The Beirut Marathon Association is a not-for-profit organization whose vision is to become the leading running expert organization in the Middle East. Its races are by far the biggest and most popular sports events in Lebanon. Attendance and participation in the Beirut Marathon races continue to grow annually, and they command the attention of national and international media. It is a non-profit non-governmental organization registered under the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Lebanon. Beirut Marathon is an annual event that takes place in Beirut. The first ever BIM was held on October 19, 2003 and attracted over 6,000 runners from 49 different countries and tens of thousands of spectators in Lebanon and around the world.