(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Hundreds of tri-service members joined the ‘Conseil International du Sport Militaire’ (CISM) run to mark World Military Day on Saturday (18) after assembling in Galle Face Green.
The Chief guests, Chief of Defense Staff and Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Gunatilleke also participated.
Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva who is also the incumbent President of the Defence Services Sports Board, together with his Navy counterpart, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne and Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathi, Senior Army, Navy and Air Force officers steered the CISM run.
The CISM run which began at Galle face ended near the Defense Services College in Colombo 02 covering a distance of about 2 km.
The International Military Sport Council, ‘Conseil International du Sport Militaire’ (CISM), was found in February 18, 1948.
This event is organized annually with various sporting events with the participation of 134 country’s army forces, through which military personnel, who might have previously met in the battlefield, would be offered a meeting point in friendship.
The goal of the CISM run is to emphasise world peace by uniting armed forces through sports.
The event’s motto is, ‘Friendship through Sports’.
The International Military Sports Council (CISM) is one of the largest multidisciplinary organizations in the world.
CISM annually organizes over twenty Military World Championships for approximately 30 different sports, continental and regional competitions, the Military World Games and most recently the Winter Games and World Cadet Games.
This is in accordance with the philosophy and the ideals which were set in CISM’s mission statement in 1998, signed by all the member countries.