Sheikh Saeed backs Baku’s initiative
dubai — Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, an UAE Olympian, has announced his support for the Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games International Grassroots Programme.
The International Grassroots Programme is designed to provide a platform to not only raise awareness of the athletes participating in Baku 2017, but also to use the Islamic Solidarity Games as a vehicle through which to excite and motivate more young people to actively engage in sport.
The Grassroots Programme, which has been endorsed by the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) taking part in the Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games, currently includes 23 athletes from 11 countries.
Each athlete involved in this project will get an opportunity to share their own personal journeys through different media channels.
These journeys and stories will mainly focus on athletes’ dedication, trainings and preparations, helping to build up the excitement before the start of Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games.
As a part of International Grassroots Campaign, Sheikh Saeed will share his sporting experience with young people, encouraging and inspiring them to get more involved into sports and promote the four core values of Baku 2017 Islamic Games — Respect, Unity, Excellence and Peace. Moreover, Sheikh Saeed will speak about the role of sport in Islam.
Speaking about his support for Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games International Grassroots Programme, Sheikh Saeed, himself a very accomplished and successful international sportsman, said: “I believe this is a wonderful opportunity to inspire people from across the Islamic world to celebrate sport; not only as a way of bringing out the very best in each of us, but as a means of uniting us all in a collective spirit of peace, unity, respect and excellence.”
The Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games is an exciting multisport event, which will take place in Azerbaijan’s capital city between May 12-22. The Games will feature athletes from 50 countries, across four continents, competing for medals in 20 sports, including athletics, football, gymnastics, shooting, wrestling and swimming. Azerbaijan’s capital city Baku was awarded the Games at the General Assembly of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) in Jeddah in July 2013.