Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Dar Al Sharq Group, Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, handing over a memento to Chairman of the Board of the Directors of Prisa, Manuel Mirat, during the launch of AS Arabia.
DOHA: Dar Al Sharq and the Spanish Prisa Group, launched ‘AS Arabia’, the largest website for Arab sports content in Arabic language at a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Spanish Football Federation in Las Rozas, Madrid.
The ceremony was attended by Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Dar Al Sharq Group; Manuel Mirat, Chairman of the Board of the Directors of Prisa; Alfredo Relayo, Director of AS Prisa; Gianni Merlo, President of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), and Spain’s Secretary of State for Sport, José Ramón Lete.
The website aims at providing news to Arabic readers in 25 Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa, in partnership with the Prisa Group and Qatar’s Dar Al Sharq Group. The idea was developed through an agreement between Dar Al Sharq and AS Prisa Group on September 25, 2017.
“I would like to thank AS Prisa and Dar Al Sharq for this invitation, and I apologize for not being able to attend,” said Secretary-General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) Hassan Al Thawadi in a voice message at the event.
Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Thani Al Thani (centre), Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Dar Al Sharq Group; Manuel Mirat (fifth left), Chairman of the Board of the Directors of Prisa; Abdul Latif bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud (right), CEO of Dar Al Sharq Group; Dr. Khalid bin Mubarak Al-Shafi (third right), Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula; Sadiq Mohammad Al Amari (fifth right), Editor-in-Chief of Al Sharq, at the event.
“I would like to thank you for your continued support. I hope that this cooperation will continue in the future and keep achieving success,” said Al Thawadi.
Dar Al Sharq Group’s CEO, Abdul Latif bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud said: “It is an opportunity to keep the Arab world up to date on news in the region and from around the world. When we met representatives of Group Prisa, we felt that this was a great opportunity. They have extensive experience. The interest in sport in the region is massive. There is not even a single Qatari who does not know anything about Spanish or European football.”
Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Kingdom of Spain, H E Mohammed Jaham Al Kuwari said that it was very important in setting up such a big sport platform.
“It is a bridge that brings together Arab youth. Football has become important as it unites the people, we will organise the World Cup in Qatar after four years,” said Al Kuwari.
Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Thani Al Thani (left) and Alejandro Blanco, President of the Spanish Olympic Committee, at the event.
Manuel Mirat, Chairman of the Board of the Directors of Prisa, said: “This is an alliance between two leaders of media industry in their regions which aims at achieving excellence and become a world-class media hub.”
Alfredo Relano, AS Editor-in-Chief, said that Sport is a great activity, a mixture of the spiritual and physical values of man. He said that AS Arabia will provide a window on the new vision of sport in the Arab world and it will help deepen understanding among communities.
Gianni Mirlo, President of the International Sports Press Association, said: “The evolution that sports journalism is undergoing is huge. No one knows what the future could bring. That is why partnerships such as this between AS and Dar Al-Sharq is a good news. Sport goes hand in hand with education and culture, which are so important.”
The ceremony was attended by Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Kingdom of Spain, H E Mohammed Jaham Al Kuwari; Dr. Khalid bin Mubarak Al Shafi, Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula; Sadiq Mohammad Al Amari, Editor-in-Chief of Al Sharq; and Mohamed Haji, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Lusail newspaper.
Dignitaries attending a discussion.
Other prominent guests were Mohammed Al Kurdi, CEO of E-Management of Dar Al Sharq; Alejandro Blanco, President of the Spanish Olympic Committee; and Fernando Hierro, Spanish Football Federation Sporting Director.
“The launch of this project is very important for Spanish journalism,” said Blanco. He said: “Let’s hope it’s the first of many; it speaks volumes for the good health that Spanish sport and the country’s media are in.”
