25/04/2014
The Nairobi Diamond 10km Run Launched.
24th April 2014 at 9am - HILTON NAIROBI
SPEECH BY BARNABA KORIR
CHAIRMAN, ATHLETICS KENYA NAIROBI COUNTY
My fellow Kenyans. Ladies and Gentlemen.
I thank you all for coming here today, creating time to come and grace this occasion away from your busy schedules of building this country that we dearly love.
It is with great pleasure and humility that I welcome you to the launch of the first edition of the Nairobi Diamond 10km Run, Thursday, 24th April 2014.
The Nairobi Diamond 10km Run will be the largest and most lucrative road race event in the region scheduled to take place on Sunday 18th May, 2014.
We have identified a course within the CBD along the major streets in Nairobi City with the start and finish points at the Uhuru Park.
The race will have both women and men categories and we expect top athletes to come and grace the occasion including Leonard Komon, Paul Kipsiele Koech among many others.
We will be starting off registration tour of the rift valley to get some of the Kenya’s best runners to participate.
We have set aside over one million shillings for the prizes which will be awarded to the top ten finishers on each category. We also have a number of consolation prizes for athletes who will perform well in the event as well as participants.
The Nairobi Diamond 10km Run event has been organized through partnership of various organizations including Hilton Hotel, Brand Kenya Board, Export Promotion Council, Nairobi City County Government, CIC Insurance, SOVAYA Mobile, PAK Security, and Road Safety Volunteers Association of Kenya.
This is an initiative of Athletics Kenya, Nairobi Region.
The theme of this event is Our Country, Our City, Our Pride.
Why are we holding this event?
The main objectives of this event are:
• to show of unity and cohesion of the Kenyan people from all walks of life,
• to emphasize the need of peaceful co-existence and reconciliation,
• to promote our country and the city as a key business hub in Africa,
• to promote our products and services for international markets,
• to showcase our country and the capital city in particular is a safe ad secure investment destination,
• enhance Kenya’s international image and profile,
• promote Kenya’s tourism sector,
• identify and promote our athletics talent as we lobby for Kenya to host World Youth Championships in 2017
It is the duty of every Kenyan to come forth and support this event to make it a success by turning up to register in large numbers and join the rest of Kenyans to restore the pride in ourselves and show the world we are one.
Each of us has a responsibility to restore our country’s reputation as an icon of peace, progress, stability and custodian of the regional integration efforts.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Hilton Hotel, Brand Kenya Board, Export Promotion Council, Nairobi City County Government, CIC Insurance, SOVAYA Mobile, PAK Security, and Road Safety Volunteers Association of Kenya for standing and supporting this initiative as we launch this event.
We call upon the corporate sector to note that this event has direct positive impact on their businesses. So they should come out and boldly and support the event to meet its objectives. This is your event, come and support it.
We have created enough space at the venue of the event and along the race route within the CBD so that companies can showcase their products and services. It is time for you to be part of the change. Your Country needs your support.
Our image abroad has recently been dented and that has followed travel advisories which have negatively impacted on our tourism, international trade and threatening our position as a one of the best investment destinations in Africa.
The Nairobi Diamond 10km Run is for all of us.
We all need to put our country first as we fight the common problems affecting us.
Recently we organized the First Lady Half Marathon, Beyond Zero Campaign as Athletics Kenya Nairobi which very successful. This was an initiative of our First Lady, Her Excellency Margaret Kenyatta. We received alot of support from the media and we really appreciate.
This is a journey that we have started and the media is going to be a strategic partner and we have to work hand in hand to meet our objectives.
We call upon all Kenyans of all walks of life to come and register from today to participate in this event.
This is when your country called upon you.
Our athletes continue flying our flag high and making Kenya leave a positive mark on the global stage.
We must come out and support our budding talent. This event will provide that avenue.
Run for Our Country, Our City, Our Pride
Thank you all. God Bless you.
