Qatar Charity’s CEO: SDP initiative is seeing a fresh start based on Darfur Initiative’s achievement Sport is a tool to achieve developmental and humanitarian goals, and we will work in new countries

We conducted an exclusive interview with the CEO of Qatar Charity, Mr. Yousef bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, on the sidelines of the press conference on the launch of the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) initiative. The interview deals with the components of the initiative, its future, the countries in which its projects will be implemented, and the period for their implementation, in addition to other subjects:- When will the initiative start and what is its period?We chose National Sports Day to launch the initiative, as this day highlights the role of sports in promoting community development and social cohesion, and identity in the community.The first phase spans the next three years, which will be followed by an advanced evaluation phase to review the gains and challenges and assess the impact on the target communities. Then, the initiative's higher committee will decide on any additional extension.Post-Conflict Areas- Is it only for Darfur or other countries?This initiative is considered to be a fresh start for it, based on the gains that have been achieved in the Darfur initiative. It will also work in several countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and many African countries of the Middle East. We are developing appropriate plans for these countries to reach the largest possible number of young men and women and children.We will focus on the countries where Qatar Charity has a field presence to ensure effective supervision and evaluation in the field. We will also focus on post-conflict areas to utilize sports in uniting peoples and achieving rapprochement and social cohesion.What are the projects and plans that will be implemented under this initiative?The initiative plans to work on several projects, programs, campaigns, and activities that use sport as a tool to achieve developmental or humanitarian goals. The goal of these activities is not the sport itself, but rather it uses sport as a tool to achieve the initiative’s goals, such as enhancing life skills, entrenching the values of tolerance and peace, integrating people with disabilities, and providing social support for children.We will focus on community initiatives that are planned and implemented in collaboration with local communities to ensure that the initiative is in line with our localization agenda and to ensure the sustainability of these projects in the future. We will also make good use of the popularity of several local and international sports icons to mobilize support and resources for this global initiative.Evaluation How will the results be evaluated?Evaluation is one of the most important tools to improve accountability and performance in operationalizing the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) initiative. This initiative is committed to introducing the research process in the planning, implementation, and evaluation stages effectively and systematically. Qatar Charity has much experience in evaluating initiatives and programs through a specialized department. It will also cooperate with research, academic, and UN bodies to effectively measure the impact of projects, and local communities will be more involved in the assessment phase than ever to make this initiative target communities-centered. In such an initiative, we hope to see development, social cohesion, and human development in the areas where the initiative was put in place.