At QF, Georgetown Webinar Shares the Story of Qatar's Search for Football's Next Superstars

Press release

Published February 14th, 2021 - 08:03 GMT

At QF, Georgetown Webinar Shares the Story of Qatar's Search for Football's Next Superstars

Sebastian Abbot

Highlights

QF-partner Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) is hosting former Associated Press reporter Sebastian Abbot for a discussion of his critically acclaimed book.

QF-partner Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) is hosting former Associated Press reporter Sebastian Abbot for a discussion of his critically acclaimed book, The Away Game, which tells the gripping story of a group of boys discovered through a Qatar-funded football talent search that made sports history and changed lives. The webinar will be held on February 14, 2021, at 6:00 PM Doha time.

The lecture is a part of the Building a Legacy: Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 research initiative at GU-Q’s Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS), which seeks to examine the implications of staging the world’s greatest sporting event on the social, political, and economic development of Qatar as well as on regional and global affairs.

According to Visiting Associate Professor Dr. Danyel Reiche, who is leading the CIRS research initiative, the program at the heart of Abbot’s book had a significant impact beyond the pitch.

“What the Aspire Football Dreams initiative has done is to significantly upgrade the lives of children from the Global South. Not only did the select few have the opportunity to become professional players, they also received housing, a sound education, and further support for their families.”

Aspire Academy, which oversaw the talent search program that scouted more than 3.5 million boys around the globe, also used its global network to promote the "Football Combating Malaria" humanitarian project in cooperation with the Lionel Messi Foundation.

Prior to serving as AP bureau chief in Pakistan, Sebastian Abbot worked in investment banking and private equity in New York and Boston. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Registration for the public webinar is available at https://www.qatar.georgetown.edu/AwayGame https://www.qatar.georgetown.edu/event/the-world-cup-2022-lecture-series-2/.

Visit the GU-Q website for more information about the Building a Legacy CIRS research initiative, which includes, apart from the lecture series, a blog and a podcast series

Background Information

Georgetown University in Qatar

Established in 1789 in Washington, DC, Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions. Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), founded in 2005 in partnership with Qatar Foundation, seeks to build upon the world-class reputation of the university through education, research, and service. Inspired by the university’s mission of promoting intellectual, ethical, and spiritual understanding, GU-Q aims to advance knowledge and provide students and the community with a holistic educational experience that produces global citizens committed to the service of humankind.

Located in Doha’s Education City, GU-Q offers the same internationally recognized Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degree as Georgetown’s Capitol Campus in Washington, DC. This unique, interdisciplinary program prepares students to tackle the most important and pressing global issues by helping them develop critical thinking, analytic, and communication skills within an international context. GU-Q alumni work in leading local and international organizations across industries ranging from finance to energy, education, and media. The Qatar campus also serves as a residency and delivery location for the Executive Master’s in Emergency and Disaster Management along with the Executive Master’s in Leadership.

Company Profile

Qatar Foundation

Qatar Foundation (QF) is a non-profit organization made up of more than 50 entities working in education, research, and community development.

Our unique ecosystem—supported by partnerships with leading international institutions—is built on initiatives that address our most pressing challenges, create global opportunities, and empower people to shape our present and future.