TO:Mayors of marathon organizing cities

Xiamen is a beautiful coast city in southeast China. With picturesque seascape and landscape, Xiamen boasts a harmonious relation between the humans and the nature,which won the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor Award 2004. After 30 years of reform and opening, Xiamen has become one of the most vibrant cities in China, demonstrating a balanced social and economic development.

Xiamen International Marathon was initiated in 2003 by the Chinese Athletic Association and Xiamen Municipal People’s Government. It is timed at the first Saturday of every January. There were more than 30 thousand participants from 40 countries and regions. China Central Television will provide a live coverage, including helicopter videoing. The course sprawls by the beaches, through the parks and across the green lands, termed the most beautiful of its kind in the world. The best records of this race are 2:09:03 for male and 2:22:38 for female. A number of side events, including sports goods exposition, international summit forum,16thAIMS World Congress and float parade, will accompany the race. 99 sculptures, representing the image of ordinary marathon runners were placed along the Island Ring Road, symbolizing the “perpetual steps” of the race. Two of those sculptures have been collected by the IOC Museum. Xiamen International Marathon has become one of the China’s most important and well known marathons. It has been issued the 2008 Gold Label by the IAAF. Marathon brings great wealth to Xiamen City as it helps to advocate health for all, improve the urban landscape, enhance social harmony and boost sports economy.

In order to identify the great benefits that marathon races bring to the host cities, before the 2009 Xiamen International Marathon on January 3rd, 2009, Xiamen Municipal People’s Government and the Chinese Athletic Association will jointly host the International Forum for Mayors of Marathon Host Cities. We mean to provide mayors an opportunity to share their experiences on successful races and build up understanding of other people’s culture and economy, throwing some light on the improvement of their respective cities. We cordially invite you to participate the mayor’s forum and the 2009 Xiamen International Marathon. 

Yours Sincerely,

 

                                                                           Mayor of Xiamen Municipal People’s Government

                                                                           Chairman of the Organizing Committee of XMIM

    Contact: Alice Chen , Lily

    Tel: (86)-592-5055486

    Fax:(86)-592-5121241

    Email:Alice.chen@126.com