Arab Women Sports Tournament Working To Strengthen 2020 Edition’s Regional Profile
The Supreme Organising Committee of the fifth edition of the Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST 2020) met for their second committee meeting recently, and approved key recommendations geared towards raising the profile of the 2020 edition to be held in Sharjah.
The main highlights of the discussion points were discussions around competition venues and facilities to reflect top international standards, streamline logistics including accommodation, hotel bookings and transportation, as well as speedy delivery of necessary official approvals.
The committee is working on setting AWST 2020 as a new benchmark of leadership and excellence in organising major sporting events in Sharjah. To this end, AWST subcommittees will be taking on new roles alongside the one they have been playing in the past four editions.
The meeting was presided over by HE Nada Askar Al Naqbi, Deputy Head of AWST’s Supreme Organising Committee, Head of AWST’s Executive Committee and Director General of Sharjah Women’s Sports Foundation (SWSF), in the presence of heads and members of AWST committees.
During the meeting, committee members presented key ideas and recommendations that would further position the region’s largest and biggest women sports tournament as key platform for excellence, innovation and awareness geared to support and empower Arab female athletes.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of achieving the highest standards of environmental safety in line with Sharjah’s sustainability and eco-friendly practices.
These recommendations and plans will be reviewed and confirmed during the organising committee’s first official preparation meeting in April this year, which will take place under the presence of Her Excellency Sheikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa, Head of the AWST Supervisory Committee, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Second Deputy Chairman. The meeting is expected to officially announce the new details of the confirmed plans and strategies for AWST 2020.
HE Nada Al Naqbi lauded the efforts being exerted by all committees to take the upcoming edition of AWST to the next level to serve the committee’s ultimate goal for the tournament to gain global prominence. She praised their meticulous planning and execution of technical, logistical and organisational functions, and conveyed the good wishes of Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of AWST’s Supreme Organising Committee, to everyone in attendance.
She explained: “In every meeting, we explore new options and mechanisms necessary to strengthen the global presence of AWST, which has become the Arab region’s most prestigious and competitive sporting platform female athletes.”
She added: “AWST is the first-of-its-kind competition dedicated exclusively to recognising excellence in women in sports, who come together annually in Sharjah to play to their fullest potential and uphold the Arab world’s sporting spirit. This edition will specifically focus on strengthening the tournament’s global presence, which will enable us to showcase the accomplishments of Arab sports women on the world arena.”
The first edition of AWST was held in 2012 at the initiative of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and Chairperson of Sharjah Sports Women Foundation (SWSF).
The pan-Arab tournament is held biennially with the aim of furthering women’s sports in the Arab region. SWSF is currently preparing for its fifth edition, which will take place in 2020.
