Qatar – With excitement building about the FIFA World Cup, citizen-funded journalism platform Blankspot is working to raise awareness of its lesser-known, more harrowing background. Its project, Cards of Qatar, flips the script on traditional football cards to profile the stories of the migrant workers in Qatar who never returned.
Together with a team of local journalists in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, Blankspot is collecting stories of migrant workers to capture on cards, with the goal of publishing one card each day until the tournament starts. The cards will also be followed by long-form articles and interviews with players, politicians and workers’ organisations. Through this project, Blankspot hopes to spark ethical change in countries that host similar large-scale events.
‘Cards of Qatar is a way to spread the stories to a large audience while putting more pressure on FIFA and other organisations that organise sporting events,’ says Patrik Arnesson, founder of football media platform Forza Football. By calling on football organisations to take greater responsibility, this project demonstrates how the sport can facilitate civic action.
Strategic opportunity
Sporting bodies and media organisations must take greater responsibility for the harmful impact of large events on people and the planet. Beyond raising awareness, how might your brand promote safer conditions for migrant workers?
