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In the year 2001, Abu Dhabi held a run in tribute to Sheikh Zayed. Now, the event has grown into a worldwide charity phenomenon, with the very first edition attracting over 180,949 participants at home and later expanding into New York in 2005 with seventeen uninterrupted runs and a total of 110,844 runners.
This year, the event returned in September, taking place on the Great Wall in Huairou, China. More than seventeen thousand runners swept over the stone steps with more than 100 Emirati runners taking part, including both men and women, and set new course records in the full and half marathons. The aim is to funds hospitals, medical research, and patient care, and organisers partnered with Huairou District Women’s Federation, the Huairou District Disabled Persons’ Federation, the Red Cross Society in Beijing Huairou, and the Children’s Welfare Institute in Huairou for this particular run.
The four-day event took place from September 19 to 22 with a number of activities, including the flagship 10 kilometre run as well as a robot run, a five kilometre family run and a dedicated run for People of Determination. Alongside the sports, the Al Bait Al Emarati cultural fair showcased a rich program of cultural activities, offering visitors an immersive experience of Emirati traditions.
Photo: SuppliedThe marathon was flagged off by UAE officials, Lt. General (Ret.) Mohammed Hilal Al Kaabi, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of the Zayed Charity Run, alongside H.E. Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, UAE Ambassador to China, several embassy officials, and Ahmed Al Kaabi, a member of the Higher Organizing Committee.
Following the start of the marathon, government representatives from the UAE and China toured the Emirati Pavilion near the Wall, then visited the Zayed Charity Run Pavilion for a briefing on humanitarian aims and the run’s origins.
Since the beginning of the initiative, contributions have surpassed one hundred and seventy million US dollars for hospitals and medical research, and participation has climbed over six hundred thousand runners from a wide range of nationalities.
The run’s success and adaptation around the globe speak for themselves. Abu Dhabi has hosted thirteen editions and, over time, built a community that rallies around the charitable spirit of the UAE’s Founding Father. New York followed in collaboration with the National Kidney Foundation and the UAE Embassy, delivering seventeen editions that direct proceeds to a specialised hospital for kidney research while offering support to children with kidney disease. Egypt joined with nine editions, working with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to channel funds to hospitals and treatment clinics.
As the chapter continues, similar events will take place in Rio on October 5, Abu Dhabi on November 29, Cairo on December 26, Miami on January 31, and Budapest in May 2026. Each city partners with trusted organisations such as the Rio Solidário, Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center, and the National Kidney Foundation of Florida, ensuring that the entity produces very real, tangible results.
At the finish line, pride is shared by everyone, from organisers and UAE-based runners to athletes from around the world and the crews who fly in from remote regions, all for a united cause.
