Abu Dhabi: In the presence of Shaikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the UAE Sports Federations announced yesterday their full support for the upcoming Special Olympics IX MENA Games 2018 and World Games 2019 in Abu Dhabi.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 will see the biggest humanitarian sporting event in the world coming to the Emirati Capital, marking its first debut in the history of the MENA region.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony was held at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council today in the presence of Major General Mohammad Khalfan Matar Al Rumaithi, Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police and President of the General Authority of Sport, Mohammad Abdullah Al Junaibi, Chairman of the High Committee of Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019, as well as senior executives from various sports federations, government institutions and a number of dignitaries.
“We are blessed to be part of this great nation, guided by our wise leadership who constantly encourage us to promote the values of unity, compassion and inclusiveness amongst all members of society. This signing today comes in line with our dedication to humanitarian action, driven by the vision of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan for the UAE to play a leading role in spreading peace and harmony around the world,” said Mohammad Khalfan Matar Al Rumaithi.
“Abu Dhabi hosting this international humanitarian event will undoubtedly empower both the sports sectors in the country and our talented athletes determination, as it will showcase their talents and skills and highlight the importance of their seamless integration into society,” he added.
The MoU outlines the grounds for effective co-operation between UAE Sports Federations and the Special Olympics, which will include providing services for all sports of Special Olympics, including technical staff and referees; as well as providing full care for athletes coming to Abu Dhabi from 33 different countries for the MENA IX Games and more than 7,000 participants from 170 countries who will attend Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 in March next year.
Special Olympics IX MENA Games 2018 will take place from March 14 – 21, 2018 and over 1,200 athletes of all abilities will descend upon Abu Dhabi to take part in the Games, which will be the first major sporting event ahead of Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019. Athletes will take part in 16 different sports that will be hosted in eight different venues including ADNEC, Zayed Sports City, Yas Marina Circuit, NYUAD, Officer’s Club, Mubadala IPC Arena, Al Jazira Sports Club and Al Forsan Club.
Special Olympics IX MENA Games and Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 are a part of the UAE’s National Vision 2021 that highlights full integration of people of determination into everyday society. Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 will be the most ‘unified’ games in history and promise to offer an inclusive experience for those with and without intellectual disabilities.
