Olympics in Qatar 2016

Recently, an historic settlement between the forces and the factions in Lebanon was reached in Doha, the capital of Qatar. This achievement was instigated by His Highness the Amir of Qatar and his closest political advisers. It signaled a new era of peace in Lebanon. Once again, Doha was the place where significant progress was achieved, reminding us of the important Doha Round in global trade negotiations.

In recent years, Qatar has been in the forefront of reform and moderation in the Middle East; this is a significant process inspired by the leadership of Their Highnesses Amir Sheikh Hamad and his wife Sheikha Mozah.

In April, I was privileged to attend an international forum, 'Sport and Ability,' on children with special needs, hosted by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah. This was an important international gathering which manifested great commitment to advancing, through sport, the interests of the disabled, especially children and young people.

In line with Qatar's new role as a leader of moderation, peace, human concerns and international cooperation, the country has put its capital, Doha, forward as the location for the Olympic Games in 2016. This is indeed a generous and bold proposal and provides the Olympic movement with a historic opportunity.

The Games have never been held in the Middle East. By giving Qatar the chance to win the bid for hosting the 2016 Games the IOC would be sending a strong signal to the entire world. It is of paramount importance that the capital of Qatar should be on the shortlist when the decision is ultimately taken.

Having witnessed first hand the progress in Qatar, the beautiful and striking architecture of the new buildings and the outstanding world-class sport facilities, I can assure you that Qatar would create venues for the Olympic Games beyond what we have witnessed before.

I was born into one of the oldest Jewish families in Jerusalem and have been fortunate to have had many Arab and Israeli leaders among my closest personal friends in recent decades. In my capacity as the First Lady of Iceland, I have come to know Qatar even better and been privileged to enjoy cooperation and dialogue with the Royal Family and the educated and visionary leadership of the country.

I urge the International Olympic Committee to offer Qatar a real chance to be among the final candidates when the location for the 2016 Olympics is decided. This would be an historic decision and an important signal to the world.

Read more HuffPost coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Comments

[ShawnMichel]

Do you honestly think there'll *be* an Olympics in 2016?

Peak Oil: gas will likely be well over $8 a gallon, perhaps $12. Resource wars will be savaging the planet.

Global warming: mass starvation and die-off.

Peak Natural Gas.

Chronic fresh water shortages.

Corporatism/fascism raising its head around the world, perhaps permanently.

And what we want to do instead ... is what a bunch of sweaty, doped-up automatons run 100 meters?

Fools, the lot of ye.

[LeonBNJ]

Perhaps too Qatar will be one of the few countries that could afford to hold the Olympics in 2016. It would also be a tremendous opportunity for them and to encourage moderate governance and day to day life the region. Qatar is becoming a key business and financial center in the region, a major connection of the region with the rest of the world. If they allow resaonable freedom of faith and speech, then they would be far better than China will be as a host.

[RobHunt]

"If they allow resaonable freedom of faith and speech, then they would be far better than China"

That's a pretty big IF you're talking about. There is exactly ONE church in the whole country despite the presence of many THOUSANDS of Christians living there. It was built (a few months ago) 15 miles out into the desert. There are no signs of Christianity of its exterior. No cross, no church bells, no steeple. The priest had this to say:

"The idea is to be discreet because we don't want to inflame any sensitivities," he says. "There isn't even a signboard outside the church. No signs at all."

Freedom of religion should be a two-way street, but there is NO country in the middle east where that is the case. "Moderate" my ass.

[Amalek]

In Beijing right now, anyone with a passport from a Muslim country, including Malaysia, has to go back to their country to get a new visa, which will of course be denied. This will be a Muslim-free Olympics, part of Beijing overreaction to keeping the games safe from terrorism.

The chances of the Olympics going to the Middle East anytime soon are remote.

[Doppler]

"If the right wing in America gets upset because a woman wears a scarf in a dunkin donuts coffee commercial, how apoplectic will they get over Olympic events being held in Qatar? Will they threaten to boycott the use of oil? Perhaps they will refuse to go to the beach, or to breathe the air? One can only wonder."

Yes, and I also recall hearing about some conflict in that region. Sunnis & Shiites, I'm thinking? (I'm confused about which is which, of course, thanks to John McCain's constant bobbling of the facts.) Anyway, it's not only Americans who don't get along very well right now, and I'm told that some of Qatar's neighbors settle their differences with guns and bombs and stuff. And that maybe it's not the freest country in the world. So I'm wondering which countries would be excited to send their teams of young men and women athletes there. Anyone?

[xxnounxx]

Dearest dorrit
great post,i had the pleasure of having dinner with you in ayoush london,with our jordanian friend daad,and najia.
what happening in qatar is great,especially for women and education,i have the highest respect for sheikha moza al misned and her wise husband,we were just discussing these changes with sheikh jabir bin jassim althani minister of media

hope to see you in great health soon.
hope iceland recovered from the earthquake.

[mamacat]

Good.
A question. If the right wing in America gets upset because a woman wears a scarf in a dunkin donuts coffee commercial, how apoplectic will they get over Olympic events being held in Qatar? Will they threaten to boycott the use of oil? Perhaps they will refuse to go to the beach, or to breathe the air? One can only wonder.

[Beaux510]

mamcat-

While I agree with, partly at least, your conclusion that such an attempt to have the olympics in Qatar will be met with resistance from those on the right, I have to take issue with your dismissing of what happened with the Dunkin Donuts commercial so offhandedly. Do I believe that the producers of said commerical were trying to make a statement? No. Do I believe that an oversight in production management happened that inserted a POWERFUL symbol of endorsement unintentionally in an innapropriate place? Absolutely. They were right to pull the commercial, not because of the cries from the right wing, simply because that symbol didn't belong in an ad for Dunkin Donuts, unless it was a Dunkin on the Gaza Strip, in Damascus, or in Beiruit.

Symbols, and the use of them are of critical importance today, to countless different creeds of people around the world, none can be labeled as more important or less powerful than others, because of the people and ideologies they represent.

I am an American of Syrian descent. I own a keffiyah, much like the one Ms. Ray was wearing in that commercial. It's a family heirloom and in the traditional black and white pattern that is so recognizeable. But I stopped wearing it a long time ago because of the endorsement that it has come to represent, and only my FULL understanding of what it meant and the powerful nature of it as a symbol allowed me to make that decision.