In Qatar, UBalt Senior Works for 2022 FIFA World Cup
December 13, 2022
Contact: Office of Advancement and External Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
Maram Alkhateeb, a senior majoring in Criminal Justice in The University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs, is working for the Hayya Center in Qatar with the FIFA World Cup. In this role, she is supervising employees who resolve issues and provide entry permits that Qatar's guests need to enter the country, stadiums, fan zones, and access to public transporation.
"I meet tourists from all over the world who are united by their shared passion for soccer/football," says Alkhateeb, the daughter of Haitham Alkhateeb, professor of Mathematics in the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.
Maram says the experience caps off years of excitement in the country about the World Cup.
"During the games, Qatar feels so new and different," she says. "The streets are busy with guests from all around the world excitedly wearing flags from their countries on their backs. There are performances and concerts nearly every day at places like The Pearl, Lusail City, Katara, and The Corniche. These shows highlight Qatari culture through dances, poetry, and food, while others include fireworks and light shows at night. So many languages can be heard by walking through the crowds at the stadiums, outdoor markets, and malls. Social media posts highlight what it is like to be in Qatar now, but the true hype can only be experienced in these crowds that become like community as everyone cheers. I have seen so many people exchange flags and cultural clothing in support of each other and there is so much beauty in the diversity happening in Qatar."
Maram recalls being a 5th grader in 2010 when Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
"I was living in Qatar at the time while my dad taught at Qatar University. As a family, we went to Souq Waqif, a local traditional market, where it seemed like everyone in the country had gathered to hear the FIFA news," she says. "We watched on the screen as Qatar accepted their award and it felt like I had become a part of something grand for the country and the larger Arab world. This is the first time in history that an event at this scale has been held in an Arab country. From that moment, I imagined what my involvement in the World Cup would look like."
While she finishes out her job with the FIFA World Cup, Maram says she is applying aspects of her undergraduate education to everyday situations.
"I am taking a course called Criminological Perspectives at UBalt, where I learn theories on conflict management from a legal and ethical standpoint," she says. "In our Resolution Department, I am often expected to resolve issues by engaging in critical thinking and using problem solving skills while ensuring that our guests' rights are met. In this way, I am applying the theoretical skills I learn in class to practical World Cup tasks."
Maram adds: "As you watch the World Cup on the screen or in Qatar, know that you have a fellow UBalt student on the ground! Go Bees!"