JUBA, South Sudan, April 14, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in partnership with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) invites you to “Sports together for a united country”, an exciting afternoon of sports and culture at the Juba Basketball stadium, 17th April 2016, 3.30-5.30PM.
UNESCO and UNMISS are working closely with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the National Olympic Committee, and the Maale Foundation for Heritage Development, to organize this event as a celebration of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
Sport provides an unparalleled opportunity for people to meet, compete and build bonds.
UNESCO, as the United Nation’s lead agency for Physical Education and Sport (PES), promotes sport as a vital medium for peace and development. UNESCO recognizes the practice of sport as an instrument for promoting peace, a powerful vehicle for social integration, economic development, gender equality and youth empowerment, with benefits that are felt far beyond the stadiums. Indeed, the values acquired in and through sport such as fair play and a team spirit, are invaluable to the whole of society since, sports disregards geographical border, ethnic differences and social classes.
Since 2013 the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace has honored sport’s role as a vehicle for social inclusion and youth development. This year, UNESCO South Sudan and its partners are marking the day by bringing together women’s volleyball teams from Juba town, UNMISS, and the UN Protection of Civilians sites for a friendly tournament at the Juba Basketball Stadium.
These sport matches will be accompanied by displays of martial arts, children’s singing, traditional cultural dances reflecting South Sudan’s cultural diversity as well as peace messages from Mr. Salah Khaled, UNESCO Country Representative and Head of Office, South Sudan, Mr. Eugene Owusu, UNMISS Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the South Sudan National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
In his message for the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, described sports as “a unique and powerful tool for promoting dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of every member of the human family”.
This is an open public event to amplify and celebrate the potential of sport to unite people in South Sudan.
High resolution images will be available free of charge at www.flickr.com/photos/unmissmultimedia
