The Baku Marathon 2016, organized at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, will kick off today.

The course of the marathon covers a distance of 21 kilometers from its start point at the Flag Square to the finish line at the Baku Olympic Stadium.

There are both the residents and guests of Baku among 3,621 people who have registered for participation in the Baku Marathon 2016.

The event's main goal is to assist the development of sports in Azerbaijan, promote healthy lifestyle, especially, among the youth, and bring them together for a good cause.

To date, such marathons have been held in London, Paris, Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, Barcelona, Istanbul and other cities.

A full marathon covers a distance of 42 kilometers, while a half-marathon is 21 kilometers.

Marathons are also organized for charitable purposes. A charity marathon held in London in 1981 was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest annual fundraising event in the world.

The funds to be received from the Baku Marathon 2016 will be spent on the Heydar Aliyev Foundation's project for the children deprived of parental care.

The marathon winner will be awarded a prize of 3,000 manats, while those coming in second and third will get 2,000 manats and 1,000 manats, respectively.