Integration the watchword at Brazil 2014 seminar

(LOC) Thursday 24 February 2011

fifa.comAt the General Host City Seminar, which drew to a close on 24 February in Brasilia, the 12 cities set to host games at the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ met to assimilate vital organisational information concerning the showpiece competition. The seminar brought together specialists from a wide variety of fields to speak about the different facets of hosting the tournament. 
The event was hosted by FIFA and the FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC), in conjunction with Brazil’s Ministry of Sport. Experts from a number of fields were in attendance, having been selected from the 12 cities chosen to host games at Brazil 2014. Also present at the seminar’s opening on 22 February were LOC President Ricardo Teixeira; Minister of Sport Orlando Silva Junior and the Governor of the Federal District, Agnelo Queiroz.
Over the course of the three-day seminar, representatives from the host cities were able to garner more information on the concepts FIFA and the LOC wish to put into practice come Brazil 2014. The Ministry of Sport were also given the chance to speak about their role in preparations for the event.

This kind of close contact is very important in ensuring everybody knows exactly what’s being done.

Joana Havelange, the LOC’s Executive Director for Marketing and Operational Support.

Of the main issues dealt with, the LOC and FIFA put most emphasis on the concept of integration between the host cities. Talks were given on the Environment and Sustainability; Integrated Communication; Volunteers; Contractual Responsibilities; Transport; Events; Social Responsibility;  Ticketing; Marketing; National Team Training Centres (CTSs), Official Training Pitches (COTs) and Official National Team Hotels (HOSs); Information Technology; and Stadium Structures. The experts from the various fields later fielded questions at a variety of round-table discussions, which took place after each talk.
Joana Havelange, the LOC’s Executive Director for Marketing and Operational Support, believes that the representatives from the host cities can only gain from this sharing of information and ideas. “This kind of close contact is very important in ensuring everybody knows exactly what’s being done. And between now and 2014, the closeness of this relationship is going to be ever greater.”
In the view of Ricardo Trade, Vice-Executive Director of Operations for the LOC, the get-together was an extremely productive affair. “This seminar was very important for providing in-depth knowledge of how to proceed in each aspect of the FIFA World Cup. Everybody was able to outline what is required for the event, and our plans will be much easier to carry out following this combined effort from FIFA, the Organising Committee, the Federal Government and the host cities.”