Dr. Thani bin Ali Al Thani: Qatar has gained high international expertise in hosting sports tournaments

The National Museum of Qatar witnessed the inauguration of “Atlas of the Asian Cup Qatar 2023,” a book authored by Dr. Thani bin Ali Al Thani, Dr. Buthaina Hassan Al Ansari, and Professor Babiker Osman, with the participation of several sports figures including Mr. Mohammed Yousuf Al-Mana, Deputy President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Mr. Saad Al-Rumaihi, President of the Qatar Press Center, Mr. Abdullah Al-Mulla, President of the Olympic Sports Museum, and Mr. Majid Al-Khalifi, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Doha Stadium Newspaper, in addition to the participation of about 15 ambassadors, including ambassadors of countries whose teams participate in the Asian Cup.

Dr. Thani bin Ali Al Thani said, “We have completed the book (Atlas of Asia Cup) to identify the participating countries in this tournament and their teams, and we also reviewed previous tournaments since the first tournament in 1956.”

He added, “In fact, Qatar has become proud of its great capabilities in hosting international sports tournaments and has gained great expertise in this regard. Therefore, I believe that the Qatari society or global communities are reassured as they host Asian teams. And he added, saying, “Amidst all this excitement accompanied by high-level preparations to host fans from all Asian countries participating in this tournament or not, we must not forget what Qatar offers to Asia. Qatar hosts more than one and a half million workers from East and West Asia who enjoy a decent life and support their economies, communities, and families with support and assistance. This is in addition to what Qatar provides to Asia in terms of clean energy represented in gas and its products. From here, it can be said without hesitation that Qatar is an integral part of Asia, and hosting such tournaments will enhance the moral value of Qatari-Asian relations.”

Dr. Buthaina Hassan Al Ansari: The Atlas book is a faithful documentation of the history of Asian Cup tournaments

Dr. Buthaina Hassan Al Ansari, the General Supervisor for editing and launching the book, said, “This ‘Atlas’ provides a historical record of the events and achievements of football and its accompanying history through the tournament’s history. It is a faithful documentation of its heritage, the milestones it has passed through, the countries that have participated in each of its editions, those that have won its cup, and the highlighting of its stars and pioneers to be inspiring for future generations, all of this is documented in words and pictures, in an engaging style and supreme photography.”

The inauguration also witnessed a session on diplomacy and sports, participated in by Mr. Mohammed Yousuf Al-Mana, who said that sports have become part of Qatar’s soft power, which it has used to promote peace. Meanwhile, Mr. Saad Al-Rumaihi reviewed some of Qatar’s history in hosting international tournaments since 1976 when it hosted the Gulf Cup. As for Mr. Abdullah Al-Mulla, the President of the Sports Museum, after revealing the growing interest in sports heritage, he said that Qatar has used its sports diplomacy to bring together several global peoples by hosting special tournaments. Mr. Majid Al-Khalifi, the Editor-in-Chief of Al-Doha Stadium, focused on the importance of media documentation for the sports tournaments hosted by Qatar and said that the Atlas of Asia Cup will remain a title for this tournament.