19.08.2008
Our Vision
AN ANCIENT AND MODERN CAPITAL CITY
Doha is the capital of Qatar, the peninsula state situated in the heart of the Arabian Gulf, bordering Saudi Arabia and The United Arab Emirates. Our visionary Amir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, has set the country on a monumental modernisation programme to become a role model for economic and social transformation in the region. The peaceful country of Qatar is an outward-looking country that embraces free speech and debate. Never more than a few hours flying time from the world’s major population centres, Qatar is fast becoming a global meeting place, welcoming major political and religious figures from a variety of different backgrounds and faiths. We are quickly building a world-class knowledge economy focusing on education, sport, medicine, science and technology – all the while respecting our rich and vibrant history and culture, which can be traced back as far as 4000 BC.
AN EXAMPLE OF UNDERSTANDING
A Doha 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games would help to change perceptions about the Arab world and culture. The Games and the years leading up to them will show how we have maintained our traditional desert culture of generosity and hospitality, whilst today’s Doha embraces the modern world in which we live, with its first class business, technological and sports facilities.
In the coming months, we will unveil our plan. Our Bid will include innovative and exciting proposals, offering opportunities for the youth and underprivileged of the world to change their lives forever – and so reveal the true Arab heart.
SPORTS FACILITIES OF THE FUTURE AND A LASTING LEGACY
With Qatar’s sporting pedigree, athletes and spectators will experience the ultimate Games of the future.
In Doha, we have a world class sporting infrastructure. Our stadiums were acknowledged to be among the best in the world in a global contest organised by the International Association for Sports Leisure Facilities and sponsored by the IOC. We hosted the 2006 Asian Games (the world’s second largest multi-sport, multi-day event after the Olympic Games), putting on what has been called the best, the biggest, the most widely reported, and the highest standard Asian Games ever. Partly as a result of this success, Qatar has been selected to host the 2011 Asia Football Cup.
Our Doha 2016 Olympic Games Plan will establish a new state-of-the-art regional centre for elite – and youth – sport in a part of the world currently underserved by such facilities. We are also already going ahead with plans to build the world’s most advanced Paralympic stadium, which will serve disabled sportsmen and women for generations to come.
Doha 2016 could really be a Games to change the world. Read more.
