Doha, October 10 (QNA) - The State of Qatar continues to receive worldwide acclaims for the major reforms it implemented in the field of labor and the protection of workers' rights, especially as it is on the threshold of hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, to be held from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18.
Experts, officials and former players underlined that the State of Qatar has carried out major reforms to protect the rights of workers, provide them with means of safety in the workplace and decent livelihoods.
In this context, Director-General of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and former prime minister of Togo Gilbert Houngbo said that the State of Qatar has witnessed a great development over the past years, and introduced a number of amendments and reforms to the labor law in a very short time, including the abolishment of the sponsorship system and travel permit, which are very important reforms.
During his intervention with the program "International" on the French TV5Monde, Houngbo valued the reforms taken by the State of Qatar to protect the rights of migrant workers, including the decision to prohibit work in the morning period after 10:00 am in the morning until 3:30 pm afternoon during the summer months, which would provide greater protection for workers from heat stress; pointing out that the World Cup gave the ILO the opportunity to make some changes in Qatar, which in turn approved several reforms in files that are not even talked about in some other countries.
For his part, Honorary President of the German FC Bayern Munich Uli Hoeness stated that it is important to continue to give countries like Qatar the honor of hosting and organizing sporting events, because there is evidence of the progress they are making.
Speaking to Sonntags-Stammtisch program on Germany's BR24 TV, Hoeness said that it is important to continue to give countries like Qatar the honor of hosting sporting events because there is evidence of progress in the human rights field, which is the best in the entire Middle East region.
Retired German international player Bastian Schweinsteiger said it is too early to evaluate the experience of holding the World Cup in Qatar, especially since this experience is unique, and no tournament has been seen like this before, so it is difficult to pass judgment on it now.
The German star added in a special interview with Germany's "Sport1" TV that no one can talk today about whether holding the tournament in Qatar is preferred or not, because the tournament will definitely be held in this country, and it should be given a chance.
Expressing his aspiration for this tournament, he said that the media and politicians focus on things that athletes do not focus on. "I trust the words of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz when he spoke about the improvement of conditions in Qatar."
For its part, the Russian magazine kulturologia said, in its analysis under the title "FIFA World Cup represents an occasion to create a new cultural space," that based on its belief in the shared commons between Football and arts and that they unify a lot of people around them, the State of Qatar decided to use the chance of hosting this mega sports event - the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - to create new cultural spaces by preparing an extensive cultural program that includes the construction of three new museums at the same time, in addition to the existing museums.
The Russian magazine added that FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be a unique edition as it will be the first World Cup to be hosted in the Middle East, and the first World Cup edition to be held in the Northern hemisphere during autumn and winter. The magazine said that Doha has been seriously and magnificently preparing over the past 12 years to host the World Cup. The organizers do not want the country's guests at the tournament to see only the world-class hosting, but also to learn about the culture and traditions of the country.
The magazine pointed out Qatar's scale of preparations to host an impressive World Cup edition that made the whole world watch the country turn into a great cultural center as it expanded in opening cultural institutions and museums such as the Lusail Museum - oriental art collection, and projects embodiment of eleven International Pritzker Architecture Prize winners.
The magazine concluded its analysis by saying that the Qatari government looks beyond hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to be a tourist attraction and to make Qatar a global cultural center.
For its part, the Uruguayan magazine "El Pais" interviewed with HE Ambassador of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay to the State of Qatar Dr. Jorge Antonio Sere Sturzenegger, in which he talked about Qatar's preparations to host FIFA World Cup 2022 and his recommendations for Uruguayan fans coming to cheer for Uruguay.
His Excellency said that this is the first World Cup to be held in the region and an Arab country, adding that Qatar is a conservative and traditional country does not mean it is not a hospitable country, quite the contrary.
He noted that the Uruguayan community in Qatar is not of a large number, but Uruguayan fans will flock to Doha from all over the world.
He added that the Embassy of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay had prepared a comprehensive guidebook explaining the steps that Uruguay fans should take, the prohibitions that they should avoid, along with some other things.
He also talked about the possibility that Uruguay will benefit from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums after dismantling them. He said that the State of Qatar said that most or part of the stadiums will be dismantled after the World Cup and donated to other countries, but Qatar did not specify these countries, so Uruguay can expect to be one of those countries. (QNA)