ABU DHABI: Mohammed Hilal Al-Kaabi, chairman of the Zayed Charity Marathon Supreme Committee, has announced the hosting of the latest edition of the race in New York as one of the events celebrating the UAE’s golden jubilee.
New York has declared Dec. 2, 2021, “Emirati Day” to coincide with the race and the UAE’s 50th anniversary celebrations following a proposal put forward by Dubai-born state senator Kevin Thomas.
The race has previously also been held in the Egyptian cities of Cairo, Suez, Luxor and Ismailia.
“On every edition of the marathon, we extend our feelings of gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, who had the original idea of holding a charity race named after the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan in 2001, which led to the first edition of the Zayed Charity Marathon in Abu Dhabi,” said Al-Kaabi. “The race’s first international edition was then held in New York in 2005, whose profits and donations went to the National Kidney Foundation.”
He added: “Since its launch, the marathon has followed the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, not only as a race but also as a global charity event dedicated to all people without discrimination, while carrying the name of the man of giving, Sheikh Zayed.
“For 50 years, we have had profound and solid commercial, artistic, educational and sporting relations with New York City. Nowadays, the marathon has become one of the city’s landmarks, along with the famous Central Park, as people wait for it every year. Most importantly, people saw the contributions of the marathon to providing free medical treatment to many.”
Al-Kaabi said the marathon has hit its humanitarian goals and encouraged more than 30,000 people of all nationalities and religions to participate in the last event that was held in New York. He noted that it was also held in Egypt as part of its strategy and to promote the culture of giving under the framework of the directives of the crown prince of Abu Dhabi.
