Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority (GSA) chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa chaired yesterday the 39th meeting of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, held in the kingdom.
Shaikh Khalid conveyed the greetings of His Majesty King Hamad to the visiting ministers.
He affirmed that the deep-rooted fraternal ties bind the GCC countries and continue to strengthen joint-Gulf action, particularly in the youth and sports sectors, given their importance in building for the future.
Shaikh Khalid pointed out that sports have been and will continue to be a bridge of love and rapprochement amongst the GCC people, calling on the brothers in the affiliated countries to participate in the Arab Games, which will be hosted by Bahrain in 2027.
It will be a gathering point for youth and top athletes from the Arab world in an atmosphere of brotherhood and fair competition.
Shaikh Khalid expressed his best wishes for success to all the GCC delegations participating in the upcoming 20th Asian Games, which will be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan starting later this month.
He extended his sincere wishes to Saudi Arabia for success in hosting the 27th edition of the Gulf Cup football tournament, also taking place later this month and popularly known as ‘Khaleeji 27’, which Bahrain enter as defending champions.
Shaikh Khalid stressed that the aspirations of Gulf youth are great and that the common goals uniting GCC countries call for continued efforts to empower them, enhance their capabilities, and propel Gulf sports towards further achievements, in line with the aspirations of the leaders and peoples of the GCC nations.
Meanwhile, the GCC countries’ secretary general Jassim Mohammed Al Budawi praised Bahrain for hosting yesterday’s 39th meeting, noting the support provided by the kingdom to joint-Gulf action in various fields, especially in the youth and sports.
Al Budawi stressed that youth represent a fundamental pillar in the development process of GCC countries, noting the belief of each nation’s leadership in the importance of investing in youth, enhancing their competitiveness, and enabling them to play an active role in various development sectors and fields.
Al Budawi commended the initiatives and programmes implemented by the GCC countries to train and qualify young people and develop their skills, in addition to the sports competitions and events hosted by GCC nations, and their contributions to strengthening communication and rapprochement among Gulf youth while developing a spirit of competition.
A number of other topics on the agenda were also discussed and approved during the meeting, in addition to reviewing and approving a number of joint youth and sports programmes and events, and discussing ways to enhance cooperation and coordination between the GCC nations in the youth and sports sectors.
Shaikh Khalid further affirmed that youth represent a fundamental pillar in the development process and are a true asset for continuing to build and progress.
He noted the kingdom’s pride in the success achieved by Youth City 2030 this year, and the advanced model it presented in empowering youth and developing their capabilities, in addition to launching the Gadeha junior training camp.
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