IOC President Thomas Bach was present at the event at Qatar Foundation’s Education City Stadium, one of eight stadiums used during the FIFA World Cup, now a hub for women’s and girls’ sport.

"This collaboration will not only empower thousands of young people but also serve as a catalyst for promoting inclusion and gender equality through sport. With this initiative, we aim to demonstrate how innovative partnerships can help make significant strides in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), while creating a lasting impact on the lives of young people and helping to build a more inclusive and equal world." Bach said of the initiative. 

Part of the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy, the "Sport, Equality and Inclusive Communities" initiative is looking to:

• benefit 50,000 young people through community sport programmes promoting gender equality and inclusion;

• reach an additional two million young people through digital activations;

• train 5,000 coaches, teachers and instructors to promote gender equality through sport;

• mobilise 50 collaborating organisations, including the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of the countries involved.

Vice Chairperson and CEO of the Qatar Foundation, Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, said the foundation is continually committed to advancing progressive education, social progress and opportunities for empowerment that the partnership represents an opportunity to continue their efforts in promoting accessibility and inclusivity that were central in their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 contributions. 

"The work of the IOC has the potential to bring great benefits to the lives of young people in Qatar and across the region. We look forward to supporting the Olympic Movement in its goal of shaping a more inclusive, empowered world, and hope this partnership will be just the start of an enduring collaboration that drives positive, tangible impact." the Qatar Foundation CEO said. 

This new joint initiative will contribute to UNSDG Goal 5, on gender equality, and Goal 10, on reduced inequalities, and will feature a wide-ranging approach to tackle these issues across Asia. This includes community sport for development programmes that use sport as a platform for gender equality advocacy, and the implementation of an adapted version of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), which is designed to foster gender equality within the education system.

To further strengthen these efforts, the initiative will also focus on training practitioners and supporting policy changes that reinforce gender equality in and through sport, while launching digital campaigns to help promote equality and inclusion to wider audiences.