Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, Zayed Charity Run will take place in Abu Dhabi on 23 November 2024, from the ERTH Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
The Higher Organising Committee of the Zayed Charity Run held a press conference at the ERTH Hotel in Abu Dhabi in the presence of Lieutenant general Mohamed Helal Al Kaabi, His Excellency Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, His Excellency Mohamed Haji Al Khoury, Director General of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation for Humanitarian Works, Amal Bou Shalakh, Member of the Board of Directors of the UAE Football Association, Mohammed Hazam Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the UAE Football Association, Yaqoob Al Saadi, Director of Abu Dhabi Sports Channels, Maryam Hamad Al Shamsi, Secretary General of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan Cultural and Educational Institutions, Ghalya Ahmed Al Ali, Founding Member of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and representatives from all partners and supporting entities.
The conference was also attended by the Guest of Honour Sheikha Naima Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Women's Sports Federation and Honorary Chairwoman of the Organising Committee for Women's Sports in the GCC countries.
It was confirmed that preparations for the major event would begin, with registration opening in September 2024 to accommodate all potential participants from the UAE, as well as from government and non-government institutions.
Lieutenant general Mohamed Helal Al Kaabi announced that the proceeds of the 2024 race will be donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, which specialises in providing support for research related to developing a treatment for multiple sclerosis. Proceeds from the 2023 race were allocated towards treatments for cancer at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Centre.
Lieutenant general Mohamed Helal Al Kaabi stated that the race concept was drawn up in 2001 from the vision and directives from the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to become a symbol of giving and goodness, and achieve all its charitable and humanitarian goals year after year. It then expanded internationally to reach New York in 2005, then to Egypt in 2014, becoming a model to be emulated and embodying the UAE’s global leadership and its inspiring message in supporting and adopting charitable initiatives, while spreading the culture of humanitarian work throughout the world.
The Chairman of the Organising Committee extended his thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region, for his continuous support and generous sponsorship of the race’s noble humanitarian goals and objectives, and to all partners.
He announced that the race will be launched in its next edition from the Abu Dhabi Legacy hotel, and that the specialised organising committees are making great efforts to ensure its success, implementing all the necessary requirements in each organisational aspect, in cooperation with strategic partners, to achieve the desired goals that will further cement the UAE’s status on the global map of humanitarian and charitable work.
Regarding the prizes, he said, "The total value of the prizes for the winners in this year's edition is AED1.5m, AED750,000 of which will be allocated to Emirati citizens, and the same amount to winners from different countries of the world, especially since the race is open to all segments of society, amateurs and professionals, in celebration of sportsmanship and humanity."
Aref Hamad Al Awani commented that Abu Dhabi Sports Council, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Council, is keen to partner with the Higher Organising Committee to provide support and assistance in the organisation and communication with all concerned parties. The aim is making the charity race a success and achieve all of its goals, as last year's race featured 7,000 contestants and was officially registered with the International Federation.
Aref Hamad Al Awani further elaborated that community sports are witnessing a major boom in Abu Dhabi, thanks to the support and patronage of the wise leadership, and that he expects the number of participants in this year's edition to increase in light of raising the prizes’ financial value and allocating them amongst different categories.
Ghalya Ahmed Al Ali provided a detailed explanation of the establishment and development of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the support it has received since its establishment in 2022, and its great efforts in improving the lives of those affected with the condition. The society provides patients with all forms of support, including qualitative treatments that reduce the effects of pain and directing efforts towards self-improvement in the right direction.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society was launched in the UAE as a non-government non-profit organisation, as it was established with the aim of enabling people with multiple sclerosis to live healthily through awareness and support, while advancing global efforts to find a cure.
Yaqoob Al Saadi added that this year's race coverage will witness many developments, including working to provide a unified broadcast for the country's channels to cover the race live, in addition to communicating with Arab channels to broadcast the event and deliver its charitable message across the region. Work is already underway to prepare a campaign.
Yaqoob Al Saadi stated that the Zayed Charity Run consolidates its values extending from the UAE to all parts of the world, and contributes to introducing its efforts in the fields of humanitarian work and various aspects of philantropy, with high-level content that consolidates its leadership and long history in these fields, embodying the efforts of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the charitable and humanitarian works he provided to many countries, and in recognition of the role of sports in promoting noble causes.
Mohammed Al Shatri, Director of the Community Events Department at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, provided a detailed explanation of the race and its various stages, the participating categories which include People of Determination, the starting and ending locations, registration mechanisms, and lastly, the accompanying events that will take place on the race’s sidelines.
