In an effort to shed light on the human rights crisis associated with the Qatar World Cup in 2022, a group of architects has designed a conceptual memorial to all the migrant workers who have perished during construction.
Thousands of immigrant workers died over the last 12 months in Qatar in what Amnesty International has called “modern-day slavery,” adding to a World Cup Championship already mired in controversy.
The conceptual memorial – which will likely never be built – consists of a circular, hollow tower made of interlocking stone blocks. Each of the blocks represents a single worker who died due to horrendous working conditions. Each of the beams is merely identified by a number.
The structure would have a crane attached to the top to keep adding victim beams whenever another worker dies. Based on the current projected death toll, more than 4,000 workers are expected to die before construction is complete.
The controversy surrounding FIFA’s decision to award the 2022 competition to the Middle-Eastern country worsened this week when FIFA’s president, Sepp Blatter, reportedly said that FIFA took no responsibility in the workers’ deaths. Mr Blatter told The Guardian that the Nepalese migrants were actually enjoying “better conditions” thanks to the World Cup.
This was followed by more evidence of corruption and bribery by host country applicants and the FIFA officials in charge of the selection process.
Amnesty International reports that working conditions are not improving in Qatar, where labourer deaths due to heatstroke and heart attack have skyrocketed. Most of the workers are from Nepal and India.
Qatar’s kafala system, which gives employers control over everything from workers’ accommodation to the use of passports, has also been heavily criticised.
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