As part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Exhibition “Advancing Sustainable Development in Saudi Arabia” during the 2026 United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA) showcased key initiatives to increase physical activity levels nationwide.
The HLPF serves as the United Nations’ primary platform for reviewing progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It brings together governments and international organizations to exchange knowledge and showcase national initiatives that contribute to advancing sustainable development.
The Federation’s exhibition highlighted the role of community participation as a national enabler of healthier communities, social wellbeing, and sustainable development. SFA’s participation featured an architectural model of Riyadh Marathon Village 2026 to illustrate how the marathon transformed an underutilized space into an environment encouraging movement, social interaction, and a sense of belonging.
The Saudi Sports for All Federation’s exhibit demonstrates how physical activity, community participation, and active lifestyles contribute to quality of life and social well-being in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The multi-distance Riyadh Marathon has grown from approximately 10,000 participants to 50,000 participants this year, reflecting the Kingdom’s progress in promoting physical activity. Additionally, ‘Move Your World’ awareness initiative and campaign that was built around a simple question: What would our lives look like without movement? Introducing the fictional “Museum of Extinct Mobility”, a creative narrative that visualizes a future in which physical activity has disappeared, a concept that serves as a compelling reminder that preserving movement requires action and taking a step today.
The Riyadh Marathon Village model featured as part of the Saudi Sports for All Federation’s exhibition.
Commenting on the participation, SFA Managing Director Ms. Shaima bint Saleh AlHusseini said: “To shape measurable impact, the Saudi Sports for All Federation aligned national ambitions with global standards, establishing intensity-based benchmarks to elevate physical activity across all age groups. While ensuring that community, health, and environmental responsibility progress hand in hand.
Sustainability is a natural extension of our mission, embedded across our ways of working, delivering, and most importantly, communicating. Whether by promoting active transport and zero-waste initiatives to empowering local ecosystems, fostering a culture of conscious consumption, or adopting energy-efficient infrastructure”
The exhibition also included the Federation’s Annual Reports, Corporate Strategy, and Wellbeing Blueprint Draft. These provided visitors with a deeper understanding of the Federation’s strategic direction through key achievements, national participation statistics, flagship initiatives, research findings, and long-term priorities that continue to guide the expansion of physical activity across Saudi Arabia.
During the forum, a diverse range of senior officials, international organizations, and institutional representatives visited the exhibition, where they exchanged perspectives, shared practical experiences, and explored opportunities for future collaboration.
Her Royal Highness Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Saudi Ambassador to the United States of America, H.E. Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning, H.E. Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, Minister of Municipalities and Housing, H.E. Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohamed Al-Wasel, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, and Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami, Director of Public Security, toured the exhibition.
Visitors exploring the Saudi Sports for All Federation’s exhibition.
Under the theme “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all” the Forum conducted an in‑depth review of global progress toward achieving these objectives: SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Saudi Arabia’s 2026 Voluntary National Review (VNR), presented as part of its HLPF participation, highlighted SFA’s role in the “significant progress made in promoting physical activity and wellness among the population” in the Kingdom. With the adoption of international standards for physical activity, Saudi national participation of 150 minutes per week increased sharply to 59.1% among adults by 2025, and 60 minutes per day for youth has risen to 19% in 2025.
The 2026 VNR marked Saudi Arabia’s third national review since 2018. This year, the Saudi delegation provided a comprehensive overview of the Kingdom’s progress, key challenges, and national priorities in advancing the SDGs, with contributions from more than 140 entities across government, the private sector, academia, civil society, and international partners.
