Dubai: Saree-clad women, pregnant mums, the physically challenged, including amputees and workers of all collars will be among the thousands who will take part in a massive women’s-only run in Dubai on November 17.
The Dubai Women’s Run 2017, which will kick off at Marasi Business Bay at 7am, is expecting around 10,000 women from all walks of life to participate, the run’s organiser Harmeek Singh, founder of marketing and events company Plan B, told XPRESS.
Brand ambassadors
As the run, which is supported by the UAE Athletes Federation and Dubai Sports Council enters its seventh year, Singh said, “Having taken over as organiser and manager of the run from this year, my objective was to create a community of women from different walks of life to come together and be fit physically, mentally and emotionally. We have a society that is largely driven by men and perceptions have to change to achieve a healthy balance (between the genders). We hope men will also turn up in large numbers to cheer the women taking part in the run.”
The brand ambassadors of the run include Lamia Tareq Malala Al Farsi, a six-year-old rhythmic gymnast who is better known as the wonder girl of the UAE, Dareen Barbar, an amputee and fitness coach, dentist, artist and philanthropist Dr Sana Sajan and Bollywood actor Sonu Sood.
The run, for the first time, will also feature 15-20 women who will be clad in sarees, the Indian traditional attire.
All part of an informal Facebook group called ‘Saree in Style’, the women will be provided with special sashes to facilitate identification. Among those who will be running from this group is Beema Benazir, Saree in Style FB page admin from Sharjah.
Sense of empowerment
Media consultant Manju Raman, who roped the saree-clad women into the run, said, “The run enables these women to take their passion for sarees to another level. While they get to showcase their cause, the event will also give them a sense of empowerment.”
The run will be in two segments – 10km and 5km -- to cater to both professional runners and the general community.
Singh said registrations for the run will remain open till November 16. For a place in the run, call 050-3471391 or 055-9667350.
