The World Police and Fire Games is underway in Belfast. It is the largest sports gathering the country has hosted and will see 6,700 competitors from 67 countries around the world competing in a variety of sports from athletics to wrestling.
The Games were created in the United States from where the largest contingent comes but has recently been hosted in different countries around the world.
The last in 2011 was held in New York and doubled up as a tenth anniversary commemoration of the 9/11 tragedy in that city.
The number of competitors this time around is lower than the peak achieved then of 10,000 but authorities in Northern Ireland are putting a brave face on it and stoutly defending that the £7 million of public money put into hosting the event is money well spent.
Even the extra economic value of the competitors would give a huge return for local tourism and business while coverage of the games back to home countries around the world, as well as the word of mouth impact will see a long tail on the benefit.
It has been unfortunate that local trouble around the flags protest in December and the marching season earlier this month will also have been relayed back and may have played a part in the numbers travelling been lower than had been originally hoped for.
There is an impressive list of commercial partners with Danske Bank extending their sports interest in Northern Ireland through the games along with Coca Cola, Diageo, Fujitsu, Kukri and Deloitte as Platinum sponsors.
Translink is the official transport supplier, Food NI the official food partners and there is a range of other relationships with a mix of local brands and international suppliers to the emergency services.
A total of 400 serving members of an Garda Siochana and the Irish Fire Service have travelled north to participate at the 41 venues where the games will be hosted.
Sports Tourism Seminar at Croke Park (September 19th)
Sport for Business 20/20 at Ulster Bank HQ (October 8th)
The Business of Youth Sport Seminar (November 28th)
