A 24-hour National Torch Run has begun in Malé to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use, ahead of the Generational Ban on Tobacco coming into effect on 1 November. The event, inaugurated by Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, is being held from 4 p.m. today to 4 p.m. tomorrow at the Maafannu Ekuveni Track. Cabinet ministers, athletes, and representatives from sports clubs, associations, and State-owned companies are participating in the event, held under the theme “Together for a Healthy Generation.”

Organised by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, Fitness and Recreation, the Health Protection Agency (HPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other Government bodies, the run aims to educate the public and promote a tobacco-free lifestyle.