Sheikh Joaan Attends Olympic Refuge Foundation Annual Board Meeting in Paris

Paris, France - H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees, today attended the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) annual board meeting at the Headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Pulse).

The meeting was led by ORF Chair, Dr. Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Vice Chair, Mr. Filippo Grande, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 

Members reviewed the progress of the Foundation’s ongoing projects and referenced the importance of highlighting the global refugee crisis while finding ways to address it through sport. 

Board Member Mr. Joe Gebbia, Co-Founder of Airbnb, briefed the attendees about the upcoming premiere of “We Dare To Dream”, a film about the Olympic Refugee Team which is produced by Oscar nominated filmmaker, Ms. Waad Al-Kateab. 

Ms. Lana Hadad, ORF Executive Committee Member and IOC Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Lana Hadad,  thanked H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani and The Qatar Olympic Committee for their funding. The donation from QOC has helped deliver 14 programmes in 10 countries. 

The Board also accepted the invitation of H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani to host the next annual meeting in Doha in 2024, alongside his offer to co-develop and deliver pre-Games training programs for the athletes of the Olympic Refugee Team.

The IOC established the ORF in 2017 at its Session in Lima where the QOC became a Founding Partner. The Foundation’s mission is for displaced young people to find belonging through sport, and shape their own futures, their way.

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