Director of the Economics and Energy Program at the Bahrain Center for Strategic and International Studies and Energy (Derasat) Dr. Omar Al-Obaidly,  participated in the first Arab Sports Conference under the theme “The Role of Sports in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the Arab World”, organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs in cooperation with the United Nations Office in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the International Council for Health, Physical Education, Sports and Recreation; taking place on the 10th and 11th of April 2018.

Dr. Omar Al-Obaidly presented a paper on the role of sports in achieving community trust from an economic point of view.

He explained in the paper that scientists found that one of the most important reasons for economic growth during the modern era, which began with the industrial revolution in the United Kingdom in the eighteenth century is the trust factor connecting all elements of society, which include producers and consumers.

Dr. Obaidli added that economic prosperity is the main focus of the goals of sustainable development, and that there is also an important role for charitable acts in achieving these goals.

It was highlighted during the session that a recent discovery by economists links high levels of confidence in the society to sports. First: group sports activities provide opportunities for constructive interaction with others. Second: Working out physically causes chemical secretions inside the body that reduce tension, leading to mental health and relaxation.

This conference aims to present the research and findings towards achieving the United Nations development goals.

Dr. Omar Al Obaidli, Director of the Economics and Energy Program at Derasat, Bahrain, and Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University and Senior Research Associate at Mercatus. His field of focus includes Political Economy, Experimental Economics, and GCC Economies.