16 national institutions and companies named as official sponsors of 3rd Arab Women Sports Tournament

AWST 2016 to be held in the Emirate of Sharjah for the third time in a row has the support of leading national organisations

Sharjah -January 13th, 2016: The world’s only, all female, pan-Arab sports tournament will be kicking off next month and in order for it to succeed it relies on the generosity of its sponsors. The Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST 2016) has announced the 16 sponsors of the third edition. Hosted by Sharjah from February 2-12 in collaboration with the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees and the League of Arab States, the event is organized by the Women Sports Department and the Sharjah Ladies Club (SLC), and their partners: the General Authority of Youth & Sports Welfare, the National Olympic Committee, and the Sharjah Sports Council.

A number of renowned organisations in the UAE are supporting AWST 2016 including Emirates Telecommunications Corporation - Etisalat, the Platinum Sponsor, International Petroleum Investment Company - IPIC, the Golden Sponsor, and Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority, the Golf and Shooting Club Sharjah, Sharjah International Airport, and Al Jawaher Reception & Convention Centre, which are the Bronze Sponsors. The Fast Building Contracting Company is the strategic sponsor of SLC sports teams and the official strategic media sponsor is Sharjah Media Corporation.

Media coverage for the tournament will be provided by Dar Al Khaleej Printing & Publishing, National Network Communications, Sharjah Sports TV - the official television channel - and Noon Sports Cooperation, the official sponsor for the forum of female sports anchors. The tournament’s official airline is Air Arabia and the official contractor for hospitality services is Kunooz Events & Catering and Zulal Water Factory is participating as a supporting sponsor.

The announcement of sponsors for the Pan-Arab tournament marks the start of the countdown to its launch in February, and a record number of Arab clubs are expected to participate, some attracted by the new games added such as show-jumping. Other competitions include basketball, volleyball, archery, fencing, shooting, table tennis, and athletics.

Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of the Organizing Committee for AWST  said that the large number of sponsors and the eagerness of leading national companies to support the Arab tournament proves the progress and impact it has made, and the success it has achieved since its launch four years ago.

He added: 'Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, is committed to organizing and improving the tournament to support women's sports in the UAE, the Gulf states, and in the Arab world in general.

The support of our sponsors is one of the main reasons behind the tournament’s success and it also helps push the presence of women in sports in the Arab region as well as internationally. We are very glad to see that Sharjah is hosting the tournament for the third time in a row. The main goal of the tournament for everyone who is involved at any level with the tournament is to see its success.

Nada Al Naqbi, Deputy Head of the Supreme Organizing Committee for the Arab tournament, Head of the Executive Committee, and Manager of the tournament, added that they are proud of the success the tournament so far, evident in the large number of sponsors, supporters, and contributors of the third edition. She said the participation of national institutions and companies reflects the importance given to the tournament and their eagerness to support women's sports in the UAE.

Al Naqbi said, “This is in line with Her Highness’ aim to create the UAE as a society that respects women and considers them an important aspect of society.

Our hope is that the Arab tournament will achieve results befitting the name and status of the Emirate of Sharjah. The women sports department at the Ladies Sharjah Club and the Supreme Organising Committee have all worked very hard, diligently and with dedication for this edition of the tournament to achieve the highest level of success possible.”