The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense inaugurates the “International CESIM 2025” symposium in Abu Dhabi

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Nasser Al Alawi, yesterday opened the scientific symposium of the International Council for Military Sports (CISM 2025) in the capital, Abu Dhabi, and it will continue until tomorrow under the slogan “Physical Readiness and Flexibility in the Armed Forces: Challenges and Foreseeing the Future.”

The symposium is being held for the first time in the Middle East, in the presence of more than 130 participants, including an elite group of senior military officials, experts, academics and researchers from 35 countries, along with 43 speakers, as it constitutes a strategic platform for exchanging knowledge and experiences, and enhancing international cooperation in the areas of physical readiness, improving fitness and performance, and military sports sciences.

The opening session witnessed the presence and participation of the Director of the Office of His Highness the Minister of Defence, Khalifa Rashid Al Hamli, the Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee of the “CISMEM 2025” Symposium, Major General Obaid Ali Al Mansouri, the President of the International Council for Military Sports (CISM), Colonel Nilton Gomez Filho, the Vice President of the Council for the Asian continent, Major General Rashid Al Dosari, and the head of the UAE delegation to the Council, Brigadier General Ayoub Al Falasi, and Secretary General of the International Military Sports Council, Colonel Robertorreckia.

In his opening speech, Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee of the “SESM 2025” symposium, Major General Obaid Ali Al Mansouri, stressed in his opening speech the UAE’s commitment to using sport as a bridge for understanding and peace, in line with the mission of the International Council for Military Sports, which carries the concept of “friendship through sport,” pointing out that physical readiness and flexibility are not just training requirements, but rather are the basis of steadfastness and the ability to adapt in changing military work environments. And the complex.

He said: “Today we seek to anticipate the future and enhance the capabilities of all of us, by taking advantage of the latest studies and technologies to confront all challenges with confidence and competence,” adding that the topics covered by the symposium, including the impact of climate change, sports medicine, combat sports, and advanced technologies, represent a basic building block in building the future of the armed forces by enhancing the capabilities of its members to withstand and adapt in operational environments. Various, and stresses the importance of exchanging experiences and innovations between participating countries to develop both military and sports performance. Participants in the opening session praised the UAE’s pioneering role in supporting global efforts to integrate scientific research and innovation into defense dialogue and cooperation. Senior military officials, academics and international experts also addressed the importance of investing in physical readiness as a key factor in enhancing the operational capabilities and flexibility of the armed forces.

The activities of the first day began with two keynote speeches that laid out the scientific and intellectual framework for the symposium’s work. In the first session, the professor of sports organization management at the “Catholic University of Louvain” in Belgium, Professor Thierry Zentz, spoke about “soft diplomacy for international sports organizations – CISM as a major player in a turbulent environment,” stressing the pivotal role of the International Council for Military Sports as a global actor in Defense diplomacy and promoting peace through cooperation in the fields of military sports.

The Honorary Life President of the International Council for Military Sports (CISM), retired Lieutenant General Jani Gula, reviewed the 30-year legacy of the World Military Games, and the Council’s role in consolidating the values ​​of friendship, unity and understanding among the armies of the world.

The first day witnessed several lectures, scientific sessions, and specialized workshops, which included research presentations from academics and experts in military institutions and universities around the world, and focused on the topics of energy expenditure, performance indicators, and sustainable models of nutrition in modern defense environments.

The researcher in military health and nutrition sciences at the Royal Military Academy in Belgium, Dr. Patrick Molly, presented new methodologies for evaluating energy expenditure while carrying military equipment. The professor of nutrition and health and head of the nutrition department at the UAE University, Dr. Aisha Al Dhaheri, also spoke about sustainable protein sources in military nutrition programs, and the associate professor of nutritional sciences at the UAE University, Dr. Amjad Jarrar, presented, with the participation of: Researchers in the university’s Department of Nutrition, Fayza Al Shamsi and Maryam Al Maamari, and Dr. Aousha Al Muhairi, conducted a study on employing digital learning to raise nutritional awareness among university students. Guillermo Portugal, a researcher at the School of Physical Training for the Brazilian Navy, participated in a scientific presentation that addressed the issues of energy expenditure and physical adaptation among women in maritime training programs.

Discussions in the closing session focused on the physiology of tactical performance and the impact of training adaptation in different military environments, with the participation of an elite group of experts from several countries, including the tactical and physical performance specialist at the Czech Ministry of Defense, Dr. Patrick Molly, and Martin Bugala. The two experts in the Austrian Armed Forces, Wolfgang Rausch, a specialist in tactical and physical performance, also presented, and Heinz Wichtenthal, a senior training and performance analyst, developed a new evaluation system for military specializations.

The researcher at the UAE Ministry of Defense, Abdul Rahman Ahmed Abdul Rahman Muhammad, presented a study that dealt with the impact of stopping training on readiness and physical fitness among military personnel. The session stressed the importance of linking academic research with field applications, and the role of science and technology in developing modern military readiness concepts.

The first day’s activities were concluded with recreational sports activities in darts competitions, followed by communication sessions between the participants, embodying the values ​​of solidarity and rapprochement on which the mission of the International Council for Military Sports is based.

• The symposium was held for the first time in the Middle East, in the presence of 130 participants, including an elite group of senior military officials, experts, academics and researchers from 35 countries, in addition to 43 speakers.