12/4/2022
Amidst a remarkable sporting, cultural and festive atmosphere, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees have been watching the matches of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in their camps in several countries through the ‘Fan Zones’, which are supervised by Qatar Charity in cooperation with its partners. The Fan Zones have been enabling them to enjoy the FIFA World Cup atmosphere at the refugees and IDPs camps.
The refugees and IDPs communities expressed their happiness with the ‘Qatar FIFA 2022 for All: Celebrating Football with Refugees and Displaced people’ initiative, terming it as a ‘brilliant gesture’ from the organizers. Thanks to the State of Qatar and the Fan Zones set up by Qatar Charity, it has become possible in these camps to watch the World Cup matches.
Somalia
In Somalia’s Shabelle camp inhabited by 13,000 IDPs families, the IDPs enjoy watching the World Cup events. "I did not expect that I would watch the matches so easily," says Hassan Hussein Abdul, 14. "This giant screen through which we watch the World Cup matches fulfilled my desire, because I am fond of football,” said the 12-year-old Abdel Fattah Ahmed Mukhtar. He indicated that before this, he was not able to watch the matches due to the poverty of his family.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the students of Qatar Charity’s two orphan care centers near the capital Dhaka, and 7,000 Rohingya refugees in the Bhasan Char Island enjoy watching the World Cap matches at the Fan Zones. “We are enjoying the World Cup football game. We have never had such an opportunity before,” said Shawn Ahmed, a seven-grade student at an orphan care center.
“The joy of watching the game together with thousands of spectators is really different,” said Mohammad Shams who has been living in the Rohingya camp for 5 years. “This is an atmosphere full of enjoyment. Here thousands of people are watching the game together on the big screen. Everyone is celebrating the goal of their favorite team with loud applause,” said Mohammad Fayzullah, a teenager of the refugee camp.
Northern Syria
"There is no place to watch the World Cup matches in the camp. However, Thanks to the efforts of the State of Qatar and Qatar Charity, we are now watching the matches on a huge screen in a beautiful atmosphere,” said Fouad Obaid Al-Ali from the Al Kaiba camp of the northern Syria.