HH The Emir Sheikh Tamim leads the country on National Sports Day

Neither the overcast sky nor scattered rains could put a dampener on Qatar’s celebrations of its sixth edition of the National Sports Day.

HH The Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Father Emir HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani led thousands of their countrymen and expatriates on a day filled with friendly sporting action and camaraderie.

A number of ministers and other senior government officials too joined in on the National Sports Day activities, reported The Peninsula.

HH The Emir visited the Nomas Center to meet children with autism, who were participating in a horse-riding event. It was organised as part of a first-of-its-kind experiment in the Middle East to create a bond between autistic children and horses.

HH The Father Emir joined a walking exercise in Al Shaqab stud and then watched an Arabian horse show. HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), and HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice-Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation, participated in QF's National Sport Day activities at Al Shaqab's Indoor Arena, Education City.

HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and QOC Secretary General, Dr Thani Abdulrahman Al Kuwari toured and joined in NSD activities taking place around Qatar.

This year’s NSD saw more than 150 events being organised by 135 institutions. A plethora of sports and health and fitness activities were held across various locations including Katara, Aspire Zone, Qatar Foundation, Asian Town, the Museum of Islamic Art Park, Asian Town and The Pearl-Qatar.

The Ministry of Culture and Sports had opened all clubs, playgrounds and sports halls to the public for exercise and to promote awareness about healthy lifestyle.