Towards a More Connected and Active Society: Sports at the Core of Community Year 2025

Following the declaration of the "Year of Community 2025" initiative by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, community sports emerges as one of the fundamental pillars for building a cohesive, vibrant, and healthy society at all levels. Sports is not merely a recreational activity, but a lifestyle that contributes to enhancing social cohesion, establishing positive values, and achieving sustainable development goals, in line with the vision of our wise leadership that has given great attention to the sports sector as a whole.

Amid national efforts to promote sports culture and encourage physical activity among various segments of society, the UAE has achieved a qualitative leap in sports participation rates. The percentage of regular physical activity practitioners in the community has increased by more than 15% from the 43% recorded in 2018, according to the National Sports Survey, thanks to the directives of the wise leadership and the collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Sports, the UAE sporting entities, and private sector institutions.

The Ministry of Sports strives to create opportunities for all community segments to engage in diverse sports and physical activities through comprehensive sports facilities equipped to the highest standards to establish the concept of "Sports for All," which positively reflects on the quality of life and enhances the physical and psychological health of all members of our community.

Community sports represents the foundation upon which professional sports in the UAE is built, providing the appropriate environment for discovering and refining talents, which contributes to building a generation of sports champions capable of achieving accomplishments and representing the country in various sports arenas. Through instilling and establishing correct sports concepts and implementing innovative community sports programs, the base of sports participants expands, and the concept of sports as a sustainable lifestyle is reinforced.

From this perspective, the Ministry of Sports is working on developing community sports programs and initiatives targeting various segments of society, with a focus on senior citizens and people of determination, to ensure inclusion and making sports accessible to everyone. We are also forging partnerships with the private sector to contribute to heighten awareness about physical activity's importance and creating a motivating environment for regular sports practice for all.

In the "Year of Community 2025," efforts continue to establish sports as an integral part of national identity and to enhance community awareness of its importance in building a healthy, active, and cohesive society. By providing opportunities and suitable venues for practicing sports and continuing to deliver quality initiatives, our beloved country steadily moves towards a more active and vibrant future, reflecting the Ministry's vision of making sports a lifestyle for all.

Written by:

Sports Experts/ Haitham Al Zarooni

Director of Community Sports Department

Sports Development Sector