The Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) organised a 1km Fun Run at the Yas Bay Waterfront in Abu Dhabi as part of the WED World Early Childhood Development Movement, with the participation of more than 700 children and their parents, in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Miral, the creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi.
Highlighting the important role of a healthy lifestyle and pursuing sports and physical activity in the development of children in their early years, also emphasising the need to strengthen family bonds and quality time, a large number of children and parents participated in the event in an exhilarating and joyful atmosphere, that generated healthy interaction, engaging play-time and positive reinforcement of sports and physical activities.
The event underscored the importance of physical and psychological well-being during the most important years of development in a child’s life. The Fun Run event proved to be a rewarding and engaging experience for participating children, where medals were awarded to all those who took part, creating an engaging, interactive atmosphere where everyone felt acknowledged and invited, whether children or parents.
The event successfully encouraged physical activity in a fun and supportive environment, promoting the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle and reinforcing family connections. His Excellency Dr. Yousef Al Hammadi, ECA Executive Director, Knowledge & Impact Sector, spoke of the importance of the event, saying: “It was organised with a multifaceted purpose, aiming to strengthen family and social bonds through an engaging and enriching activity, and also reinforce the enjoyable aspects of exercise, instilling positive associations with physical activity among young children.
Simultaneously, it sheds light on Abu Dhabi’s ongoing efforts to design child and family-friendly outdoor spaces that integrate safety, accessibility, cleanliness, and play opportunities for the most vulnerable in our society.” For his part, Talal Al Hashemi, Executive Director of the Events Sector at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “We contributed to supporting the Children’s Fun Race in Abu Dhabi, out of our belief in the importance of making sport part of daily life for all members of society, and different age groups.
We seek, with all partners, to play an important role in increasing awareness of the importance of sports, as well as developing and supporting collaborative, innovative and effective work in the early childhood development sector.” Commenting on this initiative, Taghrid Alsaeed, Executive Director of Group Communications and Destination Marketing said: “We are proud to be supporting such an initiative, that aligns with our CSR pillars, aiming at fostering and promoting sports and a healthy lifestyle within our community and youth.
We remain committed in our journey to deliver positive, long-term value to the communities in which we operate, and this fun run is a testament of this.” These events are part of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority’s efforts in the field of early childhood development, in cooperation with its partners, and in line with the World Early Childhood Development Movement (WED), particularly the Initiative’s three core streams, which are intentional parenting, Culture and identity, sustainable and family-friendly cities, as well as raising awareness of early childhood issues and devoting sincere and effective efforts to advancing early childhood at all levels, thereby contributing to children’s optimum development on the physical and psychological levels, and instilling the necessary skills in preparation for the rest of their lives, in the belief that investment in early childhood development is the best investment to build a solid society capable of inclusive and sustainable development.