Ramallah; Wataniya Mobile, Bank of Palestine and BCI yesterday sent several thank you letters to everyone who contributed to last Sunday's successful inauguration of the Martyr Faisal Al Husseini Stadium which included an international friendly match between the national football teams of Jordan and Palestine.
The thank you letters were sent to the Palestinian Football Association and to all delegations that participated in the event, including the President of the International Football Association (FIFA), Mr. Joseph Blatter, The President of the Asian Football Confederation, Mr. Mohamed bin Hammam, the Vice President of the Jordanian Football Association, Mr. Nidal Al Hadid and Pascal Torres also from (FIFA). Similar letters were also sent to local groups that contributed to this achievement including the police and media organizations.
As sponsors of the event, the three companies had supported the Palestinian Football Association to ensure the success of the stadium opening ceremony which was considered by many to be the most important development so far in the history of Palestinian football and sports in general. The sponsorship was part of the corporate social responsibility programs that the three companies implement that focus on several areas including sports, youth and development.
Commenting on this occasion, the Chief Executive Officer of Wataniya Mobile, Mr. Allan Richardson said: " We were delighted to support the Palestinian team as we sat in the international standards stadium which had become a reality due to the contribution of so many people. I was very happy to sit there with thousands of spectators, including several Wataniya mobile employees, to root for our national team which impressed everyone with its sporting spirit and team work despite the challenges that the team faces such as movement restrictions and modest resources."
Richardson added: "We benefited in this event from our membership in the international Qatari Telecom (QTEL) group which has several experiences in supporting similar events and which has also congratulated the Palestinian people on this achievement. Moving forward our company will continue to implement social responsibility programs especially in the area of sports. "
Also commenting on the event, the General Manager of the BCI company, Mr. Said Baransi said: " Our ability to organize such an event, the international delegations that attended it and the result that our national team achieved are all evidence of what Palestinians are capable of accomplishing. This culture of success and achievement must be the slogan of everything we do. We were delighted to see the Palestinian and Jordanian flags next to each other in an international match played in our country."
From his side, the General Manager of the Bank of Palestine, Mr. Hisham Shawa said: "This was an important event for us from many perspectives and we were delighted to have the opportunity to participate in showcasing the capabilities of Palestinians in front of the important delegations that attended the ceremony. Everything that surrounded the event was unique, including building the stadium in record time, coordinating the entry of the Jordanian team into Palestine and attracting spectators to the event from so many Palestinian cities. We overcame all obstacles which is a true testament to this achievement." Shawa added: "We congratulate the Palestinian and Jordanian Football Associations on this success and the Asian and International Football Associations for achieving this dream that would not have been possible without the work of hundreds of unknown soldiers.
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© Press Release 2009
