The Saudi Sports for All Federation participated in the 'Promoting Sustainability in Saudi Arabia' exhibition, held as part of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2026.

During its participation, the Federation showcased several initiatives aimed at increasing physical activity rates in the Kingdom, highlighting the role of community sports in promoting health, social well-being, and quality of life, as well as supporting sustainable development goals.

Executive Director of the Saudi Sports for All Federation, Shaima bint Saleh Al-Husseini, said: 'Towards achieving measurable impact, the Saudi Sports for All Federation has worked to align national ambitions with global standards by adopting international indicators and standards to measure physical activity levels, contributing to raising movement levels across various age groups, while ensuring the integration of social, health, and environmental impact in a single path.'

She added: 'Sustainability is an extension of the Federation’s mission and part of its work methodology and implementation of projects and programs, such as efforts to encourage active mobility patterns, adopting waste reduction initiatives, empowering local systems, promoting a culture of conscious consumption, and adopting more energy-efficient infrastructure. The Federation continues to establish an approach that makes physical activity more closely linked to quality of life and sustainability.'

The Federation’s participation also included showcasing a model of the Riyadh Marathon 2026 village, illustrating how running races and marathons can go beyond the concept of sports competition to become vibrant community destinations, contributing to transforming public spaces into environments that stimulate movement, social interaction, and a sense of belonging.

The Riyadh Marathon, with its multiple distances, has seen notable growth in the number of participants, from around 10,000 participants to 50,000 participants this year, reflecting the progress the Kingdom is making in promoting physical activity and expanding community participation.

The Federation also presented the awareness initiative 'Move Your World,' which started from a simple question: 'What would our lives look like without movement?' The initiative offered a creative narrative titled 'The Museum of Extinct Movement,' depicting a virtual future where physical activity disappears, conveying a message that preserving movement requires taking the first step today.

The exhibition included displays of the Federation’s annual reports, institutional strategy, and a draft well-being plan, allowing visitors to learn about the Federation’s strategic direction, key achievements, national initiatives, and long-term priorities in expanding physical activity across various regions of the Kingdom.

This year’s forum was held under the theme: 'Transformative, fair, innovative, and coordinated actions for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Goals for a sustainable future for all,' and featured an in-depth review of global progress on several Sustainable Development Goals, including clean water, clean energy, industry and innovation, sustainable cities and communities, and partnerships for the goals.

The Kingdom’s Voluntary National Review report for 2026, presented as part of the Kingdom’s participation in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, highlighted the role of the Saudi Sports for All Federation within the significant progress made by the Kingdom in promoting physical activity and well-being.

With the Kingdom adopting international standards for physical activity, the proportion of adults engaging in 150 minutes of physical activity per week rose to 59.1% by 2025, while the proportion of children and adolescents engaging in 60 minutes of daily physical activity reached 19% in 2025.

The 2026 Voluntary National Review report represented the Kingdom’s third national review since 2018, where the Kingdom’s delegation this year presented a comprehensive overview of progress made in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, along with key challenges and national priorities, with contributions from over 140 entities from the government sector, private sector, academia, civil society, and international partners.

The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is the main United Nations platform for reviewing progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, bringing together governments and international organizations to exchange expertise and knowledge, and showcase national initiatives that contribute to advancing sustainable development paths.