Doha: Qatar Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani last night opened the 12th Arab Games at Khalifa International Stadium.
Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee and head of the country's delegation to the Games, was at the ceremony representing President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who received a special invitation to attend.
After a welcome speech by the organisers, Arab stars Asala Nasser from Syria, Eyhab Tawfig from Egypt and Fahad Al Qubaisi from Qatar sang the theme of the Games. Strong competition is expected in all sports with large cash prizes on offer.
Those victorious in individual competitions will get $5,000 (Dh18,366), with further prizes for second and third, while athletes who set records will also be rewarded.
The Games, which will see 6,000 athletes representing 21 Arab countries in 29 sports, will come to an end on December 23.
Confident of success
Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al Owais, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, said: "We are pleased to take part in the Games, which are held for the first time in the Arab Gulf region.
"We are confident of the great success which our brothers in Qatar will achieve in hosting and organising the Games.
"We support holding these Games because of their noble objectives of bringing together the youth and athletes from all Arab countries which will help in creating friendly ties between the nations and also provide a healthy competitive atmosphere for these athletes to show their capabilities.
"It helps in spreading the culture of practicing sports as a part of human civilisation and development in addition to the fact that sport is playing a big and vital role in the world today."
Regarding the participation of UAE athletes, Al Owais said: "Our participation in the Games comes in implementing the wise policy of our leaders to provide all opportunities for our youth to take part in these events, which bring them together with their counterparts from other brotherly Arab countries which will help them in improving their standards.
Expressing thanks
"The efforts of the UAE NOC and the national sports associations for preparing the teams for this Games should be praised and appreciated and I am confident that our athletes will do their best for their country.
"I would like to seize this chance to express my thanks and appreciation to Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the President of the UAE NOC, and to all the members of the NOC and all the sports associations for their efforts."
"I am sure that our athletes will benefit from their participation in these Games and also our officials will add to their administrative experience.
"These Games coincide with the UAE celebrations of the 40th National Day and I do believe that this will encourage our athletes to do their best in the different competitions and achieve honourable results for their country."
The opening ceremony programme was prepared by David Atkens Enterprises, a British company specialising in organising big sporting festivities who had previously prepared the openings of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 and the Doha Asian Games in 2006.
