Under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the opening of the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games tomorrow, continuing until 21 November, with participation from 57 Islamic countries.
The Islamic Solidarity Games unites the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association’s (ISSA) member National Olympic Committees, providing a platform to celebrate peace and diversity.
The 6th edition marks a return to Saudi Arabia, where the inaugural Islamic Solidarity Games was held in 2005.
It will feature 3,500 of the best athletes from the 57 competing countries, participating across 23 sports until the Closing Ceremony on 21 November.
Events have already begun in Futsal, Volleyball and Boxing. The other sports on the programme are Athletics, Para Athletics, 3x3 Basketball, Camel Racing, Duathlon, Equestrian, Esports, Fencing, Handball, Judo, Ju-jitsu, Karate, Muay Thai, Para Powerlifting, Swimming, Taekwondo, Table Tennis, Weightlifting, Wrestling and Wushu.
Competition will be staged across four venue clusters, delivering a sustainable hosting model which will inspire future editions of the Islamic Solidarity Games.
Minister of Sport, President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and President of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal stated, "This royal patronage highlights the importance of joint Islamic action and the support for cooperation among the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Sport serves as a vital bridge for fostering peace, unity, and understanding."
"We are excited to host over 3,000 athletes competing in more than 22 different sports and are committed to delivering an exceptional event that showcases the Kingdom's organizational capabilities," he added.
The Islamic Solidarity Games are a major event in the Islamic world, fostering fair competition, promoting values of peace and brotherhood, and reinforcing Saudi Arabia's commitment to unity among Islamic nations.
