Dubai: The UAE Athletics Federation (UAEAF) has teamed up with the Plan b group to announce an inter-emirate run titled Year of Zayed Run 2018 as a tribute to the founding father of the UAE.
2018 is being marked as the ‘Year of Zayed’ to celebrate the exemplary achievements of the Father of the Nation and the run is being held to commemorate his birth centenary. Participants in the race will carry aloft a torch of unity across the seven emirates.
The event will feature 5-km runs in each emirate that will bring together citizens and residents alike. The nationwide event will also see the setting up of fan villages that will host daylong celebrations.
2018 will mark 100 years since the birth of Shaikh Zayed and the ‘Year of Zayed’ will highlight his role in establishing the UAE Federation, besides his local, regional and international achievements. The Year of Zayed Run 2018 will be an opportunity for all residents in the UAE to participate in a nationwide tribute to the founding father in their respective emirates, while also symbolising the solidarity and progressiveness of the UAE.
“We are delighted to announce this nationwide event that will congregate residents in each emirate on a single day to run, jog or walk alongside family and friends. The event will be a public tribute commemorating the exemplary leader Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan who laid the foundation for one of the most ambitious and progressive Arab nations in the world. I invite all businesses, family and friends to come out and join us for such an auspicious event,” said Ahmad Al Kamali, President, UAEAF.
“The inter-emirate run will further support the country’s happiness, health and fitness agenda besides being a nationwide effort that amplifies the solidarity and unity of the UAE,” he added.
Harmeek Singh, Plan b group founder and chairman, said: “The responsibility of planning and organising a tribute to honour the father of the nation is the biggest honour in its own right. The event will certainly be a patriotic highlight of 2018 and we invite all residents of the UAE to come and display their love for the man who made the Union possible.”
“The run will take place in all seven emirates and the route in each emirate will cover its iconic landmarks. The event will culminate into a celebration village in each location that will feature a specially curated tribute to the Father of the Nation as well as concerts and other cultural entertainment,” Singh added.
