April 10 – Stenden University Qatar (SUQ) is teaming up with Edinburgh Napier University for a two-year project titled ‘Leveraging the 2022 Qatar World Football Cup for the promotion of green and active living: A multiple stakeholder evaluation of strategic options’.
The first phase of a QR856,000 research project funded by National Priorities Research Programme (NPRP), the flagship funding programme of Qatar Foundation’s Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), to promote a sustainable and positive legacy for Qatar’s FIFA World Cup in 2022.
The focus will be on promoting healthy, active lifestyles and green initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint in Qatar.
The project will be lead by Dr Dan Musinguzi, Lecturer and research specialist in tourism impacts, residents’ perceptions of tourism, service quality and cultural heritage, and Stephanie Bourne. They are collaborating with Edinburgh Napier University experts Dr Eleni Theodoraki, Dr Jane Ali-Knight and Dr Maktoba Omar.
The project aims to be a knowledge-sharing platform, setting up a network for organisers to ensure their events promote positive social habits.
Dr Theodoraki is an international events expert recently involved with Unesco in preparing the sports policy agenda for the World Congress of Sport Ministers. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, also appointed her Commissioner in the Commission of a Sustainable London 2012.
Initially, they will contact event organisers in Qatar across sectors, including sports, health, education, banking, retail business and technology, to assess through an online questionnaire what green and active campaigns and messages are being promoted in Qatar via events.
“Mega sporting events have the power to inspire social change. Qatar has a great opportunity to use the 2022 World Cup to encourage people to adopt green and active lifestyles,” said Dr Theodoraki.
“By engaging with experts in Qatar and the UK we aim to find out what opportunities exist to promote environmentally sound habits such as recycling and low carbon use, as well as healthy physical activity and sports participation in the run- up to the event, and beyond it.”
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