April 12, (THEWILL) – World football governing body, FIFA, has praised the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) consensus resolution from its 76th session, which recognises the World Cup in Qatar later this year as the first such event to be held in the Middle East and encourages the relevant authorities to ensure that it leaves a lasting legacy for peace and development in the region.
THEWILL recalls that the UNGA passed the resolution on April 8, a week after Gianni Infantino made an appeal for leadership, peace, and development during his address to the 72nd FIFA Congress in Doha.
In his address to FIFA’s 211 member associations, Infantino said: “My plea to all of those who have some power in this world, to all of those who are in important political positions in the world, please stop conflicts and wars.”
The resolution also emphasised the importance of sport, particularly football, in promoting peace and development, respect for human rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, owing to its widespread popularity.
“In these difficult times marked by conflicts and divisions, the fact that the UN General Assembly adopts this consensus resolution is a clear signal of the power of football as a tool for mutual understanding, tolerance, inclusion and peace, and is a further recognition to the new FIFA and its important social role the world over,” commented the FIFA President.
The statement also voiced support for the World Health Organisation and Qatar’s introduction of the “Healthy FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM – Creating Legacy for Sport and Health” cooperation. This alliance aims to ensure that the tournament is a healthy and safe event, including Covid-19 prevention measures, and that it is used to promote a healthy lifestyle and establish a pattern for future mass events to preserve health.
Gianni Infantino has stated that hosting the tournament in Qatar is vital not only for the host country, but for the entire region.
“I think one of the biggest experiences for this particular World Cup, is that it is an opportunity for people to come to a country and a part of the world that they maybe do not know,” the FIFA President said recently.
“It’s actually two ways, it’s an opportunity for Qatar, and the whole GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) to present themselves to the world and it’s a chance for the world to come and see the rich history and culture of the Arab world.“
Mr Infantino has also stated that hosting the event has prompted Qatar to amend its labour regulations to ensure that workers’ and human rights are protected.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
