Meraas, the host and official sponsor of the inaugural edition of the Government Games launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, is gearing up to welcome thousands of spectators to witness the four-day event, which is free to attend at Kite Beach between 9-12 May.

The tournament will see more than 1,000 participants representing 150 teams and eight countries, pit their physical and mental abilities against 10 obstacles designed to promote creative collaboration and reinforce team spirit among government entities. This initiative, which is organised by The Executive Council of Dubai, in partnership with Meraas, Dubai Sports Council and other public and private entities, is also a world-first and carries a grand prize of AED2 million. Two lucky visitors to the event will also win two cars.

Nationalities represented at the Government Games include host nation, the UAE, who will be joined by participants from the UK, US, Canada, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Nigeria. Men’s and women’s teams will go head-to-head in separate events, at Kite Beach which will host this unique initiative that promotes athleticism and mental agility.

The rough-and-ready community beach has become a popular venue for tournaments, marathons, endurance events, and live entertainment that draw in thousands of people from far and wide. In recent years, Kite Beach has hosted the Volleyball tournaments, Jet Ski competitions, as well as automotive challenges for international brands.

Kite Beach also hosted large-scale community fitness activations as part of the Dubai Fitness Challenge and is home to a thriving community of outdoor enthusiasts, making it an ideal venue for the Government Games.

The Government Games are a novel initiative intended to inspire a continued focus on physical and mental agility. Teams will take part in a series of qualifying rounds as they work their way toward the final round and the major obstacle that stands between them and the winner’s prize. Each obstacle is designed to test capacities in several areas including strategy, collaboration, adaptability, mental agility, stamina, strength and endurance. Each obstacle is completely unique and will push each team to its limits.

In hosting and sponsoring the Government Games, Meraas is aligned with an event –and a movement towards a lifestyle in Dubai that promotes teamwork and collaboration beyond the event itself, into the community. The event also provides an opportunity to celebrate good sportsmanship among participants and spectators coming to watch.

Spectators will be able to make use of designated parking spaces, which will be set up alongside a schedule of feeder buses that will ferry visitors to and from the venue.

For further details visit www.govgames.ae or www.kitebeachdubai.com