Salah al-Ali: Sports a strategic option to Qatar

HE Minister of Youth and Sports Salah Bin Ghanim Al Ali, has confirmed that sports is a strategic option to the State of Qatar either to enhancing its position at the regional and international levels or reactivating its human development . This could be channeled through the sports mechanism for creating and preparing generations, enjoying physical and psychological fitness and discipline and values based on principles of tolerance , cooperation and dealing with the other in addition to productivity and positively facing challenges , said HE Al Ali in an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) on Tuesday on the occasion of the national sports day which falls on second Tuesday of February every year . HE Al Ali said that on such occasion the State has accustomed to offer several creative initiatives in the sports sector including organizing the Doha Goals per year as from 2012 . It is a global sports platform involving the decision makers and officials in charge of sports related policies and launching the school Olympic program as from 2007 as per a generous initiative on part of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. In this concern, HE the youth and sports minister further told QNA today that the Emiri Decision No. 80 of 2011, concerning the Sports Day which is celebrated every year on the second Tuesday of February and considered a paid holiday, reflects the far-sightedness and vision of Qatart’s wise leadership to the importance of sports and its role in the life of the individuals and the society. Elaborating HE the minister said that all governmental and private organs and foundations are taking full preparations for celebrating the third edition of the state National sports day which aims at practising sports all the year round. It is noted that Doha GOALS was created to bring together corporations, policymakers, NGOs, federations and athletes to look at how sport can act as an agent of social change and economic progress. Doha GOALS 2013 focussed on practitioners, working groups and public-private partnerships; while alternate years will focus on heads of state. Source: QNA