Thousands of people took part in a special TrainYAS event at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, in a show of community spirit built around fitness and shared identity.
The event, held on Thursday, brought together participants from 105 nationalities. It was organised with Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, National Ambulance and Ethara.
Run under the theme “One Flag, One Walk, One Community”, the evening centred on a unity walk around the Formula One track. There were also family activities, the UAE national anthem, and plenty of red, green, white and black as many participants wore national colours and carried UAE flags.
The message was simple. This was not only about exercise, but to bring more people together.
Dr Rashed Al Suwaidi, director general of Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, said the event showed “a deep sense of national pride and belonging”, and said programmes such as TrainYAS help turn that spirit into healthy habits.
Ali Al Beshr, general manager of Yas Marina Circuit, said the turnout showed the strength of the community in the UAE and the role the venue can play in giving people a space to come together.
TrainYAS has become one of the best-known community fitness programmes in the capital, opening the circuit to walkers, runners and cyclists on a regular basis. This edition placed more focus on unity, but the aim remained much the same: to make movement part of everyday life, and to do it in a way that feels shared.
In a city with a large and varied population, that mattered as much as the activity itself. The event used one of Abu Dhabi’s most recognisable sporting venues to bring residents together, not for competition, but for something more communal.
