Mubadala Development Company, the Abu Dhabi-based investment and development company, announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the UAE Disabled Sports Federation, UAEDSF, which expands and strengthens Mubadala’s community outreach programme. This long-term partnership follows Mubadala’s sponsorship of the UAE Paralympian team, which achieved a total of seven medals in Rio de Janeiro.

Through the partnership, Mubadala will support UAEDSF on all its initiatives including local and international sports tournaments and workshops. UAEDSF will also support Mubadala in its internal events and community outreach programme, including the Mubadala Community Cup, the region’s largest amateur tennis tournament.

The MoU also includes cooperation on the participation of disabled athletes at school events in the UAE, aimed at familiarizing students with the capabilities of disabled athletes, ultimately encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle amongst all members of UAE community.

Homaid Al Shimmari, Chief Executive Officer, Aerospace and Engineering Services at Mubadala, said, "Our partnership with UAEDSF aims to familiarise the community with the capabilities of disabled athletes, and to encourage all UAE nationals and residents to adapt a healthy and active lifestyle. We are delighted to have formed a partnership which has made our outreach programme truly inclusive."

Mohamed Al Hameli, Chairman of the Board of Directors of UAEDSF, said, "This partnership with Mubadala will play a key role in supporting the development of our athletes, by providing them with a variety of local and international platforms to not only hone their own skills, but really show the UAE community what our disabled athletes are capable of. When an entity such as Mubadala shows an interest in the development of disabled communities, it provides even greater motivation for our athletes and members to thrive."

Mubadala signed an MoU with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council earlier this year, which strengthens and expands its community outreach programme, and included the expansion of the Mubadala Football Tournament - renamed as Mubadala Community Football League - from a one-week tournament to a seven-month long league, with close to 800 players potentially taking part, and the expansion of the Mubadala Community Tennis Cup season, which will run for 3 weeks.