Generation Amazing festival highlights the power of sports in combating global challenges
The second annual Generation Amazing youth festival in Qatar focused on the ability of sports to connect people, bridging both communities and generations, and to help tackle rising global issues like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hosted by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), with Qatar Foundation (QF) as a strategic partner, the three-day virtual event brought together young people from Qatar, the region, and the world.
It showcased the capacity of football to unify, empower, and drive positive social change, it opened with a panel titled Celebrating the Power of Sport to Inspire and Connect Youth.
Machaille Hassan Al-Naimi, President of Community Development at QF, stated, “Sport instills incredible behaviors and values that cut across different sectors in our lives.
“It teaches things like teamwork, fairness, leadership, respect, and, most importantly, cross-cultural differences and tolerance. It is a great equalizer, bringing people from different paths together.
“When children can look at sports teams and see people of different nationalities, and different walks of life, focusing on one shared goal, it shows them that there is something greater than the individual themselves, and they can all come together. “
Explaining how this is reflected in QF’s community development focus, Mrs. Al-Naimi pointed to the organization’s Ability Friendly programs, which span swimming, football, and horse-riding and create inclusive sporting opportunities for all within Qatar’s community.
And speaking about the importance of role models, she explained how athletes have brought crucial issues to the forefront of the global agenda, with professional sportspeople like Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford helping others amid the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of inclusivity and leading by example.
“When it comes to role models, sport and sportspeople play a very key role in that young people try to emulate their lives – they look up to them because they admire them,” she said.
Also joining the panel discussion was former Canadian footballer Karina LeBlanc, an Olympic bronze medalist at the London 2012 Games and a FIFA Legend, who reiterated the importance of role models in the world of sports. “We try to win on the field, but once we step off the field, we want to use our voices on a platform to truly make a difference to the next generation’s lives,” she said. “I believe we are role models; testaments to what this game can do.
“I have had the honor of participating in five different World Cups. And they are special moments. But when you see the power of the game, and you talk to the kids, all of us dare to dream ridiculously big. And all of us had people who told us we couldn’t do it.
“But if you dare to dream so big it scares you, and if you’re willing to work hard, to not listen to those who tell you can’t do it, to understand that you have greatness within yourself, and to go after that, I think anything is possible.”
Established in 2010 as part of Qatar’s successful bid to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the SC’s Generation Amazing program uses a football-for-development approach to educate young people about values such as gender equality and inclusivity, and life skills that include communication, organization, teamwork, and leadership.
In a festival discussion on Innovating World Cup Legacy to Create Long-Term Impact, Nasser Al Khori, Programmes Director, Generation Amazing, explained, “There are many legacy aspects to 2022 – from sustainability and the environment to the World Cup stadiums themselves – and for Generation Amazing, the focus is on creating a human and social legacy.
“Our pitches and programs have provided safe spaces for communities that didn’t have access to infrastructure or youth programs. Now we are going back to these communities to look at how we can continue to help them and build a sustainable model because the social enterprise is so important.
“In the 10 years since Generation Amazing was established, one of its biggest milestones was reaching 500,000 beneficiaries. Now we are targeting one million beneficiaries by 2022, through working with our partners to continue to promote football for development, use football for good, and make it part of the legacy of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
Norwegian footballer Andrine Hegerberg, of Italian club AS Roma, spoke about how sport has helped children deal with the effects of COVID-19, and overcome the physiological and mental stress caused by lockdown and school closing.
She pointed out, “The value of football is that it can connect people even though we’re far apart.
“You feel like you’re together, even though you’re not physically together with a group. You feel like you’re a part of something. And I think that somehow gives meaning to life – being a part of something bigger than yourself.
“Sport is so much more than the physical effort you put into training and games. It connects people, regardless of their background, gender, or age. It is a bridge.”
The opening day of the festival also heard from former Australian footballer Tim Cahill, an SC ambassador and FIFA Legend, two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winner Carli Lloyd, and ex-footballer Jason Roberts, Director of Development at CONCACAF, one of FIFA’s six continental governing bodies,
Roberts stated, “Sport is not just about providing an elite pathway; it’s about providing access to sport, engaging people, and then educating them so they can positively benefit their community.”
For more information about Generation Amazing, please visit @GA4Good on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
For more information on Qatar Foundation's events and initiatives, please visit qf.org.qa
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