Dubai: The UAE is on alert to host the National Sports Day on March 7, which will launch the countdown to two multi-discipline sporting events scheduled in the country in 2018-2019. The first one is the ninth Special Olympics Regional Games, to be held from March 14-22 in Abu Dhabi, while the 2019 Special Olympics World Games is due next year.
The Executive Office of the National Sports Day held a meeting at the UAE National Olympic Committee (UAENOC) headquarters in Dubai on Monday evening. The meeting was chaired by engineer Dawood Al Hajri in the presence of the representatives of sports councils in the UAE and discussed the progress made by the working teams tasked with the preparation for the Sports Day.
Dawood Al Hajri thanked Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the National Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Higher Committee for the National Sports Day, for supporting the initiative, which has become a social & national event that implies many concepts and promotes the values of cooperation, love and peace among all community segments.
More than 1,200 athletes from 33 countries will be competing in different sports in the Special Olympics Regional Games. The National Sports Day was primarily launched to promote the values of good and brotherhood among all community members including the People with Determination, who receive unlimited support from our wise leadership to achieve excellence worldwide.
Abdullah Al Wahaibi, Director of the Sports at the Special Olympics World Games, said: “The National Sports Day is a national event with great positive impact at the social, sports or heritage levels. The event was based on the initiative of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to designate one day to practice different sport activities all over the UAE.
“We are proud of our promotional partnership with the National Sports Day initiative, which strengthens the concept of national and communal partnership. Both the National Olympic Committee and the National Sports Day Higher Committee under the chairmanship of Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum have harnessed all potentials for both events.
“The National Sports Day is an event that invites all community members to practice sport. It is not only limited to athletes but it is an open to all community members throughout the UAE,” concluded Al Wahaibi.
