To further promote the healthy lifestyle of ‘lifelong sports’, the Macao Sport Development Board and the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau - at the invitation of the Association for International Sport for All (TAFISA) - jointly organised the 2010 World Challenge Day in association with the Health Bureau on 26th May.

In response to the expanding scale of World Challenge Day and the increasing number of countries/regions and people participating in the activity, TAFISA renamed the activity this year as World Challenge Day, superseding the originally-named International Challenge Day. As an international event organised by TAFISA, World Challenge Day utilises the city as a participating unit, categorised according to size of population, whilst drawing lots is used to determine the competitors of participating cities. The purpose of this activity is to heighten the awareness of residents of all ages about physical health in the pursuit of an energetic lifestyle. This year, Macao competed with Sorocaba, Brazil in the event.

Through World Challenge Day, organisers expect to convey the message to residents that ‘physical sports are good for health’, thereby encouraging the population to maintain physical exercise and enjoy sport. They also hope to inspire all Macao residents to actively participate in sports training in order to strengthen their physical health.

To encourage the active participation of residents and strengthen the promotion of the event, the organisers specially arranged recreational activities and performances in Iao Hon Park Square and Leal Senado Square, in addition to offering a free physical condition monitoring service in Leal Senado Square. In addition, from 7:00am to 9:00pm, the affiliated venues of the Macao Sport Development Board opened for free public use during the designated individual booking hours. The affiliated venues of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, including four swimming pools and the recreational facilities in Hac Sa Park, also opened to residents for free to conduct sports exercise.

The World Challenge Day drew a good response and was actively supported by various government departments, institutions, companies, associations, schools and individuals from different sectors. A total of 236,656 - about 43.56% of Macao’s population - participated in the event, the highest number in nine years, and in doing so successfully defeated its opponent city.