On the side lines of the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in partnership with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SCDL) organized an event to highlight the aims and achievements of the Sport for Health partnership at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 .
The event was attended by HE Minister of Public Health Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari and senior representatives from the World Health Organization and Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, as well as health leaders, organizers of major sporting events and a number of international sports stars.
In October 2021, Qatar, through the MoPH and SCDL signed a three-year partnership with the World Health Organization, working closely with FIFA, to make the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 a beacon for physical and mental health promotion, and a model for ensuring future mega sport events are healthy and safe.
The side event brought key stakeholders together to discuss their experience and planning approach in hosting mega-sporting events including the core components of legacy, and to garner support from all involved stakeholders towards a sustained global movement for sport and health.
During the event, HE Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari explained that through the Sport for Health initiative, the partners have created an unprecedented model for organizers of future mega sports event to follow. "In 2021, the Sport for Health partners came together to set ambitious goals, using the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as a platform to promote health for people around the world. Sport and health are intrinsically linked, and through the FIFA World Cup, the most watched sporting event in the world, we had a wonderful platform to promote health to communities across the globe." HE Dr. Al Kuwari said: "This event brings together the participation of many health and sports leaders to share their experiences and to learn from each other how we can use future mega sporting events as catalysts for action to protect and promote health. This is an innovative strategy for achieving our public health objectives trough a truly health in all policies, whole of government approach. I am confident this can be the basis for an innovative and long-lasting international collaboration." Throughout the event, delegates heard from a number of sports organizers and health leaders, including HE Minister of Health of the Republic of Ghana Kwaku Agyemang-Manu; WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region Regional Director, Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari; Assistant Secretary in the Office of Global Affairs for the US Department of Health and Human Services, Loyce Pace; Chair of Qatar's FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Health Strategic Command Group, Dr. Ahmed Al Mohammed; and Head of Olympic Games Impact and Legacy, International Olympics Committee, Tania Braga.
Source: Qatar News Agency
