture, as a way of sparking their own creativity and curiosity. The way the stadium provides a platform in this area is reflected by the fact that artworks created by 700 students at QF’s Qatar Academy Doha are already in place at the venue, complementing its architecture and bringing an added element of homegrown vibrancy to this arena.
"The stadium’s ‘green’ credentials have the potential to amplify our work and our message in sustainability area, encouraging people to recognise how sustainability can be part of the way we design our buildings, our habits and our lives.”
As the Education City is also known for being home to a slew of world-renowned iconic infrastructures and architectural wonders, Fakhroo reiterated that the new stadium, nicknamed ‘Diamond in the Desert’, is an architectural masterpiece.
He said, "This is a world-class sporting arena in every respect and its stunning design reflects the ambition of all involved in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to deliver a truly amazing experience. But beyond its visual appeal, the most striking aspect of the way in which this stadium dovetails with its surroundings at Education City is the fact that it stands at the heart of a vibrant community, which is characterised by knowledge, exploration, innovation, creativity and social interaction.
"The open and inviting nature of Education City will draw people to this stadium to use its facilities, admire its aesthetic excellence and the way it reflects innovation, and to simply gather within it and learn from it. This will make it a hub of community life and social engagement, where people meet to participate in sport and fitness activities, watch sporting events and meet, talk and share experiences because that is what this stadium will be.”