A festive event was held today at the Kiryat Shalom training grounds to mark the start of a week-long campaign to promote healthier lifestyles

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Kiryat Shalom training grounds were the venue on Tuesday afternoon for a festive event marking the start of "Sport Week Israel", sponsored and spearheaded by the Israeli Ministry of Culture and Sport. This year the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club have been chosen to host the event and play a role in the initiative to encourage the country's citizens to adopt an active and healthy lifestyle and to increase their awareness of its importance. "Sport Week Israel" is now in its third year and will run from the 26th of April till the 3rd of May.

On hand to join in the festivities were members of Israel's Under 21 squad including MTA's Dor Micha, Barak Levi and Moshe Lugassi, who arrived fresh from celebrating their newly crowned league championship. The Secretary for Culture and Sport, Limor Livnat, and the chairman of the Israel Football Association, Avi Luzon, were also among the participants in an event designed to showcase two major sporting events to be held shortly in Israel, the Maccabiah games and the European Under 21 Championships. The festivities opened with a short showcase match on half a pitch and were followed by words from the Secretary and the Chairman stressing the importance of healthy living.