To promote and provide opportunities for everyone in the field of sports, Qatar Foundation and Volkswagen Middle East recently signed an agreement to support capacity-building programmes specially created for women and girls in football.
Qatar Foundation Vice Chairperson and CEO HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Q-Auto Chairperson Sheikha Hanadi Al-Thani, Volkswagen Middle East Managing Director Matthias Ziegler and other senior members of both parties were present during the launch of the partnership.
A football clinic was organised by Qatar Foundation’s Pre-University Education schools with a group of young female athletes during the launch. Players had the opportunity to interact with senior members of QF and Volkswagen, share their thoughts on how sport has positively impacted them, and discuss the opportunities that will be made available to them as a result of the partnership.
Programmes for female athletes
The partnership will see Volkswagen Middle East sponsor programmes and events such as the Women & Girls Football Initiative – a tournament that supports grassroots and amateur women and girl athletes. The tournament will take place as part of QF’s upcoming 2023-2024 women’s football season and will include local and international teams.
According to Machaille Hassan Al-Naimi, Executive Officer of the Vice Chairperson and CEO Office of Qatar Foundation, they believe that everyone – including women and girls – should have opportunities to participate in sports. Al-Naimi said that sports instil healthy mindsets, encourage discipline, teach leadership skills, and demonstrate the values of teamwork. She said that sports help people develop a sense of identity and community and build confidence and determination.
Hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ was a testament to the value that sport brings, not only to Qatar, but to our wider society, and we want to build on that legacy by affording girls more opportunities to refine their skills and excel.
She said they are delighted that their partnership with Volkswagen Middle East, who share in their values and commitment to supporting the community through knowledge, accessibility and engagement, will open more doors and offer more opportunities.
More ‘inclusive’ future
Volkswagen Middle East will continue its cooperation with Qatar Foundation’s development programmes, building on the success of the Future Leaders in Football Summit, previously sponsored by Volkswagen and the German Football Team.
Ziegler said their partnership with Qatar Foundation represents a continuation of their commitment to support women in sports, particularly in football, and to provide them with tangible opportunities.
Through this partnership, he said they are not just sponsoring events, but are in fact, nurturing dreams and creating a more inclusive future for the sport of football.
We look forward to working with Qatar Foundation in harnessing the power of sports to foster the next generation of leaders.
During the partnership launch, senior members from Volkswagen and Qatar Foundation toured the Education City Stadium – one of the eight stadiums for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – which, as a legacy is aiming to become a sporting hub for women and girls, focus on education, health and well-being.
During their tour, the delegates were shown the various features of the stadium that have been designed to support the vision of a more equitable and inclusive sporting culture, including the Sensory Room which ensures an inclusive experience for those with special needs.
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