Amman, June 4 (Petra)-- Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, Minister of Education Azmi Mahafzah, on Thursday attended the ceremony honoring winners of the 20th edition of the King Abdullah II Physical Fitness Award, organized by the Ministry of Education in cooperation with the Jordan School Sports Federation.

The event brought together students, schools, and education directorates from across the Kingdom that excelled in this year's competition.

The ceremony opened with the national anthem and a recitation from the Holy Quran. Attendees included Secretary-General for Educational Affairs Nawaf Al-Ajarmeh, Director of Education and Military Culture Saleh Al-Khalayleh, Director General of the Royal Health Awareness Society Amal Arifej, Chairman of the Society's Board Rami Farraj, as well as education officials, parents, and representatives of educational institutions.

A documentary presentation highlighted the award's journey since its launch and its role in promoting physical fitness, school health, and a culture of sports and physical activity among students.

In remarks delivered on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Director of Educational Activities Abdulhakim Al-Shawabkeh said the royal initiative was launched in 2005 to enhance physical fitness and health while fostering sports participation among students.

He noted that the award has become a key platform for promoting healthy lifestyles in Jordanian schools, adding that its continued expansion reflects its success. This year, the competition attracted 985,117 students from 3,179 public, private, and military culture schools across the Kingdom.

Al-Shawabkeh emphasized that the Ministry is steadily advancing toward the award's broader objective of making sports and physical activity an integral part of students' daily lives, thereby contributing positively to their academic achievement and social development.

"Since His Majesty launched this ambitious national project, the award has represented far more than a sports competition," he said. "It is part of a comprehensive vision aimed at raising awareness of the importance of physical activity and healthy living among students." He added that the initiative has evolved into a comprehensive national program that contributes to shaping students' character and instilling values such as discipline, perseverance, teamwork, and self-confidence, while also improving physical well-being and preparing a generation capable of greater achievement and contribution.

The ceremony featured a variety of athletic and artistic performances presented by participating education directorates.

The Jerash Directorate of Education showcased a sports formations display, while the Bani Obeid Directorate presented athletic and artistic performances. The Amman Kasbah Directorate performed a rhythmic movement show, and the University District Directorate staged additional sports demonstrations. The event concluded with a large-scale group performance involving participants from multiple education directorates.

During the ceremony, the Ministry of Education also announced the results of the 20th edition of the King Abdullah II Physical Fitness Award across various age categories, as well as the outcomes of the first Healthy Championship for male and female students, which saw broad participation from schools affiliated with education directorates and military culture schools throughout Jordan.

//Petra// MF