Khalid Tawalbeh
Doha
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, dubbed as the most significant event in the Arab region and the world, has concluded on a spectacular note. The biggest football event that the world had been waiting for in our Arab region in the spirit of passion and high hope has become a reality on the Qatari soil, and history will record it as an event that promoted creative sports and cultural heritage for future generations.
The tournament has proven to be a profound platform for the reception of different nationalities and cultures worldwide, serving as the latest cultural, sports and tourism experience for all, which produced a multi-faceted cultural splendour for the entire world.
Sharing their insights with Qatar Tribune, observers stressed that the World Cup experience has succeeded in spreading Arab and Qatari culture within a short time.
American academic Dr Stewart Johannes said the Qatar 2022 edition of the tournament did not require much efforts to spread Arab and Islamic culture due to the smart planning and sound implementation carried out by Qatar.
He said, “Qatar has made creative cultural and media efforts at the individual, professional and community levels for all attendees to experience the cultural and tourist attractions in the country and the Arab region. Qatar was intellectually and culturally ready for the event and will be in the right position for future mega sport and tourism events.”
“It is necessary to introduce the local culture to all societies in the world in order to facilitate community communication and serve as a means to bridge cultural differences,” Dr Johannes added. “This great work carried out by Qatar required cooperation to spread the Arab and Islamic culture with its hospitality and introduce the country’s landmarks to the global audience.”
Kuwaiti Saud Al Buainain, who followed the events of the biggest sporting tournament, said: “Many youth groups have succeeded, through social networking sites, in commercial and community marketing for many Arab and Qatari cultural aspects and this success. Qatar has properly prepared the providers of tourism and cultural services and events by equipping them with great Arab and Qatari cultural information, which enabled the world to see the great face of Qatar and the Arab region.”
“Many visitors to Qatar showed high interest in getting acquainted with the culture of the peoples, their cultural and sports history, and the events presented by Qatar played a great role in explaining the Arab culture and approach in dealing with major events,” he said.
Algerian sports writer Imad Maamir shed light on the role of visual and media in presenting the features, values and importance of awareness of Qatari and Arab culture as a global aspect.
“The World Cup has highlighted Qatar’s landmarks, the country’s history, as well as the Arab countries’ cultural, sports and tourism renaissance, and focused on how to communicate cultural information about the region in a way that addresses different cultures,” he said.
“What made the task easier for Qatar was that most of the visitors were foreign fans who were eager to learn about the culture and traditions of the state, its most famous landmarks and the most important features of Arab society,” he added. “The Arab and Qatari culture has become a source of inspiration for many people and countries around the world after the tremendous success of the biggest sporting event.”
Jamal Bawarid, a Jordanian writer and analyst, said: “The legacy of the World Cup in Qatar is not only in material forms, represented by a developed infrastructure, premium-class stadiums and new cities. Qatar is entering a new era that achieves harmony and integration between development and environment out of respect for future generations. Another legacy that is no less important for this edition of the World Cup, which impressed everyone, is the legacy of Qatari and Arab cultural and humanitarian values.”
“The opening and closing ceremonies of 2022 World Cup in Qatar carried a global humanitarian message that expressed the true spirit of human culture, which emphasised that people, from east or west, are one nation with multiple cultures, diverse languages and different religions,” he added.
“The World Cup stressed that there is no superiority for one culture over another except for the moral and cultural values it offers to promote humanity. The tournament also showed that all cultures are equal in trying to contribute to building a formidable human unity,” he said. It has revealed that the Arab and Islamic world is one nation, no matter how many countries differ and wrestle among themselves. This event has restored that strong sense of belonging to one nation, the Arab and Islamic world, away from all negative influences.”
The Egyptian writer Alaa Turki said,” The opening and closing ceremonies of the tournament showed that human culture does not recognise the dominance of any particular culture, but is enriched by all cultures which have diverse values they offer to humanity, preserving the unity of humanity and human existence by upholding family values.”
“The 2022 World Cup also revealed that the Arabs are not as Western cinema paints them as terrorists or Bedouins. Being Bedouin is not a defect in itself, it carries moral and humanitarian values that humans need today,” Turki added. “For the first time in the World Cup history, women were not harassed and families found full comfort in the stadiums. The Arab-Muslim world has redefined itself away from the influences of the Western media and elites,” he said.
“The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has showed that human beings are one nation, no matter the difference in their skin colours, cultures, ethnicities and religions. It revealed that when they are free from corrupt and misguided elites, they can live in peace together,” he concluded.
Many fans who spoke to Qatar Tribune appreciated the great success of this edition, stressing that they saw wonderful people in Qatar, and everything went smoothly, as the tournament was held at wonderful organisational levels.
They said they were pleased that the World Cup created a strong and emotional connection between the peoples of the world, especially when they saw men from different cultures who wanted to wear Qatari Besht and walk around Souq Waqif, while many foreign women tried the Islamic hijab for the first time.
