Zayed Charity Marathon to be held in Kerala, India

DUBAI / WAM

The Higher Organising Committee of the Zayed Charity Marathon discussed the launch of a new phase in the Indian state of Kerala before the end of 2023. The discussion took place during a meeting of the committee, which was held yesterday in Dubai, headed by Lt Gen Mohammed Hilal Al Kaabi, with the participation of a high-level Indian delegation including Sunjay Sudhir, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, and Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala. The meeting was also attended by Yusuff Ali MA, Chairman of Lulu Group International, and Ahmed Mohammed Hilal Al Kaabi, Member of the Higher Organising Committee of the Zayed Charity Marathon.
The Zayed Charity Marathon was launched in Abu Dhabi upon the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2001. It has been held annually to support charitable and humanitarian projects, expanding its reach to New York City in 2005 and Egypt in 2014.
Lt Gen Al Kaabi stressed that the meeting discussed the broad outlines for establishing the marathon’s new station in Kerala before the end of the current year, with subsequent events planned to cover various parts of India. The marathon will continue its humanitarian journey through the new fourth station in the Asian continent in Kerala.
“In the coming weeks, we look forward to the arrival of an Indian sports delegation that will meet with the technical committees of the Higher Organising Committee to finalise all arrangements for the marathon, which we expect to be one of the most successful editions,” he said.
Sudhir expressed his anticipation for the event’s hosting in his country, confirming that an event of this magnitude will have a significant impact.
He also expects a tremendous response from the Indian people, especially considering the friendly relations between the two countries, noting that the government of Kerala will decide shortly regarding the beneficiaries of the charitable event.
He then stressed that the relations between UAE and India are witnessing significant overall development, highlighting the strong bond and close communication between the two nations while noting that the Indian community is one of the largest communities in the UAE.
Vijayan stressed that hosting the leading charitable sporting event highlights the deep-rooted relations between the two countries and the communication between their peoples, expressing his gratitude to the marathon’s Higher Organising Committee for selecting Kerala as the new station in the rounds of this leading humanitarian, charitable event.
Ali said that hosting the Zayed Charity Marathon in India is an opportunity for the Indian people to show their love and gratitude for the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and their appreciation for the UAE.