The event encourages people to adopt healthy lifestyles and behaviour during their sightseeing tours in the emirate.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Under the theme “Let’s walk anytime, anywhere”, the Health Promotion Department, HPD, has recently launched the 7th edition of the “Health & Tourism” campaign which takes place from 5 to 30 August 2020.

The Health & Tourism Campaign is the world's first virtual campaign that brings together health and tourism. Through a host of health and tourist programmes and events, the campaign aims to raise awareness of citizens and residents about the daily health practices and to promote wonderful tourist attractions and landscapes in the Emirate of Sharjah.

This was stated during a virtual press conference attended by Iman Rashid Saif, HPD Director, Majid Al Suwaidi, Director of Local Promotion Department, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) “strategic partner”, Eng. Fathi Afaneh, CEO of Fast Building Contracting “platinum partner”, Abdullah Al Dah, CEO of Al Shaab Village “silver partner”, Dr. Adel Saeed Sajwani, family medicine specialist, MoHAP, and representatives from the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, " media partner", and a number of media personnel and volunteers.

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Iman Rashid Saif said: “This year’s edition is held in different circumstances, especially with the gradual resumption of businesses and activities following the Covid-19 pandemic. This gives greater importance to the campaign which is specifically meant to stimulate and educate community members on the significance of walking and exercising and how to adopt walking as a healthy lifestyle to boost immunity against infectious disease.”

Thanking sponsors, partners, media outlets, and volunteers for their support, the HPD Director pointed out that the event is focusing on enhancing Sharjah’s position by encouraging people to adopt healthy lifestyles and behaviour during their sightseeing tours in the emirate.

For his part, Majid Al Suwaidi said: “As a strategic partner, we are keen to help spread healthy behaviour in tourist sites and reinforce Sharjah’s status as a distinctive tourist, heritage, and family destination.”

Abdullah Al Dah hailed the efforts of the Health Promotion Department in organising the campaign, pointing out that the participation of Al Zajil Fairs Management, represented by Al Shaab Village, reflects the importance of the integration with the governmental sector in all events and activities relevant to social responsibility.

In turn, Eng. Fathi Afaneh shed light on the importance of the Health & Tourism Campaign in terms of boosting the physical and mental health of individuals by raising their awareness about healthy behaviors and motivating them to walk during their tourist tours.

The press conference also included an introductory film on the achievements of the campaign since its launch in 2014, while Dr. Adel Sajwani, family physician in the Ministry of Health and Prevention, gave an educational lecture on the benefits of walking, its importance in maintaining a healthy weight, improving physical fitness and preventing from chronic diseases.