(BIVN) – With less than a week to go before the 2024 VinFast IRONMAN® World Championship men’s triathlon kicks off in Kona, race organizers and tourism leaders are emphasizing the importance of community and cultural respect, mas well as safety, in a new video. 

The message presents the Live Aloha initiative encouraging all participants and visitors to respect and celebrate Hawaiian culture, lands, and people while in Kona. 

Athletes are also being reminded of the importance safety, both during the race and while training.

From an IRONMAN news release:

With the men’s 2024 VinFast IRONMAN® World Championship triathlon in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i now less than a week away, excitement and energy is building as many arrive on the Big Island to begin their final preparations. With athletes eager to acclimatize and familiarize themselves with the local course and conditions, IRONMAN reminds all of the Live Aloha initiative, being pono, mindful guests on the Big Island, showing respect for the local community and environment, and treading lightly.

Created in accordance with Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s Destination Management Action Plan for responsible tourism, Live Aloha is IRONMAN’s permanent reminder that the IRONMAN World Championship and the land, culture, and host communities of Hawaiʻi are intertwined in creating the rich history of one of the most iconic and important sporting events in the world. As such, all those coming to the Island are responsible for adding to that history in a positive way by treating the land and community as if it were their own home.