Ministry of Sports organises third edition of “Family Sports Forum” to enhance community sports and encourage all family members to engage in sports

H.E. Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum: We are relentlessly working to empower and encourage all family members to participate in sports, reflecting the vision and objectives of wise leadership to increase the practice of sports in the community, seeking to reach 75 per cent of the population.

• The Family Sports Forum is the Ministry of Sports first community initiative in the ‘Year of Community’ that seeks to boost collective participation in physical activity and embrace an active lifestyle among the community members.
• The event featured a wide range of sports activities aimed at underscoring the significance of engaging in physical activities and recreational activities for various target age groups.
• The key pillar of the Ministry of Sports’ strategy and objectives is to encourage all groups of society to engage in community sports, in line with government directives. 

UAE, Tuesday, 28 January 2025: The Ministry of Sports organised the ‘Family Sports Forum’ for the third consecutive year in collaboration with the UAE Sports for All Federation and various other partners at the Flag Garden in Fujairah. The event was held under initiatives such as ‘A Healthy Family. A Healthy Community’ and ‘Sports Sustainability,’ aiming to boost community sports and family engagement in various physical activities in alignment with the National Sports Strategy 2031, which seeks to expand participation in physical activity, enhance the practice of sports, and ensure the adoption of a healthy lifestyle across different groups in society.

His Excellency Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the Ministry of Sports, said, “We are dedicated to encouraging all family members to participate in sports activities, in alignment with the vision and ambitions of our wise leadership. We aim to achieve a 75 per cent participation rate within the population. This aspiration is a key element of the National Sports Strategy 2031, and we continue to move towards it by launching various impactful community events. The declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of Community’ by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, further highlights the importance of developing an inclusive sporting culture that nurtures talent among children and youth.”

H.E. Sheikh Suhail added, “At the Ministry of Sports, we believe in the potential of families in promoting a culture of sports. Furthermore, we are confident that improving community sports plays a pivotal role in recognizing sports talent by reinforcing the professional sports sector with exceptional talents selected through our innovative initiatives that are either organised independently or collaboratively with sports entities across the UAE. These community-driven initiatives raise the indicators of well-being and quality of life, which is in line with our strategic goals to promote sports culture across all society members and establish sports as a key lifestyle factor.”

The Family Sports Forum also featured a wide array of sports activities, including ‘seven summits hiking, mountain stair climbing challenges, laser shooting, archery, indoor rowing, traditional games, and various children’s recreational sports activities’. These activities aim to highlight the significance of regular physical exercise, particularly recreational activities, across all targeted age groups. The forum emphasizes the role of recreational and promotional sports in shaping children’s personalities and underscores the family’s contribution to the educational equation by promoting the culture of recreational and promotional sports.

The Ministry of Sports continues to host community and recreational sports activities, reinforcing its mission to raise awareness of sports' benefits, cultivate a sports culture, and create a leading sporting community that contributes to the UAE’s achievements in international events.