Description
The 22nd FIFA World Cup is Qatar’s first global mega-event and follows the United Arab Emirates’ hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai — the most recent World’s Fair and first in the Middle East — and Japan’s hosting of the 2020 Olympics.
In addition to seeing some great football, what can a visitor expect to see while in Qatar? What was Dubai’s experience as the UAE delivered the Expo during the pandemic? What was the experience of the United States’ participation in Expo 2020 Dubai? What lessons might apply to Los Angeles and other North American cities as they prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics?
Join Kevin Baxter (Los Angeles Times sports staff writer) and Matthew Asada (USC Center on Public Diplomacy public diplomat in residence) for a discussion on how global mega-events, such as the World Cup, World’s Fair and the Olympics, may be used by host and participating countries as part of their nation-branding efforts, as moments of national celebration, and as part of their long-term planning and development.
Who Will Benefit
– Those hoping to understand how global mega-events impact host countries
– Policy and international diplomacy experts looking for insights on how future global mega-events will influence the U.S.
– Those seeking predictions on how the 2026 FIFA World Cup will affect tourism in North America
About Our Featured Faculty
Matthew Asada is a fourth generation Japanese-American and third generation public servant from Detroit. He joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 2003. He most recently served as the Deputy Commissioner General of the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai – the first World’s Fair to be held in the Middle East. From 2018-2020 he served as the pavilion’s project manager in Washington, DC. As a Foreign Service officer he has served in border posts in Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Germany. He graduated from the London School of Economics (MSc in European Politics and Policy) and the University of Pennsylvania (BS in Economics, BA in International Studies and German). He also studied at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the Humboldt University in Berlin.