Qatar’s National Sport Day (NSD) celebration has inspired many companies in the country to continuously run sport and fitness programmes to help raise awareness on the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle.
These initiatives also encouraged a large number of residents to exercise and participate in a wide range of sporting activities regularly, going beyond the second Tuesday of February, which is celebrated annually as the Qatar National Sport Day .
“We care a lot about our employees’ health and wellbeing,” Ooredoo’s Community and Public Relations director Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari told Gulf Times.
Besides celebrating the NSD annually, she said they also organise several internal  tournaments and competitions, which draw a lot of participants from different departments.
Ooredoo’s “Goal Tournament” gives employees opportunities to participate and enjoy playing football, volleyball, cricket, table tennis, basketball (for men), table tennis, volleyball and shooting for women, according to al-Kuwari.
She said they also organise an annual Ramadan football tournament “in addition to Ooredoo’s many other health and lifestyle activities throughout the year.”
The company also encourages its employees to have a gym workout after working hours.
Ooredoo hosts an annual marathon which attracts a large number of residents in Qatar and professional runners from others countries.
Some malls such as Hyatt Plaza also continue to run its “Walk in the Mall” programme led by its walking club.
The mall’s corporate communications executive Fawaz Mohamed told Gulf Times that they continue to welcome visitors who want to walk and exercise inside their premises especially during summer.
The programme was organised by its Human Resources department as part of promoting a healthy lifestyle among its staff and their family members.
Another mall official lauded what they described as a “great initiative” saying it educates and inspires people to start taking small steps towards living a healthy lifestyle.
For a diplomat like Philippine ambassador Wilfredo Santos, the NSD brings together all communities in Qatar to be involved in different kinds of sport and healthy physical activities.
The envoy said several embassies  had set up booths at the Khalifa Tennis Complex during the annual celebration.
An active table tennis player like Vikram Arora echoed the statement of Santos saying the NSD brings nationalities together not only for one day.
“Sport gives us a sense of belonging and honour. When we play with other nationalities, we bond and NSD is a great way to celebrate the true essence of sportsmanship,” he noted.