Love, peace and football
As the world’s biggest sports spectacle unfolds in Qatar, three Omanis from Muscat are spreading the message of love and peace at the FIFA World Cup 2022.
The three are also educating football fans and tourists from around the world about Oman and the Arab world.
Their stall, set up at Katara - the cultural village in Doha - has visitors from Africa, Latin America, Europe and Asia.
The three, Nasser Said Amur al Batrani, Dr Hamdi Hilal Mohamed al Barwani and Abdulwahab Sulaiman Mohamed al Busaidi, have been greeting fans with Omani halwa and kahwa everyday and will continue to do so till the end of the tournament.
Busaidi, an astronomer, said, “In the last few days we have interacted with fans from around the world, including Brazil, Spain, Italy and England. People are very curious about Oman and their response is very positive.”
He added that their initiative is part of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs’ programme of spreading awareness about the region. “This cultural exchange programme aims to remove every negative impression among the visitors to Qatar about Islam.”
Elaborating on how they engage visitors to the stall, Busaidi informed that the team tells them that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance and that “we never stand by acts of terrorism and vandalism; we respect everyone irrespective of their faith and culture”.
He observed that most visitors are curious and happy to know about the various practices of Islam, including prayer poses, fasting and family matters. “We must have such exchanges for a better world and such a sporting platform, which unites people, is a great time and place to do that.”
Katara has been set up on the eastern coast between West Bay and the Pearl in Doha and is surrounded by restaurants and malls. It is a popular destination, in addition to Doha Corniche, Souq Waqif and the Museum of Islamic Art, for World Cup attendees.
The three Omanis in Katara, dressed traditionally, also talk to visitors about the sultanate’s rich and diverse nature. “There are many who are unaware of Oman. We educate them and they are amazed when we say that Oman is blessed with lush green mountains, deep blue seas and vast deserts.”
In the last few days we have interacted with fans from around the world. People are very curious about Oman and their response is very positive Abdulwahab Al busaidi