AMMAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Jordan Wednesday kicked off here the 17th Pan-Arab Scholastic Games, the biggest Arab gathering of school sports, local daily The Jordan Times reported.

    The event, running from August 20 to September 1, has brought together over 2,000 athletes from 18 Arab countries. They will compete in eight sports - football, basketball, handball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, swimming and athletics.

    This is the first time Jordan holds the event.

    Director of the Arab League's Youths and Sports Department Hani Mustafa commended Jordan's efforts to prepare the event and hoped the Games would be a success.

    The event is organized by the Ministry of Education in cooperation with Jordan School Federation, Jordan Olympic Committee among other public and private entities.

    The 2007 Pan-Arab Scholastic Games was held in Algeria and the 2009 games will be in Kuwait, according to the report.