January 22, 2019 #39/2019 AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 "Home Team" reunited as the tournament reaches its climax Twelve lucky and talented interns from universities across the Emirates have reunited for the tournament, four months after completing a three-month internship of a lifetime with the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 Local Organising Committee (LOC).
Having begun the internship in 2018 in the home changing room of Zayed Sports City Stadium, where they were treated to an inspirational team talk by no other than Dubai Eye talk show host, Chris McHardy, the interns spent three months from June to September travelling the country, inspiring people from all nationalities and cultures to unite behind the tournament.
Their experience saw them plan community activities, organise cultural days, attend workshops and lend support across all LOC departments with a unifying ambition in 'Bringing Asia Together'.
Speaking at the fan zone on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, the interns, who were dubbed the 'Home Team' back in April, were in an upbeat yet reflective mood as they looked back on eight months of personal growth: "The experience of being part of the Home Team was unbelievable" said Mariam Taha.
"I had the opportunity to work with the public and private sector, people from the sport industry and my fellow interns, which gave me a brilliant platform to launch my future."
"More than anything, though, I am so proud to have been a part of the biggest event ever hosted in the UAE. As Chris McHardy reminded us, each person can have an impact in making this the best and most connected Asian Cup ever. I feel that we have done that, with a collective determination to bring people together.
"This has been a tournament for fans and non-fans, all communities, cultures and people, played out with a spirit of togetherness and it has been an absolute pleasure to play my part."
Many of the Home Team now plan to enter full-time work within the sports industry. One of those is Joon Soo of Sorbonne University who was full of excitement for a career in sport.
Speaking following the completion of his internship programme, which was extended by the LOC through until January 2019 for exceptional performance, Joon said: "I was a media journalist student in the US before heading to the UAE for further study, so this internship came at the perfect time."
"Now I plan to utilise the skills that I have built up and work on the next major project in the region which is the Special Olympics next month.
"Following that, I plan to return to Korea Republic, where I am from, and get a job within sports media or the industry in general. I can't tell you how lucky I have been to have this experience which has prepared me for success."
The Home Team internship programme was designed by the Local Organising Committee to help nurture the next generation of sports industry talent, with many going on to full-time jobs in the UAE and abroad.
About the AFC Asian Cup:
The AFC Asian Cup is the pinnacle international team tournament held by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) every four years to determine the champion of Asia. The competition is the second-oldest continental football championship (after the Copa America) and was first held in 1956. The AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019TM expands the number of participating nations from 16 to 24, making it the biggest tournament ever.
The 2019 tournament will be the second time the UAE has hosted the event, after successfully staging the finals in 1996. The Asian Cup UAE 2019 runs from 5 January to 1 February 2019, with 51 matches being played in eight world class stadiums located across four host cities - Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
Match schedules and tickets for purchase are available on www.the-AFC.com. For group ticket packages contact groups@asiancup19.ae.
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Official hashtags: #AsianCup2019 # كأس_آسيا 2019 #BringingAsiaTogether
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