Soft power

Nowadays, lots of countries, especially the small countries, search for a way to improve their soft power. Indeed, it is a means for small states to exist and become visible on the global stage. So, the advertisement highlights this topical subject.

At the beginning, the commercial represents the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Yet, Qatar bought the FIFA World Cup through bribery, which caused a buzz because Qatar is not known as a footballing nation. They bought it in order to develop their soft power. It is also a means to encourage people to come to Qatar and make money. This event is controversial because Qatar is hosting a major sports event, but it does not have a good image. Indeed, Qatar is a patriarchal society and does not comply with human rights. There are no women's rights and LGBTQ+ rights. On the other side of the coin are the poor working conditions. In fact, a lot of employees, especially blue-collar workers, are dying due to these poor working conditions. It amounts to modern slavery. Finally, Qatar is not an eco-friendly country, yet it is a significant issue in our society.

On the other hand, sports are today a means of improving this soft power, and many countries understand that and invest in football, for example. For instance, this year Saudi Arabia bought a lot of football stars like Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, and they also acquired clubs like PSG. This is a testament to their success in terms of soft power."

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