The Opening Ceremony of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 wins gold medal at BeaWorld Festival awards ceremony

This week, during an esteemed international awards event held in Italy, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Opening event was awarded a gold medal. The judges of the BeaWorld Festival, an awards ceremony that honours the finest creative talents in the sports and events industries, chose the stunning Opening Ceremony of the inaugural FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world as the winner of the finest Sporting Event category.

The Qatar 2022 Opening Ceremony was honoured with Al Nehem the WhaleShark - The Lusail Icon, which earned best Creative Installation, after being chosen from 333 participating events from 24 countries.

Both events highlighted Qatar and the principles of sports with cutting-edge and inventive tales. They were created by Balich Wonder Studio, a division of Media and Entertainment behemoth Banijay and a leader in developing live entertainment experiences.

The 30-minute Qatar 2022 FIFA globe Cup Opening Ceremony, which was televised in over 170 countries, left a lasting impression on football fans and realised Qatar's dream of bringing the globe together.

The legendary Opening Ceremony was designed and created by Balich Wonder Studio, under the direction of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy and the Qatar 2022 LLC. Ahmed Al-Baker, a well-known Qatari artist, served as co-artistic director.

The WhaleShark, or Lusail Icon, won the award for best Creative Installation, highlighting the efforts of its creator, Marco Balich, who used Qatar 2022 as a backdrop to represent the country's desire to preserve its natural environment. The WhaleShark is now a national landmark and a lasting symbol of sustainability after becoming a social media sensation that was viewed by millions of people worldwide.