- The two-day workshop aims to raise awareness about the role of media in achieving gender equality in sport-

Doha, Qatar – 14^th May 2015: The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) announced the full line-up of the Women in Sport Media Workshop – which is to be hosted in Doha from 15^th to 16^th May - in a press conference on Thursday. The Workshop will be hosted in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and is yet another example of the QOC’s commitment to supporting initiatives that foster dialogue for the benefit of sport globally.

The Workshop aims to raise awareness of the role and contribution of the media in achieving gender equality in sport. Mrs. Ahlam al-Mana, President of the Qatar Women’s Sport Committee (QWSC), will deliver the keynote speech on Friday, 15^th May in the Opening Session of the Workshop under the theme, “Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality in 2015 and beyond – The key potential of media as a platform to accelerate the changes”. Other speakers in the Opening Session include President of the OCA, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, President of the African National Olympic Committees Intendant General Lassana Palenfo, and Chair of the IOC Women and Sport Commission, Lydia Nsekera.

Mrs. Al-Mana, who was presented with the IOC’s World Trophy at the IOC Women and Sport Awards for her contribution to the development of women’s participation in sports and sports administration in 2013, will also be participating in a panel discussion on ‘Promoting leadership of women through the media’. Speaking ahead of the Workshop, she said:

“It is an honour that I have been asked to deliver the keynote speech and to take part in the panel discussions of the Women in Sport Media Workshop. I would like to thank the IOC, OCA, and the Qatar Olympic Committee for organizing this instrumental workshop. I have no doubt that fostering dialogue, discussion and cooperation is the way forward for advancing gender equality. The media plays a crucial role and I certainly look forward to the discussions that are to come.”

Following the Opening Session, the two-day Workshop will consist of panel sessions and discussions with representatives from the IOC, NOCs and media, including Secretary General of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), Thomas Sithole, UN Women Regional Communications Manager for Arab States, Emad Karim, Olympian, IOC Women and Sport Commission Member, Donna de Varona, and ABC News Radio Presenter, Tracey Lee Holmes.

Topics of the panel sessions include, ‘challenges posed by the media and their impact on gender equality’, ‘media coverage of women’s events and the “rules” of media coverage’ and ‘What is the crucial role men can play in advancing gender equality?’, which Lolwa al-Marri, Secretary General of the QWSC, will participate in.

Speaking ahead of her panel discussion, Al-Marri said:

“We are extremely proud to host the IOC’s Women in Sport Media Workshop in Doha – which already has a track record of hosting influential international conferences and conventions. I am very excited to have been asked to participate in the discussions and I am sure that the dialogue that will result from the Workshop will be fruitful and constructive for how we can better work together to achieve a future of gender equality in sport. ”

Young Qatari hurdler, Mariam Farid, who was last year an Ambassador for Doha’s successful Bid to host the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Athletics, will be a panellist in the final session of the Workshop, which will discuss ‘Why aren’t more women working in sports media?’. It is Mariam’s ambition to use Doha’s hosting of the World Championships to inspire and empower more young females across the Middle East to participate in athletics and she was inspired to work in the media following her experience as a Doha 2019 Ambassador.

National Olympic Committees from Africa, Asia and Oceania have been invited to nominate practicing sports journalists, male or female, to take part in the workshop and over 100 participants are due to attend.

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