MCFA Organized a Seminar titled “The Ball is in the Politics”
The Faculty of Mass Communication and Fine Arts at Al Maaref University organized a seminar titled “The Ball is in the Politics’ Court - World Cup Qatar” on Wednesday December 14, 2022. Participants included coach and member of the Qatar Foundation Ali Mohsen, political journalist Ghassan Jawad, Palestinian researcher Saleh Abou Azza, and journalist Jamal Fayyad - all of which were interviewed by students of the Journalism and Digital Media seminar course. A number of media personalities and University professors were also in attendance.
The first discussion was held with coach Mohsen, who had just returned from Qatar. He praised the efficiency of the Arab teams' participation in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, especially Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
During the second discussion, journalist Jawad discussed the politicization of the games during the World Cup. He specifically discussed how the topic of homosexuality turned into a political issue imposed on countries and societies, rather than an individual issue.
And since Palestine had a clear presence during the soccer games and is considered the unified cause for all honorable people around the world, the third discussion of the seminar was dedicated to it. Palestinian researcher Abou Azza, who came from Jenin in the West Bank, talked about the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, the exposure of normalization, and the continued need of Arab unity towards the Palestinian cause.
The fourth discussion included journalist Fayyad who pointed out how Doha seized the opportunity to host the FIFA World Cup to introduce the world to Arab traditions and customs.
The seminar included further dialogue between the participants and the audience. It ended with the announcement of a student-led public relations humanitarian campaign titled "Warmth is Good Health" which revolves around raising money to help keep those in need warm during the winter season.