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WASHINGTON, DC – March 8, 2022 – On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the US-Qatar Business Council (USQBC), in partnership with the Office of the Commercial Attaché (COA) at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Washington, Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and the Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT), hosted a virtual webinar titled Women at the Forefront: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
Celebrating the prominent role of women in Qatar’s business environment, the webinar brought together various leaders from various organizations responsible for delivering key legacy and sustainability projects relating to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
The following representatives were featured in the event:
The virtual event featured prominent women in leadership positions who have contributed to Qatar’s economic diversification efforts, sustainability initiatives, and favorable business climate.
“Qatar has repeatedly proven to be a champion of female inclusion in all sectors of the economy,” said Sheikha Mayes bint Hamad Al Thani, Managing Director of USQBC Doha Office. “The inclusive professional environment created in Qatar welcomes businesswomen and sportswomen from the US and other countries that can find excellent opportunities in this rapidly growing market.”
During the course of the event, representatives from Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy highlighted the key role that women have played in realizing the upcoming largest sporting event in the world, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, and how the tournament has been a catalyst for environmental and sustainable initiatives within the country.
“We have always believed this World Cup has the power to deliver a true social legacy – setting a new benchmark across the region. Central to this legacy is enhancing gender equality by championing women in sports, benefiting young women both in Qatar and across the world,” said Fatma Al Nuami the Executive Director of Communications at the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. “In all aspects of life in Qatar, women are blazing a trail. This is evident in the SC, where many inspirational and exceptional women drive the delivery of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Qatar and the entire region.”.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ is poised to add billions of dollars to the Qatari economy with an estimated $200 billion in megaprojects associated with the tournament. Sustainability and environmental stewardship are the driving forces behind the upcoming tournament with Qatar committing to host the first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup™. Similarly, recycling parts of the eight stadiums constructed for the tournament along with consumer waste generated during the tournament are poised to set new global benchmarks for waste reduction.
“This tournament is a catalyst for Qatar’s vision for sustainable economic and social development,” said Eng. Bodour Al-Meer, the Sustainability Director at the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. “This is not just about delivering a sustainable FIFA World Cup. It is a blueprint for the sustainable future of the whole country. We also hope that future generations around the world will benefit from the positive legacy that our tournament will bring.”
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ is a key component of Qatar’s National Vision 2030, which underpins Qatar’s sustainable growth and economic diversification. In fact, the Qatar Second National Development Strategy 2018-2022 specifically addresses how “taking advantage of highly educated Qatari women” is central to the country’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
The realization of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is a key component of the Qatar National Vision 2030 which charts the course of Qatar’s sustainable growth and economic diversification. In fact, the Qatar Second National Development Strategy 2018-2022 specifically addresses how “taking advantage of highly educated Qatari women” is central to the country’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
"Qatar being selected to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a major milestone for the country, and at Microsoft, we have been truly honored to be part of Qatar’s inspiring journey to the world cup – from building the infrastructure to venue management to the vision for the fan experience. Leveraging experience from past global FIFA World Cup tournaments and other major events, Microsoft has been working closely with the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy to realize their vision for the role of technology in shaping the overall experience of the tournament, said Lana Khalaf, Country Manager of Microsoft Qatar. “The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an amazing opportunity to showcase that women are playing a major role not only in the success of the tournament, but across many businesses and industries in the country. As Microsoft, we are committed to leveraging our diverse teams to support the government’s goals of creating a tournament that makes everyone feel welcome, safe, entertained and part of a unique FIFA World Cup experience in Qatar that will leave a lasting impact for years to come.”
The Government of Qatar has empowered women in the country through access to education, economic participation, and career opportunities supporting growth. In Qatar’s higher education system, including six American-based universities, there are twice as many female students enrolled in universities as males with nearly two-thirds of all graduates in Qatar being women. As women transition to the working world, Qatari females also receive important incentives and assistance to grow their business. For example, 60% of grants recipients from the Qatar Business Incubation Centre (QBIC) are women. This initiative, among others, have resulted in Qatari females achieving the second-lowest women’s unemployment rate in the world.
“Qatari women have already played a massive role in the country’s rapid economic development and diversification,” said Emily Beline, President of The Association of Women in International Trade. “This event showcased not only the key contributions that Qatari women have played in the realization of one of the largest sporting events in the world, but how they are leading Qatar’s sustainability efforts going forward.”
Qatar’s record for sustainability and environmental stewardship during sporting events was recently demonstrated with zero waste from tournament venues being sent to landfills during the course of the FIFA Arab Cup which took place in Qatar between November and December 2021.