Arab Games Doha 2011, to be held from December 9 to 23, will set a new standard for one of the most anticipated sporting events in the Arab world, a senior official told Gulf Times yesterday. “We are well on track for the best-ever Arab Games,” explained Aphrodite Moschoudi, director of planning and co-ordination, Arab Games Organising Committee (AGOC). A law graduate and permanent member of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Moschoudi has held several high level positions during sporting events in Qatar and abroad, including the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. The Planning and Co-ordination Directorate of AGOC is the overarching body responsible for the operational and logistical preparations involved in executing Arab Games Doha 2011. Moschoudi currently heads a core team of 11 planning and co-ordination experts. In addition to the planning phases of the event, the directorate is to set up and manage the Main Operations Centre (MOC) during games time. Designed to occupy a large area in the Qatar Olympic Committee Building, the MOC will filter and resolve issues, and act as the hub for any contingency measures, amongst other primary functions. The MOC will be managed by a total of 40 individuals, including all directors and deputies of AGOC, as well as some selected managers, supervisors, and volunteers. “We have just completed the planning for the MOC, so if tomorrow we need to open the centre, we’re ready – we know exactly what needs to be done,” she said. The team started by laying out the organisational chart for Arab Games Doha 2011 and appointing directors and key team members for the 13 different directorates. The Planning and Co-ordination Directorate deals with all Arab Games Directorates, as well as the Executive Management. Members of the directorate are also involved high level meetings with venues and different contractors, particularly in terms of awarding contracts or resolving issues between contractors and the organising committee. To date, the Planning and Co-ordination Directorate has led the process for the development of 300 Arab Games policies and 89 operating plans across all directorates, while the master-schedule of the organisation includes 679 tasks that are monitored on a weekly basis. A special follow up task list, including approximately 100 items, is also being monitored and co-ordinated with all directorates on a weekly basis, while one to one meetings are held as required. The greatest challenge raised by her job, says Moschoudi, is ensuring co-ordination with and between the different directorates. “One of our biggest expectations from Arab Games Doha 2011 is that we want to be able to train employees and volunteers to host an event of this scale. “We are striving to engage a lot of Arabic speaking and local individuals because there is a great aspiration to do events in Qatar, and therefore it is important to create a market around it,” she maintained. Moschoudi finds Qatar’s diversity to be a positive element in shaping the future of the Arab region. “Qatar, with all the different nationalities residing here, has always been a peacemaking nation, and today, Doha is ready to welcome all Arab communities for a spectacular series of sporting and cultural events that celebrate their shared traditions. ” she said. Beyond her role at AGOC, Moschoudi is an active sportsperson herself - a sailing enthusiast, she is the honorary secretary of the Doha Sailing Club Board. Building bridges within and outside of AGOC, the Planning and Co-ordination Directorate plays one of the most important roles in delivering Arab Games Doha 2011 and communicating the nation’s love of sport and its position among leading sporting nations, as a trusted partner and renowned sporting hub, to the rest of the Arab world and beyond. “Through a well-planned and executed Arab Games Doha 2011, Qatar looks forward to sharing its unrivalled experience to create multisport event of Olympic standards,” Mouschoudi added. http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=461639&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar