26 February 2020

H.H. SHEIKHA FATIMA BINT HAZZA BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN CALLS ON WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD TO JOIN THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN SPORTS THIS NOVEMBER

26 February 2020

H.H. SHEIKHA FATIMA BINT HAZZA BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN CALLS ON WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD TO JOIN THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN SPORTS THIS NOVEMBER

Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan today called the women of the UAE and around the world to be part of the week-long celebration of women in sport. A unique event is set to bring together courageous world-famous athletes, inspiring industry leaders and like-minded women around the world as they share their goose-bump moments, celebrate achievements and motivate greater participation in sports.

The programme for the week will include the fifth editions of both the International Conference of Sports for Women and the Fatima bint Mubarak World Sports Awards, as well as an exciting array of educational and mass participation sports events.

Led by the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA) and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), the women in sports celebration will take place from 13-20 November in Abu Dhabi.

H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, President of the Abu Dhabi and the Al Ain ladies clubs said: “It is a pleasure and an honour to invite all of you to be part of an extraordinary celebration of women in sports. The initiative embodies not only UAE’s commitment to women’s development, but also brings to life our values of inclusion, innovation and healthy competition.

“Since the inception of the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy we have made it our mission to continuously create countless opportunities for women to participate in sports. We commit to keep passionately supporting the rise of inspirational leaders in the sports industry, both here in the UAE and globally. I call on you to join us in playing a key role in shaping the future of women’s sports.

“I want to thank H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the UAE General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, for her continued guidance and support in realising her vision through a number of exciting initiatives for our people.

“I look forward to welcoming you in November to celebrate some of the most exceptional women from the world of sport.”

Events during the week-long celebration are expected to draw major interest, so anyone wishing to attend or participate is encouraged to pre-register their interest now at: www.WomenInSports.ae

 The International Conference of Sports for Women is a leading industry gathering that promotes and supports FBMA’s vision of instilling sports into the UAE culture and the daily life of all the women in the Emirates, while advancing the global women’s sports debate. With the history of powerful speakers, perception-changing topics and touching stories in the previous years, the conference is synonymous with sporting excellence and known as a pioneering platform to both challenge and empower a variety of points of view.

 This year’s conference, the event’s fifth edition, will feature a number of keynote speeches from the world’s biggest sporting names.  The panel sessions will explore some of the industry’s most debated topics including women and leadership in sports, the new image of women in sports, increasing importance of community sports, and overall the future of women in sport with its perspectives and challenges. This year’s delegates will not only have a chance to listen to exceptional stories and opinions from speakers, but also will have the opportunity to actively participate and learn to take themselves out of their comfort zones to improve performance on and off the field.

 Topic 1: Women and leadership in sport – why is diversity important

More and more women take on leadership and key decision-making roles in sport, and they are making an impact. This panel will explore why it is important, to have a balanced, inclusive and diverse workplace; what are the benefits for women, for sport and the wider sports industry.

Topic 2: Sport in the community – overcoming participation barriers

Encouraging and empowering girls to participate in sport and exercise at a grassroots level is a focus area for multiple national sports bodies and federations. This panel will discuss the known barriers to sport participation with examples of success stories that have overcome those barriers.

Topic 3: The ‘Shero’ movement – the new image of women in sports

The way women are represented in media and advertising is changing. Female athletes are speaking out and campaigning for change. Brands and federations are getting behind this movement to develop brilliant campaigns. This theme will have a focus on athletes, brands and the media.

Topic 4: The future of women in sport – how far can we go?

We will look at inspiring examples of women who are shaping the way for next generation of girls and women in sport, with a focus on the region.  This session aims to inspire and motivate everyone attending to make change happen.

The Fatima bint Mubarak World Sports Awards, scheduled for 17 November, takes place every four years and draws leaders from across the sporting world to honour the stand-out performances and achievements of athletes, federations, governing bodies, media and others in the field of women’s sports worldwide from the past four year Olympic cycle.

 The Awards, however, not only champion superstars from around the world, but also celebrate athletes of all ages and backgrounds who have overcome adversity to achieve greatness in sport, as well the individuals on and off the field, who are often the unsung heroes behind the iconic stories of remarkable achievement. The Awards will also continue to highlight the UAE’s world-leading position as an international sports hub and a driving force behind the development of more opportunities for women of all backgrounds to participate in sports, a belief which sits at the very heart of the vision of the leadership of the nation.

   

Stronger Together

 The theme of Stronger Together is the unifying idea that will bond all aspects of the week-long programme. Throughout history women proved that what they can achieve together in sports is very powerful. Inspired by togetherness, strength and performance the theme is set to showcase the new era for women in sport that is driven by bravery and unity, the future that is built on the ideas of equality and inclusion. By coming together, it will become everyone’s collective responsibility to foster and create new opportunities for women in sport as they continue to thrive. The conference will help to shine the light on the promising changes happening in the women in sports industry, showcase extraordinary success stories of female athletes and their incredible achievements, aspirational leaders of sport initiatives, and the stories of everyday people moved and motivated by sport.

 Inspired by the overall theme of ‘Stronger Together’, the official logos embody the notions of togetherness of strong and empowering women from all over the world. The logo for the International Conference of Sports for Women is a sphere depicting the magnitude of joining forces and coming together as a whole. Additionally, the Fatima bint Mubarak World Sports Awards logo is inspired by every woman from around the globe and is showcased as the universal profile of a woman who represents all – the athlete, the mother, the teammate, the fan, the coach. 

 In the coming months, the hosts will share details about the full calendar of activities the week will offer, will unveil the conference programme and speakers’ profiles for the International Conference of Sports for Women and will open the submissions for the Fatima bint Mubarak World Sports Awards. To stay tuned, people can pre-register at www.WomenInSports.ae and follow our social media accounts.