With the aim to showcase the cultural diversity of people living in Qatar to the outside world during the FIFA 2022 World Cup, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) is well on its way to engage the local expatriate communities in both the ‘delivery’ and ‘legacy’ components of the process.
After signing four more memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with local expatriate communities from Jordan, Ghana, Switzerland and Belgium, the SC now has 31 socially active and strong expatriate communities on-board in the journey toward the successful organisation of the world cup.
At a Community Suhoor recently hosted by SC for the leaders of 31 resident communities of Qatar, SC Assistant Secretary General Nasser al-Khater told the audience that fans coming from across the world will see a vibrant, cosmopolitan nation represented by the multiple social groups residing in the country.
SC Community Engagement Manager Khalid al-Jumaily praised the valuable inputs of the various community representatives since the signing of the MoU.
“When you talk about legacy, it is in our name, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, and it touches the human and social elements in the organisation of the world cup,” al-Jumaily told Community in a chat at the occasion.
“A part of our role is to engage communities and empower them. We would like to have them excited about the world cup, support the world cup and then [we would like to pay] them back by supporting and empowering them to have sustainable projects through our support,” added the SC Community Engagement Manager.  
Al-Jumaily said they are focusing on informing the communities about the progress and are consulting them on the projects that they would like SC to run for them and the legacy that SC would like the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar to have as an outcome.
The SC Community Engagement has developed a specific programme that is targeting the expatriate community because they are a major component of Qatar’s population.
Al-Jumaily said they had signed memoranda of understanding with 27 communities living in Qatar in November last year and now they have signed another four such MoUs with communities from Jordan, Ghana, Switzerland and Belgium.
In the days to come from now to next year, there are different projects and activities lined up, which will include workshops, stadium tours, gatherings and other related activities that provide information and offer opportunities to the communities to get engaged with SC.
“The ultimate goal is to empower the communities and to showcase the diversity of Qatar during the world cup. We want the entire community to be supportive of the world cup and to take part in it. So they need to be on-board with us from now,” said al-Jumaily.
“Some community members living here in Qatar will be volunteers and some will be working on different activities happening during the world cup. We will be able to show the diversity of people living here in Qatar to all the fans coming from around the world,” he explained.
From Indians, Pakistanis, Nepalis to African, Europeans, North and South Americans, al-Jumaily said they will show diversity through cultures. There will be art and culture showcases and different cultural activities at fan zones during the world cup, for instance.
“We do not want to come in 2021 and say, ‘Ok guys! We want to prepare for tomorrow in 2022.’ No, we would like to engage with [communities in Qatar] from now and want them to be part of it,” said the SC Community Engagement Manager.
“Also, when these communities go back to their homes, they need to reflect the true image of Qatar. They are passionate. They love Qatar as their second home and they are very welcome here. It would work perfectly for the world cup project,” said al-Jumaily.
When it comes to the SC’s community grants scheme, it is something that he says they left open to the communities themselves because it is them who best know the needs of their community members.
“They (expatriate communities) are almost 2 million so we cannot know the needs of every single community member. Therefore the community leaders are free to send that link (grants scheme) out to their communities and then come up with the projects that can be supported by the Supreme Committee according to its criteria of submission,” said al-Jumaily.
The audience was also given a presentation on Khalifa International Stadium and they had a chance to interact with SC officers at the event.