Doha: The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is expected to leave a sustainable legacy as it has been a key element that Qatar has been focusing on, right from the beginning of the preparations of the tournament.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has made it clear that the social and human legacy of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be a long lasting one.
Generation Amazing Foundation, a flagship FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 legacy initiative by SC, positively impacts people’s lives and creates sustainable social development in communities around the world, through the power of sport.
The Foundation empowers new generations of young leaders to transform their communities and generate positive social development through the creation of sustainable programmes.
More than 1 million people in more than 35 countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas have benefitted from the programmes.
“Generation Amazing Foundation will continue to empower and unlock human potential and will cement its role as a centre for youth excellence and leadership around the world for many years to come,” said Secretary General of the SC Hassan Al Thawadi during a recently held Youth Festival.
“Of all the programmes that have launched out of this World Cup, and arguably previous World Cups, the Generation Amazing Foundation is the one that has had the strongest global impact,” said Al Thawadi.
“We strived for a Qatar 2022 legacy that extends beyond the pitch, one that creates a positive footprint on people’s lives and communities, ultimately contributing to a better future for all. In utilising football to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as inclusivity and gender equality, with youth-focused initiatives globally, Generation Amazing delivers on this legacy beyond the 29 days of the tournament and equips future generations with the skills they need to boost their futures,” Thawadi added.
The Generation Amazing Youth Festival 2022 served as the in-person phase of the year-long Goal 22 project and brought together more than 300 international students in Doha to teach them football for development practices that emphasise and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through workshops and activities, exploring topics such as sports diplomacy, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, leadership, mental health and more.
The Generation Amazing Foundation has been sharing knowledge with officials from the next tournament hosts.
During the Generation Amazing Youth Festival which was held recently, 30 young people met delegates from Canada, Mexico and the US to take part in ‘All In’, an inclusive activation which teaches key life skills through football, including teamwork and leadership.
Goal 22 is Generation Amazing Foundation’s flagship sport for development international exchange programme.
Goal 22 was designed with a firm belief that passion for football can lead to creating lasting legacies. It is implemented with the belief that equipped with understanding of the power of football to transform communities, youth can use their passion to fuel a journey of positive social impact on an equal playing field.
The programme is comprised of three phases, guiding students through a journey of creating creative solutions for some of humanity’s most pressing issues, and transforming themselves from “passionate footballers” to “advocates of social change”.
“Our aim is to help people develop crucial global citizenship skills while supporting capacity building through the power of football,” said Executive Director, Generation Amazing, Nasser Al Khori. “We want to offer much more than technical support to bring about social change to disadvantaged and marginalised communities,” he added.
Generation Amazing operates in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, promoting inclusion and gender equality in its football for development programme. The programme’s unique methodology teaches life skills, including communication, leadership, teamwork and organisation.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, said recently, “Since the beginning of our partnership with Generation Amazing, we have successfully collaborated in using football to empower young people in Qatar. Today, we are delighted to widen the impact of this partnership to all participating nations through the Goal 22 programme, leaving a lasting legacy well beyond the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
Executive Chairman, FIFA Foundation, Mauricio Macri said “The FIFA Foundation is committed to tackling social issues affecting young people and supporting education through football. With Goal 22, we are empowering students from around the world with new skills that will help them to become social and sustainable development champions within their communities.”
At different programmes by Generation Amazing Foundation, using the power of football, participants learn key life skills such as teamwork, leadership and communication, to address social issues in the places they live.
Generation Amazing has trained hundreds of youth ambassadors as part of the one million beneficiaries of the programme. They are deeply passionate about football for development and are using it to achieve and inspire social progress.
The advocates will pass on what they’ve learned and help thousands more to change lives — their own and those of others.
