The UK’s pavilion – The Garden of Great - opened on Doha Corniche, has been a centre of attraction for thousands to unwind and discover British culture during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
It has received over 30,000 visitors including Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani; CEO of FIFA World Cup 2022 Nasser Al Khater; Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Hassan Al Thawadi; legendry footballer David Beckham and many others.
Organised by the UK Government’s Great campaign, The Garden celebrates UK’s creativity and diversity through several installations under the theme ‘see things differently.’
It aims to shift perception, demonstrating the UK’s vibrant melting pot of diverse people and cultures which creates an inspiring environment where talent and creativity grow, according to UK ambassador to Qatar H E Jon Wilks.
During an exclusive media tour of The Garden of Great yesterday Wilks said: “You have here the ancient diversity represented by UK’s two teams England and Wales. But we also have the modern diversity of the UK that comes from the communities that have migrated since the Second World War in the last 70 years, mainly from the subcontinent India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, but also from the Afro-Caribbean Islands and more recently from Africa and the Commonwealth countries.”
The Garden created exclusively for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 showcases music, food, fashion, art and design including ice cream crafted by Michelin-starred chef Vineet Bhatia; singing stepping-stones from Nigerian-Welsh music artist Kima Otung; to flowers scented by world-renowned perfumer Jo Malone; and huge graffiti symbolizing England and Wales by Wing Lo. It will remain open to the public throughout the entire tournament.
"…you will see elements here of modern technology, interactive technology, and obviously horticulture. We are going to use some elements of this garden for the Horticultural Expo 2023, which will be held in Doha next year,” said Wilks.
He also said that thousands of England and Wales fans have travelled for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and he expects it to continue during the rest of the tournament – especially for the match between England and France on Saturday.
“Tens of thousands of fans have been here from British communities supporting England and Wales. So, we expect that to continue. Obviously, on Saturday are expecting thousands,” he said adding that many British fans also travelled from neighboring countries as a huge number of them live in this region.
