Emirati women in sport highlighted at conference

Abu Dhabi: The second edition of the Abu Dhabi Conference on Women’s Sports, which aims to promote and raise awareness about female Emirati athletes, will take place on April 21 and 22 at the Emirates Palace from 9am.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, organisers announced the participation of 16 international experts as well as Emirati female athletes from eight federations including football, golf, cycling and chess.

“We are holding this conference as a result of the success of the last one and this year there will be more speakers and more topics of discussion,” Talal Al Hashemi, of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, told Gulf News.

He added: “There will also be an exhibition on the sidelines of the conference and all local [sports] federations will be present to promote women’s sports.”

Held under the slogan of “Women’s Sports and International Achievements”, the conference will discuss the effect of sports on families, ways to turn athletes into Olympians and how other countries promote sports, among other topics.

While the conference will focus particularly on Emirati women, organisers urged men to visit and show their support.

“Women are our main targets at the conference, but for women to stand out and reach an international level, there needs to be communal participation, so men and family members need to attend the conference,” Dr Omniyat Al Hajiri, a board member at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy said.

Organisers said last year’s conference proved a success in terms of leading to an increased number of women practising sport and a surge in the number of new female recruits in various disciplines.

The conference is held under the patronage of Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the UAE General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and is free to attend for the public.