Emirati kid wins silver medal in the single Kata at Asian Championship
Ahmad Bayat awards young sports hero and motivates future leaders to always aim for the best
Mohammed Bin Rashid Programme for Leadership Development (MBRPLD), an innovative leadership program designed to develop national leaders capable of promoting the sustainable development of the UAE, has announced that it has recently presented a trophy to nine-year-old Khalifa Adnan Al Abbar, who became the UAE's newest sports hero after winning the silver medal in the single Kata category of the 13th Asian Karate Championship held in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka recently.
Ahmad Bin Bayat, Secretary General of the Dubai Executive Council and Chairman of MBRPLD, handed out the special award to Al Abbar, who was also the gold medallist in the single Kata category of the 2008 Open Championship and won a bronze in the UAE National Championship. MBRPLD also lauded the karate champion's father, Adnan Al Abbar, for his influential role in nurturing his son's potential as a world-class athlete.
Adnan Al Abbar, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Ports Authority, is one of the graduates of Government Leaders, a level of MBRPLD that aims to establish a new breed of elite, talented individuals with distinguished potentials, knowledge, skills and experience at all departments of Dubai Government. This is in addition to being a participant of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Program for Sports Leadership Development, which was launched by Dubai Sports Council and is being managed by MBRPLD.
Ahmad Bin Bayat, Secretary General of the Dubai Executive Council and Chairman of MBRPLD, said: "By highlighting the excellent achievement of Khalifa Adnan Al Abbar, we want to send out a message that the participants in all our leadership programs have what it takes to produce or become champions themselves. The hard work and dedication shown by this young boy is truly worth emulating and it is my wish that our leaders will be inspired by the great achievements of Khalifa. I would also like to take this opportunity to point out the important role played by the parents in guiding our young prospective leaders towards success in all endeavours, specifically in the sports sector. I am also pleased to mention the importance of MBRPLD's activities, which have helped develop the skills of Emirati future leaders, in addition to the role of HBMPSLD in creating a more systemised sports development in the country by training competent leaders in the sporting field."
Adel Al Shared, CEO of MBRPLD said: "This is truly a highly distinguished effort for Khalifa Adnan Al Abbar to win a medal in a prestigious international sporting competition. He has brought honour to the country and has helped in increasing the reputation of the UAE as an emerging key player in global sports. We likewise commend the efforts of the champion's parents, particularly his father Adnan Al Abbar, who has successfully utilised the knowledge he has gained from MBRPLD to cultivate the talent level and potential of Khalifa. Parents indeed play a crucial role in the skills development of UAE talents and this is one of the important concepts being emphasised by MBRPLD."
Adnan Al Abbar, Chief Operating Officer, Dubai Ports Authority and father of Khalifa said: "Being an athlete's father carries distinct and important responsibilities. I am pleased that through my participation in Government Leaders level, I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and experience. Moreover, being a graduate of the Government Leaders Program, I have become more aware of my responsibilities and have been able to acquaint myself with the right approach in nurturing the development of my son's skills; while I have also been able to focus on developing his sporting talent after I’ve joined the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Program for Sports Leadership Development. I can truly say that I am in a much better capacity in my role as a father of a sporting champion and a potential leader because of the knowledge, skills and training that I have gained through this program."
MBRPLD has been established in line with the vision and directions of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; the initiator of the MBRPLD initiative who has underscored the critical importance of a highly competent national professional workforce to ensure the country's global sustainability.
The applications for the program were submitted through MBRPLD`s website (www.mbrpld.ae). Further details of the program and the evaluation process are also available on the website.
