DOHA: Thousands of runners in white T-shirts got covered in colours yesterday in Doha during a run, which also contributed to educating out-of-school children.
The Color Run, also known as the Happiest 5k on the Planet, is a paint race that celebrates healthiness, happiness and individuality.
The event revisited Doha for a second time, together with Sahtak Awalan: Your Health First, the health campaign run by Weill Cornell Medical College - Qatar (WCMC-Q). With over 7,000 runners at the event, every entry $1 will be donated to Educate A Child (EAC), organisers said.
EAC is a global programme of Education Above All Foundation (EAA) that aims to significantly reduce the number of children worldwide who are denied their right to quality primary education.
Through EAC-supported projects — over 40 in 38 countries — EAA has put commitments in place that have brought quality education to more than six million out- of-school children. The Colour Run Doha began near the Qatar National Convention Center, after a warm-up session and the flag-waving ceremony by 17-year-old Ghanem Al Kuwairi.
At four colour stations during the 5km run, volunteers showered participants with colour powder, which is very prominent at the run. The event ended with celebration.
Nesreen Al Rifai, Chief Communications Officer, WCMC-Q, said, “The Color Run is such a special event that it makes healthy living fun and encourages people to get active together, which is such an important component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It perfectly mirrors the aim of the Sahtak Awalan: Your Health First campaign. There is a perception that exercise is boring and that going to the gym is a chore we must endure. However, the Color Run shows us all that exercise can be fun, can be done with your whole family and can take many forms.”
Gaining popularity since its launch in January 2012, the Color Run is the single largest event series in the world and was hosted in more than 50 countries last year.The Peninsula
