PARIS — Ms. Shaima Saleh Al Husseini, managing director of Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA), is set to represent the Saudi sports community at a panel discussion organized by the UNESCO in Paris on Tuesday.

The session, entitled ‘Panel on Women and Youth Engagement in Sport,’ will be hosted as a prelude to the UNESCO’s Seventh Conference of Parties to the International Convention against Doping in Sport — that takes place at the international organization’s headquarters in Paris.

The top-tier UNESCO conference gathers experts and delegations from the 187 member states of the UNESCO’s International Convention against Doping in Sport. Held once every two years, the event strives to encourage the states signatory to the Convention to adopt national measures to prevent and eliminate drug-doping in sport.

At the pre-conference panel discussion, assembled experts, including Al Husseini, will share their views and efforts to showcase Female and Youth Engagement in sports, develop more structured governance of entities to fight against doping in sport, and recommend measures for more empowerment & promotional activities, including education, research and capacity-building.

Panelists will tackle the best strategies and practices that need to be executed to ensure that the youth become clean sports actors.

“The forum will be a great opportunity for experts and key personalities to come together and share their thoughts, efforts and best practices on the range of topics discussed” said Al Husseini.

“We, at the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA), thrive to promote sports and physical activity among all the members of Saudi society. And we have an ambitious plan to engage ultimatly 40% of the Saudi population in weekly sports and physical activities by 2030” added Al Husseini.

The panel will comprise several experts besides Saudi Sports for All Federation – Al-Husseini; Ambassador Kirimi Kaberia, CBS principal secretary at Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage in Kenya, and Ms Reema Al Hosani, president of National Anti-Doping Committee in the United Arab Emirates, and Ms. Julie Demeslay, UNESCO’s Chair on Doping Studies and Analysis of Anti-Doping Policies.

After the panel, the conference will inaugurate its proceedings for three days (Oct. 29-31).

On the first day, sessions will be dedicated to three main themes: artificial intelligence and gene doping; values-based education; and women and youth engagement in sport. While the second and third days will focus on the follow-up on the execution of the resolutions made during last year’s version.

The Saudi Sports for All Federation seeks to promote a healthy and active lifestyle within Saudi society. In fulfilment of its strategic objectives, the Federation thrives to provide access to opportunities for everyone to practice physical activity; so doing by working with public and private stakeholders and establishing a national network of ambassadors.

In its initial years post founding, the SFA's first wave of strategic interventions focused on changing policies, capturing quick wins and introducing pilots. While its second wave includes building on the early momentum by developing sustainability and thus providing a lasting solution.

The SFA steers its work on four strategic priorities: Education, Community & Volunteering, Fitness & Wellbeing, and Campaigns and Promotion; thus designing and deploying recreational sports programs tailored for women, men, youth, the elderly and persons with disabilities in Saudi Arabia. — SG