The opening and closing ceremonies of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be described live and in both English and Arabic, providing the visually impaired with a singular experience.
The project is being developed by a group from the College of Humanities and Social Science at QF’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), which offers an MA program in audiovisual translation.
The crew took part the previous year by offering Arabic-language live audio description for the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 opening ceremony. The team will make use of its fluency in Arabic and English during the opening and closing ceremonies of the forthcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Nahwan al-Aswadi, a graduate of the Audiovisual Translation programme explained: “Taking great care to describe every detail, including images, colours and movement, so that we draw an integrated verbal picture that enables the vision impaired fans to imagine the whole scene. This is quite unlike the descriptive audio commentary on football matches that focuses on where the ball is on the pitch, or the players’ movement, fouls and goals.”
“It’s like reading a graphic novel or listening to an audio book. It is an experience in which the description we offer is consonant with all the sounds in the stadium, – a speech, music or sound effects –, so that the audience can immerse themselves in the experience, and enjoy the event down to the smallest detail,” she continued.
Providing a description with such accuracy requires high skill and technique, such as voice concentration, its speed and consonance with other sounds in the stadium, as well as knowing when to stop so that the recipient may integrate the scene.
Al-Aswadi said that she was able to develop these skills during her master studies in the Audiovisual Translation programme at HBKU. She noted that this field teaches to translate all aspects of daily life to make them accessible to people of all abilities.
She added: “When we talk about accessibility, we are not talking about equality, instead we are talking about equity. We strive to create a space where everyone can be part of the event even if they don’t see it with their eyes. And, instead of relying on others to describe the event to them, we promote independence, allowing people to immerse in the event, to enjoy the experience by adapting it for their specific needs.”
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Susan Abbas, also a graduate of the Audiovisual Translation programme, narrated her experience of being part of delivering audio description: “It opened my eyes to a different world. It makes me feel that I’m responsible to help people who really need help, and to share what I learned with them.
“People often think that humanitarian work is only in relation to wars or famines and poverty, but in fact it goes beyond that – it is broader and more comprehensive and includes all the segments of society”.
Dr Josélia Neves, professor and associate dean for Social Engagement and Access at HBKU, said that this service will not be limited to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, but will constitute a lasting legacy for the future.
Dr. Neves stated that by developing the students’ competence in this area, “we will have a significant base of experts in this field, who can contribute to providing accessibility to all live events, as are theatrical performances, shows, or even conferences, among others.”
Along with this service, HBKU’s Translation and Interpreting Institute offers an audio-descriptive commentary training course in collaboration with the Centre for Access to Football in Europe. The program intends to make it possible for football fans who are blind or partially sighted to watch games with their fellow supporters in the stadiums.
