In Ottawa, HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Canada Khalid Rashid Salem Al Hamoudi Al Mansouri organized a ceremony on the occasion of the National Day of the State. The ceremony was attended by a number of Their Excellencies the ministers, government officials, MPs, heads and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited to Canada, and friends of the embassy.

In a speech on this occasion, HE Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion of Canada Ahmed Hussen reviewed the long-standing Qatari-Canadian relations, saying that they have not been interrupted since 1974, and have resulted in strong popular ties over the years. In this regard, His Excellency underscored the presence of Canadian fans to encourage the Canadian national team at the World Cup in Qatar, which witnessed the return of Canada in the best World Cup to date.

HE the Canadian minister also reviewed several aspects of Qatar's achievements, lauding its position as the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas in the world, its role in maintaining the world's energy supply, its key role over the years in mediating conflicts and establishing peace in the world, its role in the refugee crisis in Afghanistan by providing shelter to thousands of Afghans, and its cooperation with Canada in this crisis that affects everyone.

He reiterated the existing and strong relations between Canada and Qatar in the fields of trade and investment, expressing hope that the two parties will work to achieve more.

For his part, HE Ambassador Al Mansouri stressed, in a speech on this occasion, that the National Day is cherished by every Qatari who is proud of the achievements achieved by his country from year to year; pointing out that this year's ceremony is of double importance as it coincides with the State of Qatar hosting one of the most important sporting events that attracts the world's attention, represented by the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

His Excellency expressed his pride in the ability of the Qataris to rise to the challenge and immortalize this distinguished session of the World Cup in the memory of history, pointing to the positive feedback he received from a number of football fans in Canada in particular, and from guests who were lucky enough to travel to Doha to follow some of the finals, including the matches of the Canadian national team.

HE Dr. Al-Mansouri stressed that this is what the Qatari leadership was trying to convey to the world by hosting this World Cup, which the State of Qatar succeeded in presenting with a civilized character that highlighted the bright aspects of Arab and Islamic civilization, and easily combined the sports spirit that should prevail with the cultural and spiritual values rooted in Qataris and the population of the region.