Jordan is among the teams making its first-ever appearance at a World Cup, and for the country’s ambassador to the United States it is a chance to introduce the world to a country often viewed through the lens of regional conflict and security challenges — and to showcase a different side of the Middle East.

„You see us through security, we see us through humans,” said Dina Kawar, who has represented the Hashemite Kingdom in Washington since 2016, an unusually long spell for a foreign diplomat there.

Her team plays its second match tomorrow, in northern California. Given Jordan’s defeat in its first match against Austria, and the fact that it will face Lionel Messi’s Argentina in its third, the team will almost certainly need a victory against Algeria tomorrow to have any chance of advancing to the next round

„All eyes are on the Jordanian team because we are new in this,” Kawar told POLITICO earlier this month. „Of course, Argentina is important for us. People know Argentina. People will be watching closely to see where we go.

A career diplomat who was educated in the United States, Kawar discussed what she wants World Cup watchers to learn about Jordan: the country’s growing investment in sports, including women’s soccer, and how Amman hopes to use the tournament to showcase Jordan as a destination for tourism and business.

Since this will be Jordan’s first appearance at a World Cup, what does this achievement mean for the country and for Jordanians around the world?

It’s a big deal. It’s a big deal for us on the national level. I think the whole country is going to stop during the game. It has ignited national pride.

For the Jordan Football Federation, they see it as an important step to improve the local sports infrastructure. We hope that it attracts commercial sponsorships and interest in the country in general.

For the federation, this is an occasion for the team to step into being a professional team. It means having more money, more sponsorships. The players can be in other teams and clubs. That’s very important.

How far do you expect them to go in the tournament?

Look, if you don’t dream big, nothing happens. Honestly, the most important thing is to have a good game. If they win, that’s fantastic. If they lose, at least it’s a decent game. For us, the most important thing is that the game is a good one. If you look at how they performed in the Asia and Arab Cups, they’ve done an amazing job. This team has a lot of potential, and when you have a team that has a lot of potential, it’s more exciting.

Jordan has thus far been more successful in women’s soccer than men’s. How did that happen? 

The team was established in 2005 by Prince Ali bin Hussein, and he’s been a big, big supporter of advancing women’s football.

Since then, we’ve won the West Asia Championship and the Arab Cup twice. I think our women’s team has been a leader in the Arab world.

Despite the challenges, there are always cultural taboos and social taboos. Female football was a little bit of an intrusion into the male-dominant world of football.

But look at the U.S. The [women’s] team has been amazing. Despite the cultural and social taboos, we’ve been breaking boundaries and championing this important game.

What aspects of Jordanian culture and society do you want the world to see during Jordan’s first World Cup appearance?

This is an important opportunity to showcase Jordan’s rich cultural heritage, its vibrant identity, and not only its passion for sports.

We want to show that Jordan is a beautiful destination.

We’re having fan zones in Dallas and Santa Clara with concerts, food trucks, activities for children, shops and markets. We want people to visit and see how beautiful Jordan is.

The tourism in Jordan is amazing. You have cultural tourism, the Dead Sea, religious tourism, some of the most beautiful mosaics, nature and hiking. Of course, Petra and Wadi Rum are beyond description.

Most Americans still see the region through its security challenges.

You know what, Sophia? You see us through security, we see us through humans. That’s one thing I would like to correct at the start.

Sports is becoming more important. There’s always been interest in soccer, but now there’s more awareness and more effort from governments to push their teams forward. As you go through that process, brilliant players get the attention of leagues and other clubs, and that’s how it goes. The ball starts rolling.

The fact that sports is becoming so important in the Arab world is because countries are investing in it and making a network. I think that’s a very, very good thing.

We’ve always had football in Jordan, but now it’s another level. It’s the beginning of a new phase.

Forrás