Muscat – Almost 1,500 volunteers from Oman Scouts and Guides will attend FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Their primary job will be to make the mega sporting event a success by lending a helping hand in managing crowds in stadiums, overseeing seating arrangement, accommodation, and cleanliness and hygiene among other tasks.

Part of the Ministry of Education, the first unit of Oman Scouts and Guides was formed in 1932. In 1975, the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said issued a Royal Decree (No 10/75) to set up the headquarters of Oman Scouts and Guides under his direct supervision.

About Oman Scouts and Guides’ engagement in the World Cup, Yaqoob Khalfan al Nadabi, Director and Manager of Oman Scouts and Guides, Ministry of Education, said, “We have shared a cordial relationship with Qatar since time immemorial. We are happy to collaborate with the Qatari authorities and delegate 1,500 of our members to the mega event.”

He added that the volunteers are currently undergoing training in various aspects, including sports management, and will leave for Doha in the first week of November.

The volunteers include men and women between the ages 18 to 58 years.

Hilal Ahmed al Kharousi, a member of Oman Scouts and Guides, said, “We have been training for months and the time to leave for Qatar is finally nearing. We will leave in November and stay for a month in and around stadiums in Doha. This is our biggest and the most challenging event until now, where we will face people from all over the world. We need to learn about mannerisms and sensitivities of people from diverse backgrounds, which makes our training challenging.”

Members of Oman Scouts and Guides have taken part in several big events in and outside Oman, including the recently concluded Ironman 70.3 Salalah.