The UAE Ministry of Defense, represented by the “Executive Administration for Education and Training – Military Physical Education Center”, organized under the supervision of the Arab Military Sports Federation, on December 19, 2021, in Abu Dhabi, the Seventh Arab Military Symposium for Physical Preparation in the Military Field under the title “Comprehensive Physical Readiness” in the presence of His Excellency Matar Salem Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Defense, and the participation of 9 Arab countries: Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Sultanate of Oman, Bahrain, Djibouti, in addition to the United Arab Emirates(UAE).
The organization of the symposium, which lasted until December 24, 2021, came in conjunction with the UAE’s celebrations of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Union – with the participation of officers from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior specialized in the field of military sports, and a host of distinguished lecturers from specialized experts and those interested in this field.
The Attendees
The opening of the symposium was attended by Staff Major General Jumaa Obaid Al Kaabi, Head of the Executive Department of Education and Training at the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier Jihad Issa Qutaishat, President of the Arab Military Sports Federation, Minister Plenipotentiary Tariq Abdul Salam, Secretary-General of the Arab Military Sports Federation, in addition to representatives of the Executive Office, the Technical and Media Committees and the Federation Secretariat Al-Arabi for Military Sports and a number of senior officers of the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior.
His Excellency Matar Salem Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense, said in a statement during the opening of the symposium that within the framework and keenness of our wise leadership to keep our armed forces at the highest levels of combat and physical efficiency, the UAE Ministry of Defense attaches great importance to physical fitness, believing in the importance of sports in preparing its personnel and physically rehabilitating them to be able to receive military training while they are at the peak of their physical and intellectual readiness.
His Excellency stressed the importance of cooperation between Arab countries in the field of military sports due to the firm belief of these countries in the unity of purpose and destiny and the importance of consolidating relations between peoples of the Arab world in the field of military sports.
For his part, Major General Juma Obaid Al Kaabi, Head of the Executive Department of Education and Training, said in his speech: This year, while the United Arab Emirates celebrates the Fiftieth Anniversary of its Union, it is moving into the future at steady and confident steps, with its goal of building, progress and prosperity for its people and for the whole world.
Al-Kaabi expressed his thanks and gratitude for the delegations’ participation in the Seventh Arab Symposium for Physical Preparation in the Military Field, which the Ministry of Defense was keen to host under the umbrella of the Arab Military Sports Federation, for its firm belief in the importance of coordination, integration, interdependence and cohesion among the countries of our great Arab homeland and to ensure the provision of best practices and the exchange of experiences between Military sports leaders, and to consolidate relations among them in the field of sports and realize the slogan of brotherhood through sports.
He pointed out that this symposium comes in light of the great interest of our national and Arab leaders to enhance military cooperation in all fields, including military sports, which is one of the main operational readiness pillars of the armed forces, in light of a constant keenness to build the Arab personnel in general and the military in particular to ensure that they are able to perform their duties efficiently and effectively.
During his speech, Al-Kaabi praised the great role of the Arab League and the Arab Military Sports Federation for their constant keenness to raise the level of military sports in our Arab world and to consolidate the bonds of cooperation and cohesion, through organizing and participating in these symposiums, conferences and other efforts made in everything that would upgrade the standards of military sports in the Arab World.
Then Brigadier General Jihad Issa Qutaishat, President of the Arab Military Sports Federation, delivered a speech in which he wished success for the symposium, and for the United Arab Emirates to continue progress and prosperity, and for all our Arab countries as well.
He explained that physical building and maintaining the combat readiness of members of the armed forces, maintaining the fitness of individuals, high self-confidence, endurance and patience are among the main pillars of the training process armies give to their members to reach the highest level of professionalism and combat efficiency, stressing that physical preparation symposiums contribute to training trainers specialized in training, supervision and raising the level of physical fitness, and enhancing the capabilities and skills of the trainees during competitions and various sports activities and participation in international, Arab and local military sports events.
Brigadier-General Jihad said: This symposium is one of a series of symposia that the Federation is keen to hold, due to its importance with the aim of achieving benefits for all and reaching the desired goal, by reviewing the latest methods and information of physical preparation related to the military training of the Arab Armed Forces, and to continue communication between member States of the Federation and to refresh its activities.
This was followed by screening of a film about the golden jubilee of the UAE, after which memorial photos were taken with the sponsor and the participants.
Photography: Muhammad Hassan Al-Shaer
