The Qatari Cultural Center for the Blind participated in the activities of: “Our Heritage 2023” summit, which was held with the participation of about 500 experts and researchers from countries of the world.
The center participated in a speech given by Mr. Faisal Al-Kooheji – the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Center, during which he explained the impact of sustainability after the World Cup and its relationship with persons with disabilities, where he said that “nothing about persons with disabilities without consulting them”, and confirmed that it is a saying proven by the Qatar World Cup 2022, through the Empowerment Forum, which is a platform that brings together civil society organizations and persons with disabilities.
He added that since 2015, I have had the honor to contribute to efforts to publicize the most important challenges facing persons with disabilities in sports tournaments, as we have formed, through the forum, a bridge for continuous communication between the beneficiaries themselves and the decision-makers who have committed themselves to the commitments reached to make the World Cup Qatar 2022 is the most comprehensive, inclusive and accessible tournament.
He pointed out that the monitoring and follow-up visit in which I participated with the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy to the 2018 World Cup in Russia was a pivotal stage in setting priorities that would make what will be presented during the Qatar World Cup 2022 a sustainable legacy that will benefit people with disabilities in the future. Afterwards, many monitoring and evaluation visits were made to all World Cup facilities, consultation sessions, reports and proposals, and as a result, we succeeded, thanks to God, in organizing the best tournament in this field. Al-Kooheji stated also how much he enjoyed attending (12) matches while listening to the audio description for the first time in Arabic and through a mobile phone while interacting with the fans, which is an unforgettable experience for everyone who benefited from it. He added by saying that: “The great and positive impact of other facilities in the public facilities and inside the stadiums, made the match day experience unique and integrated.”
In conclusion, he stressed that Qatar World Cup 2022 left a tangible legacy in the field of disability, through compatible and accessible facilities that were built for the tournament, in addition to training elite human cadres in various fields, raising their awareness of people with disabilities, and gaining unparalleled experience, in organizing major events suitable for all audiences of different abilities, in addition to prospects for modernization in regulations and policies in the country.