Doha: In the presence of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), the QOC held its “Journey & Achievement Ceremony 2026” on Wednesday at its headquarters, celebrating its employees and recognising their dedication, outstanding performance and commitment to continuous learning and development.
The ceremony was attended by HE Mohamed bin Yousef Al Mana, First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee; HE Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee; and HE Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, along with a number of QOC department directors.
HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani honoured 102 QOC employees, including 30 recipients of the Appreciation, Excellence, Incentive and “Ambition” awards, as well as 72 graduates of the 2025 development programmes.
The Appreciation Award comprised two categories: employees who have completed 25 years or more of service, in recognition of their longstanding dedication, loyalty and contributions to the QOC’s journey; and retired employees who concluded their careers after years of service and achievement, in appreciation of their efforts and contributions throughout their time at the QOC.
The Excellence Award featured three categories: Supervisory Positions, Specialist Category and Employee Category, recognising employees who demonstrated outstanding leadership and team management, professional and specialised competence, high-quality performance, and a continued commitment to developing their skills and professional capabilities.
The Incentive Awards comprised five categories: Job Commitment Award, Initiative Award, Cooperation and Teamwork Award, Distinguished Team Leader Award, and Effective Participation in Organising Sports Events Award. The awards recognised employees who demonstrated outstanding commitment, initiative, collaboration and leadership, as well as those who made notable contributions to the successful organisation of sporting events.
The QOC also honoured seven employees with the “Ambition” Award, which is presented to employees who obtained academic qualifications during 2025, in recognition of their ambition and commitment to continuing their education and developing their academic and professional capabilities in ways that benefit the QOC.
The ceremony also recognised 72 employees who graduated from five development programmes in 2025. These included 12 graduates of the Leadership Excellence Programme, 15 from the Sports Events Organising Cadres Programme, 15 from the Competencies Programme, 15 from the Tawasol Programme and 15 from the Artificial Intelligence Programme.
The programmes aim to develop the leadership and professional capabilities of QOC employees, prepare and qualify the next generation of leaders, and develop qualified personnel capable of managing and organising sporting events efficiently and professionally. They also seek to strengthen institutional communication skills and promote the effective use of artificial intelligence tools in the workplace to support digital transformation and enhance institutional performance.
The Tawasol and Artificial Intelligence programmes were recently introduced under the direction of HE the President of the Qatar Olympic Committee. The Tawasul Programme focuses on developing employees’ institutional communication skills, strengthening their ability to build effective professional relationships and represent the QOC professionally at local and international forums. The Artificial Intelligence Programme aims to equip employees with the skills to utilise artificial intelligence tools in the workplace.
Maryam Al Kuwari: Creativity is a culture and a practice in the workplace
Maryam Mohammed Saif Al Kuwari, Director of Human Resources and Administrative Affairs at the Qatar Olympic Committee, said that the “Journey & Achievement 2026” ceremony provides an opportunity to recognise the efforts of QOC employees and celebrate examples of dedication, excellence and ambition, noting that every achievement is underpinned by a journey of hard work, commitment and development.
She said: “Every year, through ‘Journey & Achievement’, we seek to highlight a value that we want to embed in our daily practices and workplace culture. This year, we have chosen ‘Creativity’, reflecting our belief that organisations looking to the future do not simply repeat what has worked in the past, but continuously seek better ways of working and developing.”
Al Kuwari highlighted the QOC’s commitment to attracting outstanding talent from leading universities, with a focus on specialised fields that align with the Committee’s current and future needs. She noted that over the past three years, the QOC has recruited 98 employees, including talented professionals and graduates from leading universities, across specialised fields including sports management, information systems, law, finance and accounting, marketing and communications, among others.
She added that the QOC has witnessed a significant increase in women’s participation in its workforce in recent years, with women now accounting for 42% of the QOC’s total workforce, alongside increased female representation in supervisory and leadership positions.
Al Kuwari added that the QOC’s responsibility does not end with attracting talent, but extends to developing and investing in its employees. She noted that the QOC began its development programme journey in 2019 with just one programme, and today, thanks to the continued support and guidance of the QOC’s senior leadership, it has five specialised development programmes: the Sports Events Organising Cadres Programme, Competencies Programme, Leadership Excellence Programme, Artificial Intelligence Programme and Tawasol Programme.
She explained that 277 employees from across the QOC’s departments have graduated from the five development programmes since their launch. In addition, nearly 100 training courses and awareness, educational and learning programmes were delivered in 2025, benefiting approximately 1,000 employees from QOC departments, sports federations and committees.
Al Kuwari also highlighted the importance of the Artificial Intelligence Programme in developing employees’ ability to effectively utilise AI technologies and tools in the workplace, helping to improve productivity, enhance working methods and identify more efficient and innovative solutions.
