A range of complimentary swimming clinics, water safety awareness workshops and mascot tours are active across the UAE ahead of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m).

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Ahead of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), Abu Dhabi Sports Council, in partnership with National Health Insurance Company – Daman and the UAE Swimming Federation, has launched a series of community initiatives that are taking place across Abu Dhabi and Dubai, free for the whole community to join.

Running throughout November and December, numerous workshops on Water Safety Awareness are being delivered in a bid to educate children and those in authoritative positions on swimming safely. The workshops cover essential points, such as: identifying hazards in and around various water environments; assessing the safety of swimming conditions, and how to use the pool and beach safely; prevention and response to emergencies; as well as identifying safety equipment located at every pool and beach.

The initiatives are being held in cooperation with several service providers in Abu Dhabi, including Apex Sports Academy, Hamilton Aquatics, Soul Sports Academy and Advantage Sports. In November alone, over 4,000 people took part with the programme delivering over 160 hours of workshops.

In addition to the series of workshops hosted throughout November and December, ADSC and Daman are providing the chance for younger swim fans to meet the official FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) mascot, Dana the Hawksbill Turtle. The mascot will be present at organised swim meets, school visits and community sports activations in the lead up to December’s championships.

Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “We place high importance on the health and safety of community members, particularly during sports activities, and these initiatives and programmess help to support our efforts. Grassroots communities are a fundamental foundation on which to build a nation of healthy citizens, and we are pleased to add these initiatives to our calendar in the lead up to the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m).

“It is important for us to leverage international events such as the FINA World Swimming Championships to deliver benefits for the UAE’s residents – including improving health and wellness, building community spirit and discovering local talent. I am grateful to our partnerships with Daman, the UAE Swimming Federation and multiple service providers for supporting us in this vital programme.”

Hamad Al Mehyas, Chief Executive Officer at National Health Insurance Company – Daman, added: “Daman is invested in the long-term health and wellbeing of the UAE society, and we are proud to offer platforms and initiatives that help the UAE’s residents commit to a healthier lifestyle.

“Events such as the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) provide the perfect platform to engage communities. Through this event and our longstanding partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council, who share our commitment to encouraging healthy lifestyles, we are able to offer access to swimming lessons and swim safety clinics, completely free of charge and open to all.”