Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Manila: The Qatar Football Association has won the 2014 AFC Dream Asia Award in recognition of the country’s positive initiatives in the area of social responsibility.
Making a change through football, the Qatar Football Association (QFA) captured Dream Asia’s sentiment perfectly this year.
With the mission to contribute to Asian society by creating opportunities for people to realise their dreams through football, the QFA focused on the pressing issues affecting youths today.
With programmes such as KOORA Time and Reach out to Asia Cooperation, among others, the QFA are, to their credit, gradually combating the problem.
"This is an honour as we have worked very hard. We are working very hard with the community to get football to them," said Vice President of Qatar Football Association Saoud Al Mohannadi after being presented the award by FIFA Vice President His Royal Highness Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein.
"We are going all the way to the kids and the elderly to get them involved in football and to show them that football is not only for people who can play football or for the young people and that is a healthy way to keep healthy."
Qatar is the fourth AFC Member Association to win the prestigious award following last year’s winners Myanmar, 2012 recipients the UAE and Australia, winners of the inaugural award in 2010. Qatar NGO Reach Out To Asia received the honour in 2011.
The AFC Dream Asia award, which is open to individuals, corporations, NGOs and Member Associations, is given in recognition of those who share the values of Dream Asia, the AFC’s social responsibility initiative, which promotes the culture of giving and emphasises the power of football in bringing about positive change in Asian society.