Students taking part in the walkathon through the Aspire Park yesterday. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed

By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter

 

Hundreds of schoolchildren from many Independent Schools took part in a walkathon at the Aspire Zone yesterday morning, in celebration of the World Walking Day.

Many of them held placards and banners highlighting the importance of physical activity for a healthy life. The children went around the Aspire Park in a slow pace and were joined by many grown-ups too. The event that started around 9am came to a close by 10am.

Khaleel al- Jabir, sports director, Qatar Olympic Committee, led the whole group. He was joined by many Qataris including noted singer Ali Abdul Sattar.

Speaking to Gulf Times, al-Jabir said that it was a great initiative and set an example for everyone to follow a healthy lifestyle. “The World Walking Day is an occasion for everyone to think of following healthy practices in day-to-day life. Today, about 500 students from a number of schools in Qatar are taking part in the walkathon. Though symbolic in nature, we are sending out a strong message to the community that physical activities are very important for a healthy life.”

He said that many such activities had been arranged in the past to promote physical activities in daily life. “We will continue organising such events so that the young generation will be benefited in a big way. It will also help us in the realisation of healthy human capital which is one of the major goals of Qatar National Vision 2030,” he added.

Singer Sattar said that such events are a way to promote a healthy living. “It promotes healthy living through physical activities. We all have the opportunity to practise healthy living through different activities. So we all must make use of them to maintain good health. We must continue practising and learning more and see why an active lifestyle is helping the society.”

One of the teachers from an Independent School said that it was an interesting activity though the weather was pretty hot.  “I hope that my students will benefit from this practice immensely and will follow it in their daily lives. Physical activities can give them a good physique and better health.”

 

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