Qatar FIFA 2022 was the first FIFA Football World Cup to be hosted by an Arab state and was predicted by some to fail. However, it did not only succeed but also showed a new display of destination sustainability upon hosting mega-sport events and linked tourism. Yet, some impacts tend to be long-term and need further analysis. The study aims to understand both positive and negative impacts on destination sustainability resulting from hosting mega-sport events, using bibliometric analysis of published literature during the last forty-seven years, and reflecting on the recent World Cup 2022 tournament in Qatar. A total of 2519 sources containing 665 open-access articles with 10,523 citations were found using the keywords “sport tourism” and “mega-sport”. The study found various literature researching the economic impacts in-depth, less on environmental impacts, and much less on social and cultural impacts on host communities. Debates exist in the literature concerning presumed economic benefits and motivations for hosting, and less on actual results achieved. Although World Cup 2022 is considered the most expensive among previous versions, destination sustainability seems to have benefited from the event’s hosting. Socio-cultural impacts of hosting mega-sport events seem to be addressed to an extent in the Qatar version of the World Cup, as well as environmental impacts while creating a unique image for FIFA 2022 and the destination itself. FIFA showcased this as using carbon-neutral technologies to create the micro-climate including perforated walls in the eight state-of-the-art stadiums, with the incorporation of a circular modular design for energy and water efficiency and zero-waste deconstruction post-event. The global event also drew attention and respect to the local community and underprivileged groups such as people with disabilities. Further research is needed to understand the demand-side perspective including the local community of Qatar and the event’s participants, and to analyze the long-term impacts and lessons learned from the Qatari experience.
Using the Intercultural Competence and Inclusion in Education Scale (ICIES), this study examines variations in intercultural competence and inclusion between mainstream and multiethnic high schools. The sample consisted of 384 high school students, aged 17 to 18, from both rural and urban areas in Western Romania, enrolled in grades 11 and 12. The ICIES demonstrated strong reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.721. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three distinct dimensions: Intercultural opportunities and activities, Comfort in diverse settings, and Cultural reflection and values. Independent samples t-tests identified significant differences between mainstream and multiethnic schools across several items, with students in multiethnic schools reporting higher levels of intercultural competence and inclusion. These findings highlight the critical role of multicultural educational settings in fostering students’ cultural awareness and inclusive attitudes. This study provides actionable insights for enhancing multicultural education practices and policies, including teacher training programs, inclusive curricula, and extracurricular initiatives that promote intercultural engagement and reduce intergroup biases.
With the progress of information technology, especially the widespread use of artificial intelligence technology, it has shown an important role in promoting economic and social development. Art and design in universities is a new discipline that combines modern technology with humanities and art. Only by emphasizing the development of science and technology, adapting to the requirements of the times, and closely integrating humanities and art with science and technology, can we gradually expand the educational channels for cultivating composite and innovative talents. Effectively organizing different types of scientific research activities, building a sound and comprehensive education system, plays an important role in adjusting teaching relationships, innovating teaching models, enhancing students' professional and comprehensive qualities, and improving their academic performance and employment competitiveness.
This study explores the marginalization of a poor fishing community in Gwadar, Pakistan. The study provides an insight into how different levels of power, such as hidden, visible/pluralist, and invisible ideological powers, are used in policy arenas to hinder fishers’ access to participatory spaces, decision-making, and resource use. By employing Gaventa’s power cubes analytical model, we analyze fishers’ experiences and prevailing scenarios. Qualitative research methods were used to collect data, including in-depth interviews and participant observation. The finding shows that the interests of the fishing community in fishery policies and ongoing development projects are excluded both with intention and unintentionally. The exclusion of the local fisher community from key spaces brings interruptions and transformations that influence their lives. Due to this, they are induced to join insurgent groups to confront exclusion-based policies in Gwadar, Pakistan.
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