Excitement is building for the National Sport Day 2013, with less than three weeks to go for the February 12 sporting extravaganza.
The public response has been increasingly enthusiastic, with registrations for the day’s activities being accepted via the National Sport Day website.
More than 700 applications for volunteers have been received and thousands of people are interacting with National Sport Day organisers on Facebook and Twitter.
Qatar’s elite athletes are also rallying behind National Sport Day with the country’s top Paralympian, Abdulrahman Abdulqader Abdulrahman, being recently nominated as the first official National Sport Day Ambassador and other athletes from various sports to be unveiled in the coming days.
The National Sport Day, which enhances the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030, is central to the country’s commitment to sport, in addition to the ‘Schools Olympic Programme,’ that encourages schoolchildren to practice sport as an integral part of their daily life.
Events at the Corniche, Aspire, the Museum of Islamic Art and the Olympic Parks will demonstrate the importance of sport in daily life, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle: the activities will be open to everyone and people with disabilities. Additionally, a ‘Sport Zone’ featuring all-day sport and recreational activities for all, will be open from February 12-16.
The National Sport Day, celebrated every second Tuesday of February, is an initiative adopted by HH the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
Across the country, ministries, government departments, public and private sector organisations and sports clubs are organising events for nationals and residents on February 12 to create awareness about sports and its health benefits.