In the presence of Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum GAS organizes ‘Sports Day’ initiative to empower people of determination on social and physical levels

The General Authority of Sports (GAS), in collaboration with the Dubai Police Force, the Emirates Down Syndrome Association, the UAE Corporation for Ambulance Services, Al-Nasr SC, Huawei, and MenaLabs, organized a Sports Day initiative for people of determination on Thursday, which was also hosted by Al-Nasr SC. The event was in line with the Authority's commitment to instill a culture of sports in the community and maintain partnerships with various sectors, in accordance with the government strategies that aim to encourage people of determination to participate in sports activities and contribute to their integration into society. The event was attended by Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at GAS, Dr. Manal Jaroor, Chairperson of the Emirates Down Syndrome Association, and Jerry Liu, CEO of Huawei UAE.

The initiative, which is part of the ‘For Sport, For Life’ series conducted by the GAS, aimed to promote the concept of community sports and support people of determination to adopt a positive attitude towards sports by organizing activities that will motivate different groups of the society to engage in diverse sports activities. In the spirit of competition, 50 participants from across the country participated in the events, which were divided into football, basketball, bocce ball, table tennis, fitness, and collective aerobics.

Sheikh Suhail Al Maktoum said: “The Authority is keen to highlight the social value of sports by launching several initiatives that will encourage members of the society to exercise. This in line with the Authority’s strategic plan, following our wise leadership’s directives, to turn sports into one the most prominent features of the UAE society, and establish a distinguished sports society that will further enhance the country's presence in global forums.”

Sheikh Suhail also added that the initiative reflects the Authority’s desire to increase community support, especially for people of determination, and empower them and enhance their presence in the sports sector. This formulates an essential part of the Authority’s social commitments and is in line with the vision and aspirations of the wise leadership. He further pointed out how the success of the initiative can be attributed to the outstanding cooperation with government and private sector partners, as well as how the Authority upheld strategic partnerships as one of the three pillars of the sports sector's framework, to enhance the presence of the UAE’s sports sector on the global competitiveness map.

Dr. Manal Jaroor praised the initiative, saying: “On behalf of myself, the members of the Board of Directors, people with Down syndrome, their families, and their helpers, I express my heartfelt gratitude for this wonderful initiative. Such initiatives actively contribute to the integration of people of determination into cultural, public and sports lives, thus achieving the vision of our wise leadership and national policy objectives for people of determination. This is also a key objective of the association, which stems from our concern for their empowerment and successful integration into society.”

 “The General Authority of Sports constantly organizes such events within order to communicate effectively and positively with the society. This is a critical pillar in advancing people of determination in this area, and most importantly, encourages them to engage in different sports that contribute to a healthy lifestyle and emphasize the importance of sports in maintaining physical fitness that leads to better quality of life.”

For his part, Jerry Liu said: “Over the past 20 years, Huawei has been committed to the UAE and supports social activities at all levels, including our annual plans to support local corporate social responsibility activities, such as talent nurturing, community support, and sports events. We are confident that under our government guidance and in cooperation with our partners, we will contribute to making the UAE a joyous place to live.”

As the event concluded, the Authority presented medals to all participants, along with commemorative shields for all the organizing partners as a token of appreciation for their social commitment and support for people of determination.

The General Authority of Sports prioritizes the integration of positive efforts among national sport institutions, various government entities, and private sector companies, to facilitate the exchange of experiences and empower national professionals to achieve the desired development and performance of athletes and administrators. This aligns with the level of care and support offered by the wise leadership to the sports sector in the country, as well as their commitment to discover and nurture talents from people of determination, helping them succeed in regional and international competitions.