Fourth Annual Doha GOALS Forum Opens This Weekend in Los Angeles

Doha, Qatar, July 22 (QNA) - The fourth annual Doha GOALS Forum, the world's leading platform for social and economic progress through sport, opens from July 25-27, 2015 in Los Angeles in partnership with Special Olympics, Special Olympics for the year 2015. More than 100 speakers, including world-class athletes, policy makers, global CEOs and leading NGOs, will join 280 students from 23 top sport management programs in the United States and Canada to create a roadmap for social improvement through sports and launch cross-border initiatives. HE Sheikh Faisal bin Mubarak Al Thani, Executive Director of Doha GOALS, said: "Doha GOALS is more than just a gathering of inspiring individuals; it is a platform highlighting the huge impact sport can have on the lives of less privileged, and those suffering hardship in their lives." Since its launch in 2012, Doha GOALS Forum has convened more than 5,000 participants from 124 countries to discuss how sport can be used to solve some of the world's greatest social and economic challenges. For the fourth consecutive year, Doha GOALS Forum will showcase its commitment to developing the leaders of tomorrow through its renowned Student Ambassador Program. Through an unprecedented partnership with Special Olympics, Doha GOALS Forum will promote creating a global community of inclusion. Throughout the event, students from both the Student Ambassador Program and Special Olympics' social impact summit, GenUin, will actively participate in taskforces. "The Student Ambassador Program provides students with a strong learning experience and a great networking opportunity to share their ideas and change and shape society through sports. Many of our Student Ambassadors have created initiatives in their communities to extend the reach of the Doha GOALS mission into the next generation," explained Executive Producer, Richard Attias. "We have established a community of thousands of people and organisations to work together and form new partnerships. We look forward to continuing this momentum through the fourth annual Doha GOALS Forum." Among the 23 participating universities this year are UCLA, University of Texas, University of Michigan, and Georgetown University. In addition, Ohio University and University of Central Florida, ranked as the top two graduate sport management programs in the world by SportsBusiness International, will play a role. These students will have the opportunity to speak to sporting champions first-hand, to learn about the importance of mobilizing young people for social good, and building partnerships. Doha GOALS is the world's premier platform focusing on sport as a driver of social and economic change. Doha GOALS, the Gathering Of All Leaders in Sport, convenes each year to create partnerships and initiatives for global progress through sport. From July 25-27, 2015, the Doha GOALS Forum will partner with Special Olympics for the three-day summit in Los Angeles, the first Forum held outside Qatar. Four key themes thread through this fourth Doha GOALS Forum: building a movement through sport, the imperative for inclusion, sport's power to create bridges across divides in our societies, and sport as a catalyst for transformation and change. (QNA)