By Khetam Malkawi

AMMAN - Children’s right to a healthy lifestyle prompted more than 9,000 people from across the Kingdom to participate in a three-kilometre walkathon on Friday.

Children, men and women gathered near the Al Hussein Sports City wearing “Right To Play” T-shirts in the charitable sporting event, calling for children’s right towards a healthier life.

Seven-year-old Omar Majali, who was among hundreds of children taking part in the walk, said that he is happy to help other children.

“I woke up early although I am not going to school. My mother told me we have to walk to help other children,” Majali told The Jordan Times.

Participant Eman Qasem stressed the importance of raising awareness about the benefits of athletics.

“Not only is this a charitable event, but it prompted me to wake up early and walk, a healthy behaviour to adopt every day,” Qassem told The Jordan Times on Friday.

“It feels good knowing that I am supporting school programmes,” the 28-year-old added.

The walk was organised by Right To Play, an international humanitarian organisation seeking to raise funds to support sporting programmes implemented by the Ministry of Education and UNRWA.

According to Right To Play Business Development Manager Samer Kamal, the proceedings of the walk will be used to finance sports and health programmes in the Kingdom’s schools.

“We are exerting all efforts to give children a better life by using sports as a tool for development,” Kamal said, indicating the organisation is planning further events in the future.

Right To Play is an international humanitarian organisation that uses sporting programmes to help children improve their health, develop life skills and foster peace amongst disadvantaged communities.

The organisation works in 23 countries and is supported by an international team of top athletes from more than 40 countries.

Right To Play programmes in Jordan are geared towards less-fortunate children and are channelled through schools of the Directorate of Education, UNRWA schools for Palestinian refugees and the Higher Council for Youth and in addition to rehabilitation centres and local community centres.

The organisation first launched its programmes in February 2006 and is working in Amman, Zarqa, Irbid and Aqaba in conjunction with UNICEF, the Higher Council for Youth and the Greater Amman Municipality among others.