The Old School Challenge which will be held at the Marina 1 – Al Zorah aims to highlight the rich Emirati heritage.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Ajman Department of Tourism Development is organizing the 4th edition of the “Old School Challenge” on Saturday with the participation of a huge number of local and international contestants from different nationalities and age groups.

The Old School Challenge which will be held at the Marina 1 – Al Zorah aims to highlight the rich Emirati heritage, and the customs and traditions of the ancestors which have been passed on throughout generations, in an innovative and competitive approach. Inspired by the Emirati traditions and its land, marine, and agricultural environment, the challenge will include 20 different types of obstacles for the 7 KM race for men and women, and 10 different obstacles for the 1 KM race for children.

The challenge also features a heritage village with various activities for the families with food and beverage trucks.

This event aims mainly at preserving the Emirati heritage, promoting the concept of sports and adopting a healthy lifestyle, and introducing our ancestors’ customs and traditions to the younger generations.

Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi, Director General of the Ajman Department of Tourism Development, stated that the Old School Challenge comes as part of the department’s strategies to boost the tourism activity in the emirate by organizing various sports and cultural events that are of great interest to the public.

“We aimed to organize an innovative sports event designed to experience the true Emirati heritage, with a main purpose to revive the difficulties our ancestors had to endure and overcome”, Hashmi added.

Hashmi stressed that the Old School Challenge represents a new and complete method to attract the young generation, and an occasion to celebrate all kinds of achievements the Emirati heritage has fulfilled throughout all its generations, and we seek from this event to present a unique model that blends all historical, cultural, and traditional aspects of our unified society.

Hashmi pointed out that this event contributes in promoting the culture of sports among all citizens but with a touch of traditional customs, as the obstacles chosen are inspired by the local Emirati heritage and aims to preserve it in a modern way.

The Old School Challenge will be organized by Powerfit, and in partnership with Endurance Sports Services, the Saudi German Hospital as the Gold Sponsor, Gulfa Water as the Hydration Sponsor, with the support of the Body & Bath Works, the Ajman Municipality and Planning Department, the Ajman Police, the National Emergency Response Volunteer Programme – Sanid, and Nabdh Al Emarat Volunteering team.