Qatar 2015 Celebrates National Day and Prepares for Championship

Hosts Celebrations for Ambassadors, Committee Members, Workforce and Volunteers at the Lusail Multipurpose Hall– 30 Days to Go Before Qatar Hosts International Championship

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar 2015 Organising Committee, ambassadors from participating nations and employees along with the volunteers all gathered together to celebrate Qatar National Day, as they look forward to making the nation proud with the major international sports event next year.

A traditional celebration was organised at the newly-opened Lusail Multipurpose Hall, as the Organising Committee also marked the milestone of reaching the last 30 days before the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship begins.

Thousands of sports fans and national teams will travel to Doha for the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship, which begins on 15th January 2015 and which is taking place in Qatar for the first time.

H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar 2015 Organising Committee met with the ambassadors of the countries that are taking part and assured them that visitors will enjoy a warm welcome and a spectator experience at the matches.

Speaking at the event, H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, said: “The success of this major international sporting event will require unity between the different sponsors and global coordination. We thank the ambassadors for their efforts to mobilise their communities to support the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship.  We look forward to hosting the best edition of this event in history with their collaboration.”

“As we gather to celebrate Qatar National Day this glorious occasion on which we convey our deepest expressions of affection and gratitude towards Qatar. This country has been built on a strong foundation and we are proud to be able to contribute to its success and to the Qatar National Vision 2030. We recognise the importance of major contests like the Championship in promoting sporting spirit and building a legacy of excellence we can leave for the next generation,” he added.

Dr. Thani Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Director General, Qatar 2015 Organising Committee said: “With 30 days to go before the opening stages of the Championship, we are confident that we are well-placed to fulfil our duties as host nation. Since this journey began, we have built three competition venues, each to the highest standards required by the sport. We have successfully hosted two international test events that have received great feedback from visiting teams. Our workforce and volunteers have shown they are ready to meet the challenge. Working together, we will achieve greatness for Qatar through this event.”

The Lusail Multipurpose Hall is one of Qatar’s biggest handball competition venues that can accommodate up to 15,300 spectators. The original plans have been updated to offer more comfort for spectators with spacious seating arrangements.

The stadium has one main and two training halls that comply with standards set by the International Handball Federation (IHF) and can be used for volleyball and basketball tournaments in addition to handball.

The 24th Men’s Handball World Championship will be the first event of its kind to be hosted in a single city and the first to be held in the GCC.

Tickets are now available, so everyone can be a part of the live handball action that begins with the Opening Ceremony and the opening match between Qatar and Brazil. The event will run until the Grand Final on 1 February 2015.