A glimpse of the press conference. Photo by Samer Shaqir

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 31: The Kuwaiti-Emirati School Football Challenge kicked off Saturday at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium in Fahaheel, under the patronage of Minister of Education Jalal Al-Tabtabaei.

The tournament, which runs until Feb 3, features student teams from both countries and includes six competitive matches -- two per day.

The sporting atmosphere reflects the spirit of Gulf brotherhood and opens new horizons for school sports cooperation, while reinforcing the values of fair competition and collaboration between students from Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In an exclusive statement to the newspaper on the sidelines of the press conference that the ministry organized on Saturday to announce the tournament, Dr. Hessa Jassim Arab -- acting Director of the Department of Technical Guidance for Physical Education at the ministry -- confirmed that the tournament is the first of its kind in the field of school sports in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. She disclosed that it was organized within the framework of cooperation between the ministries of education in both countries and as part of a broad protocol covering the educational, sports, cultural, and media aspects.

She said, “The tournament is the real launching pad for Gulf school sports cooperation. It is an implementation of the directives of the leadership of the two brotherly countries, with the support of the Education Minister. Kuwait is hosting the first leg, while the second leg will be held in the UAE.”

She pointed out that football was chosen as the starting match for the tournament between the two countries, because it is the most popular sport among students. She emphasized that the tournament serves as a platform for discovering student talent, fostering a spirit of fair competition, and exchanging experiences between students, teachers, and educational staff in both countries. She also unveiled plans to organize other tournaments in padel sports, basketball, and volleyball.

She added, “The tournament aligns with Kuwait Vision 2035, particularly the pillar of educational sustainability and the development of student talent in various fields.” She asserted that the ministry is working hard to prepare and qualify students to become the core of future champions at the regional and international levels.

On the other hand, Dr. Thuraya Al-Salmi, head of the UAE delegation, Director of the Technical and Vocational Education Department, and acting Director of the Student Life Quality Department at the UAE Ministry of Education, expressed her deep appreciation for the warm welcome and excellent organization, emphasizing that the championship reflects the deep fraternal ties between the two brotherly nations.

She explained that the championship is not just a sporting competition, but a comprehensive educational message affirming that sports have become a national priority and an essential tool for building a healthy and disciplined generation and discovering talent at an early age.

She noted that the Kuwaiti-Emirati Challenge Championship is the first collaboration of its kind in the field of school sports at the Gulf level and forms a true foundation for launching broader Gulf school championships in the future, encompassing various team and individual sports, thus contributing to establishing sporting sustainability and enhancing educational integration among the GCC countries.

The conference concluded by emphasizing that this championship represents the beginning of a long path of school sports partnerships, a fundamental building block in creating champions from the classroom and promoting the values of belonging, teamwork, and positive competition between students from Kuwait and the UAE, in a model to be emulated at the level of the Gulf region.

By Inaas Awadh

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff