Britain has unveiled its pavilion, The Garden of GREAT, at the World Cup venue in Doha, Qatar, in what is seen as the celebration of the country's creativity and diversity.
With over 1.5 million fans expected to come to Qatar, the World Cup 2022 is an exciting opportunity to elevate the UK’s strong global brand, culture and commercial opportunity while cementing its close bilateral relationships with the GCC countries.
Created by the GREAT campaign, the garden invites visitors to see a different side of the UK through a series of immersive installations, showcasing UK music, design, fashion and food.
Visitors to The Garden of GREAT can experience the very best of the UK -- from ice cream crafted by Michelin starred chef Vineet Bhatia, to flowers scented by Jo Malone CBE, and murals by Wing Lo, street artist of Europe’s tallest painted artwork.
The GREAT programme aims to inspire international audiences to visit, study, invest and trade with the UK with vast opportunities for cultural exchange between the GCC and the UK.
“It’s an honour to be here in Doha and celebrate not one, but two countries very close to my heart. With nothing but £7 in my pocket and determination, the United Kingdom welcomed my culinary approach with open arms. As a country which nurtures creative thinking and thrives off cultural diversity, it was the perfect launchpad for my career,” said Michelin starred chef, Vineet Bhatia, culinary Ambassador of GREAT.
The Garden of GREAT will also host cultural performances and activities as part of The British Council’s annual UK Festival which explores the theme of Sport for Good.
The festival runs from November 23-29 and looks to bring to life the strong and ongoing relationship between the UK and the Gulf through a range of cultural events and activities including music, art and photography.
According to senior officials, the UK has always been a catalyst for creative and cultural exchange. The programme of activity aims to shift perception, demonstrating Britain’s vibrant melting pot of diverse people and cultures which creates an inspiring environment where talent and creativity grows, they stated.
It will showcase the UK as exciting, diverse and welcoming with the hope that this will translate into motivation to visit, study or trade with the UK, said the officials.
Supporting GREAT’s World Cup activity, will be a multi-channel marketing campaign across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait. The campaign will launch in mid-December, for four weeks across social media, digital display and Out of Home.
The GREAT World Cup Programme is supported by leading global property and construction consultancy, Gleeds.-TradeArabia News Service
