On the occasion of the first FIFA World Cup in the Arab World, the German Embassy in Doha and the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region are cooperating with 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum to organize a series of talks and panel discussions from 4 October to 1 November 2022. Having worked together closely in 2017 during the Qatar-Germany 2017 Year of Culture, Qatar Museums and the German institutions are once again joining forces to stage this lecture series as a legacy project of their joint cultural year. They will present a series of lectures and panel discussions that are touching on various aspects of football. Talking about the cooperation, Dr. Claudius Fischbach, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Qatar, said: “Having hosted a FIFA World Cup in our own country twice, in 1974 and in 2006, we understand how special this moment is for the Qatari nation, even more so as it is the first FIFA World Cup in the Arab World. We are pleased to present this lecture series, thereby adding to the manifold programs that Qatar is planning in this context.”
Speaking of the lectures, Aisha Ghanem Al Attiya, Director of Cultural Diplomacy Department at Qatar Museums, said: “It is quite fulfilling to witness how the passions people share bring them together to create a product like the insightful lecture series. Even more so, the lasting connections made through the past Qatar-Germany 2017 Year of Culture, and the legacy of the Years of Culture initiative, growing into new projects. This is a moment of final reflection before the World Cup, and we are happy to share it with the friends we made through the Years of Culture initiative.”
Fareed Majari, Director of the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region, on the program: “Our programming of the lectures and panel discussion was done in close cooperation with our colleagues at 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum. We wanted to ensure that the suggested topics relate to the programming of the museum while also covering a wide range of topics and shedding light on football through different lenses.” Prof. Dr. Daniel Memmert, Managing Director of the Institute of Exercise Training and Sport Informatics at the German Sport University Cologne and one of Germany’s leading academics researching the game, opened the lecture series yesterday evening with a lecture on penalty shots. He will give another lecture that focuses on the role of referees (1 November 2022). His lectures are aimed at both an expert audience as well as the average football fan. Dr. Danyel Reiche, Visiting Associate Professor of Georgetown University in Qatar will give an analysis of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar (9 October 2022). Jürgen Rank, Senior Design Director Football Apparel at Adidas, invites the audience to view football through a creative lens. He will give an online lecture on football apparel and explain the design process of a football jersey (18 October 2022).
Fareed Majari continues: “Football has a unifying effect, bringing together countries, cultures and people from very different social and cultural backgrounds and biographies to a far greater extent than any other sport. Football also opens avenues for upward mobility for underprivileged urban youths. We wanted to include these social aspects of football in our programming as well and not shy away from naming some of the challenges that female football players still face today.”
Two panel discussions will invite visitors to learn more about the social aspects of the sport. ‘Women & Football’ will be the topic of the panel on 11 October 2022, while the panel on 25 October 2022 will explore the subject of ‘Football meets Art’. Our panelists are the former Qatari national player Ibrahim Khalfan, the former national coach of the Qatari women’s national football team Monika Staab, the captain of the Afghan women’s national football team Farkhunda Muhtaj, the German playwright and captain of the authors’ football team Moritz Rinke, and the installation artist Tomislav Topic.
Calendar of Events
All lectures and panel discussions that are not held virtually will take place at 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum. They will be in English with simultaneous translation into Arabic.
Sunday, 9 October 2022 at 6:30 PM
‘A World Cup like no Other’
Lecture on Qatar and the FIFA World Cup by Dr. Danyel Reiche (Georgetown University)
Tuesday, 11 October 2022 at 6:30 PM
Panel Discussion ‘Women & Football’
Moderated by Dr. Danyel Reiche (Georgetown University)
With Monika Staab (former coach of the Qatari women’s national football team and current coach of the Saudi women’s national football team) & Farkhunda Muhtaj (captain of the Afghan women’s national football team)
Tuesday, 18 October 2022 at 6:30 PM
‘From Paper to the Pitch’
A virtual lecture on the design of football jerseys by Jürgen Rank (Adidas)
Tuesday, 25 October 2022 at 6:30 PM
Panel Discussion‘Football meets Art’
Moderated by Fareed Majari (Director of the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region in Abu Dhabi)
With Moritz Rinke (German playwright and novelist as well as captain of Germany’s authors’ football team), Tomislav Topic (German installation artist) & Ibrahim Khalfan (Qatari artist and former football player for the Qatari national team)
Tuesday, 1 November 2022 at 6:30 PM
‘Referees - A Love-Hate Relationship’
A virtual lecture by Prof. Dr. Daniel Memmert (University of Cologne)
About the Goethe-Institut
The Goethe-Institut is the Federal Republic of Germany’s cultural institute, active worldwide. With 158 institutes in 98 countries, it promotes the study of German abroad, encourages international cultural exchange and conveys an up-to-date picture of Germany. Through co-operations with partner institutions in numerous other locations, the Goethe-Institut has a total of around 1,000 contact points worldwide.
Goethe-Institut | Sprache. Kultur. Deutschland.
About the Years of Culture
Culture is one of the most effective tools to bring people closer together, encourage dialogue, and deepen understanding between nations. Under the leadership of its Chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar Museums (QM) developed the annual “Years of Culture” initiative — an international cultural exchange that deepens understanding between nations and their people. Though formal programming lasts only one year, the ties of friendship that are strengthened and formed are long-lasting.
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the 2022 Year of Culture will offer programming from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA). The Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022 will include countries and communities from: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Bhutan, Egypt, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022 has been developed in collaboration with leading organizations in Qatar, including Doha Film Institute, Education Above All, Katara Cultural Village, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar Charity, Qatar Football Association, Qatar Foundation, Qatar Museums, Qatar National Library, Qatar Tourism, Qatar Olympic Committee, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, with assistance from Doha-based embassies of participating countries.
Previous Years of Culture have included: Qatar-Japan 2012, Qatar-UK 2013, Qatar-Brazil 2014, Qatar-Turkey 2015, Qatar-China 2016, Qatar-Germany 2017, Qatar-Russia 2018, Qatar-India 2019, Qatar-France 2020, and Qatar-USA 2021.
About Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves and expands the nation’s cultural offerings, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, and amplify the voices of Qatar’s people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the development of museums and festivals including the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar (NMOQ), 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara, and the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival. Future projects include Dadu: Children’s Museum of Qatar, Art Mill Museum, Qatar Auto Museum and the Lusail Museum. Qatar also has one of the largest and most ambitious public art programmes in the world. Through its Department of Archaeology, QM spearheads several initiatives to preserve and restore Qatar’s historical sites and buildings. QM also initiates and supports Creative Hubs that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure. These include the Fire Station: Artist in Residence, M7 for innovation, fashion and design, and Liwan Design Studios and Labs. For more information visit https://qm.org.qa.
Find Us Online
Qatar Museums
Instagram:@qatar_museums
Twitter:@Qatar_Museums
Facebook:@QatarMuseums
3-2-1 Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum
Instagram:@321qosm
Twitter:@321qosm
Facebook:@321qosm
Website:http://www.321.qa/