“It is a very good decision to have a sports day,” Sarbast Sadiq, a marathon participant in Duhok, told Kurdistan 24.
“Sports are important for our health in general, and having a day for sports sends a message to all people that we need to get away from our daily routines and move,” he said.
People from the Kurdistan Region, Iraq and abroad participated in the event.
“I came all the way from Najaf city,” a 64-year-old man told Kurdistan 24 after crossing the marathon's finish line.
“I thank everyone who contributed to organizing all these activities. It is very well organized.”
Kurdistan 24 is the media sponsor of the event.
Many countries across the globe hold a national sports day, including India (Aug. 29), Iran (Oct. 17), Japan (Oct. 10), Malaysia (Oct. 10), and Qatar (the second Tuesday in February).
Editing by John J. Catherine