AND CHAIRMAN OF THE REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL,H.E. DR. AMANI ABEID KARUME,AT THE OPENING OF THE MINISTERIAL ROUND TABLECONFERENCE ON SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACEZANZIBAR, 8TH SEPTEMBER, 2008
Honourable Chairperson, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Information, Culture and Sports,H.E Ambassador Essy Amara, Representative of UNESCO in the Foundation of the Olympic Truce (Former Interim President of the African Union Commission),Mr. Cheikh Tidiane Sy, Representative of UNESCO, General Lassana Palenfo,President of ANOCA,Dr. Sipho Moyo,Representative of ADB,Honourable Ministers,Honourable Abdulla Mwinyi, Regional Commissioner Urban/West,Distinguished Delegates,Ladies and Gentlemen.I am delighted and honoured to be accorded this opportunity to open the first ever International Ministerial Round Table Conference on Sport for Development and Peace in our country. It is indeed an honour for Zanzibar to host this conference as the subject matter is within the principles and philosophy of our own social-economic development.
I thank the organizers for selecting Zanzibar and I am also grateful for being invited to officially open the meeting.I also take this opportunity, on my own behalf and on behalf of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, to welcome all the delegates who have come from outside Zanzibar .
Despite the tight schedule that will bind you during the coming three days, I sincerely hope that you will get some time to tour the tourist attractions in the Stone Town and in the countryside. I invite you to enjoy the warm hospitality of our people.Ladies and Gentlemen.Sport in its different forms is an essential part of human activity and, as such, constitutes an increasingly important part in social development as well as being a contributor to peace and economic growth. This is more applicable in Africa which is at the crossroads of the many diverse challenges that the continent faces; including its transition towards better and stronger economic, social, political, cultural and educational development.
Faced with these many challenges, the African continent often struggles to achieve its full potential in meeting the needs I have just mentioned. It is gratifying, however, to note that sport is increasingly recognized as a major factor and player in the rapid economic, social, political, cultural and educational expansion of our countries.
The formation of ministries or departments of sport in our governments is an indicator of its significance. More importantly, sport is used as a tool in the promotion of peace, social cohesion and international relations.In times of natural disasters, calamities and other tragedies that afflict Africa and reported almost everyday by the worldwide media, we also hear positive stories from the continent often linked to its sporting successes.
This is a reflection of the important position sport has in holding together a nation. Both the excitement surrounding Africa ’s positive sporting results and the athletes’ positive attitudes during major competitions should be used to reflect the energy and potential in our overall human development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In a conference such as this one, we ought to seriously consider the role that Sport should play in our national and continental strategies and plans for the promotion of peace and socio-economic development. We must recognise it as a key factor to development and the wellbeing of our people.
It is vital that we frame a new approach from a qualitative perspective. If we decide to build Africa , that is able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the world, we cannot wait any longer. We must begin working right now; by integrating all the tools that could support these objectives and to build confidence that this could help us meet the numerous challenges that we currently face.
We should, however, remember that this requires a deep and focused change in the way we perceive sport so as to recognize it as a mechanism to be used in the establishment of peace and development.I believe the objective of the current ministerial round table will help us to tackle these questions. We must set our goal for the development of sport as a major vehicle in the described tasks of economic, educational, cultural and political development.
This integrated and consolidated approach is not new, as we can learn from experiences outside the African continent. We need not copy or simulate those experiences, but rather use them as a benchmark in facing this challenge by reaching a political consensus that will help create a new vision of Sport, Peace and Development.
On this basis, it will be possible to secure the consensus needed for the creation and development of national policies and of greater regional integration of sports, which will form the basis of future missions and appropriate action plans.Ladies and Gentlemen.There cannot be development without peace, but peace cannot be achieved without a better, effective and more coherently designed developmental strategy that integrates the key elements of success of our people.
Mentioning for instance, the Great Lakes Regions in Africa which has recently been the theatre of many violent conflicts, must be taken into consideration when formulating such strategies. This is essential as sport reaches beyond boundaries, borders and it can help such countries to develop solidarity, dialogue, tolerance and reconciliation that will help establish sustainable peace. Recent initiatives in Burundi , Rwanda , and the Democratic Republic of Congo must be taken as a proof for us to gain a deeper understanding of the role sport can play as a contributor to peace and human development.
In fact, I suggest we should have a motto “Sports Without Borders” as a facilitating vehicle.At this juncture, I would like to congratulate UNESCO on several initiatives which it has been taking in the promotion of sport for peace and development and cross-cultural dialogues.Indeed, we give due recognition and appreciation to UNESCO for providing both guidance and expertise to Member States to debate the evolving challenges of physical education and sport. We note that the organization focuses its activities in several domains.
It plays a key role in the dissemination and normalization of ethical and fair-play issues guided by the use of the two normative instruments it has developed - the International Charter of Physical Education and Sport, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly at its 20th session in 1978, and the International Convention against Doping in Sport, which entered into force on 1 February, 2007 to promote the fight against doping in Sport.
This Round Table provides an important opportunity for African States to join many other Governments around the world in the ratification of this very important Convention.I urge UNESCO to increase its role in the development of Traditional Sports and Games programme in Africa . We have an abundance of such games in our countries; many of which are on the brink of extinction.
In Zanzibar , for example, we have a very interesting game called ‘”BAO” a form of chess, BAO is not a game of chance but rather a game of strategy. It requires the player to have a sharp memory and a good skill in arithmetic calculation. It is our belief that this particular game if taken seriously, could be developed to an international sport.
Again our traditional wrestling needs to be promoted and systematized to international standards which could be recognized and entered in the next Olympic Games.Ladies and Gentlemen,It is also necessary to continue this reflection in order to transform sport into a powerful development tool that will improve our ability to present, implement and follow policies and governmental programmes, in a participatory manner. I have just suggested to implement a plan of action designed for the African continent.
This plan should help the governments formulate and follow policies related to Sport. The expertise, as well as the minimum requirements that such a mission entails, involve the presence of UNESCO, the United Nations agency specialized in the area we are dealing with as a major support, acting in cooperation with the entire African sports movement and other key actors.Our success will be strongly linked to those complementary relationships. As a Region, we have to work in unison so as to achieve our common goal of making sport an effective tool for sustaining development and peace in our countries.With these remarks, I now have the honour to declare this Ministerial Round Table on Sport Development and Peace officially opened.Thank you for your attention.
Honourable Chairperson, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Information, Culture and Sports,H.E Ambassador Essy Amara, Representative of UNESCO in the Foundation of the Olympic Truce (Former Interim President of the African Union Commission),Mr. Cheikh Tidiane Sy, Representative of UNESCO, General Lassana Palenfo,President of ANOCA,Dr. Sipho Moyo,Representative of ADB,Honourable Ministers,Honourable Abdulla Mwinyi, Regional Commissioner Urban/West,Distinguished Delegates,Ladies and Gentlemen.I am delighted and honoured to be accorded this opportunity to open the first ever International Ministerial Round Table Conference on Sport for Development and Peace in our country. It is indeed an honour for Zanzibar to host this conference as the subject matter is within the principles and philosophy of our own social-economic development.
I thank the organizers for selecting Zanzibar and I am also grateful for being invited to officially open the meeting.I also take this opportunity, on my own behalf and on behalf of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, to welcome all the delegates who have come from outside Zanzibar .
Despite the tight schedule that will bind you during the coming three days, I sincerely hope that you will get some time to tour the tourist attractions in the Stone Town and in the countryside. I invite you to enjoy the warm hospitality of our people.Ladies and Gentlemen.Sport in its different forms is an essential part of human activity and, as such, constitutes an increasingly important part in social development as well as being a contributor to peace and economic growth. This is more applicable in Africa which is at the crossroads of the many diverse challenges that the continent faces; including its transition towards better and stronger economic, social, political, cultural and educational development.
Faced with these many challenges, the African continent often struggles to achieve its full potential in meeting the needs I have just mentioned. It is gratifying, however, to note that sport is increasingly recognized as a major factor and player in the rapid economic, social, political, cultural and educational expansion of our countries.
The formation of ministries or departments of sport in our governments is an indicator of its significance. More importantly, sport is used as a tool in the promotion of peace, social cohesion and international relations.In times of natural disasters, calamities and other tragedies that afflict Africa and reported almost everyday by the worldwide media, we also hear positive stories from the continent often linked to its sporting successes.
This is a reflection of the important position sport has in holding together a nation. Both the excitement surrounding Africa ’s positive sporting results and the athletes’ positive attitudes during major competitions should be used to reflect the energy and potential in our overall human development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In a conference such as this one, we ought to seriously consider the role that Sport should play in our national and continental strategies and plans for the promotion of peace and socio-economic development. We must recognise it as a key factor to development and the wellbeing of our people.
It is vital that we frame a new approach from a qualitative perspective. If we decide to build Africa , that is able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the world, we cannot wait any longer. We must begin working right now; by integrating all the tools that could support these objectives and to build confidence that this could help us meet the numerous challenges that we currently face.
We should, however, remember that this requires a deep and focused change in the way we perceive sport so as to recognize it as a mechanism to be used in the establishment of peace and development.I believe the objective of the current ministerial round table will help us to tackle these questions. We must set our goal for the development of sport as a major vehicle in the described tasks of economic, educational, cultural and political development.
This integrated and consolidated approach is not new, as we can learn from experiences outside the African continent. We need not copy or simulate those experiences, but rather use them as a benchmark in facing this challenge by reaching a political consensus that will help create a new vision of Sport, Peace and Development.
On this basis, it will be possible to secure the consensus needed for the creation and development of national policies and of greater regional integration of sports, which will form the basis of future missions and appropriate action plans.Ladies and Gentlemen.There cannot be development without peace, but peace cannot be achieved without a better, effective and more coherently designed developmental strategy that integrates the key elements of success of our people.
Mentioning for instance, the Great Lakes Regions in Africa which has recently been the theatre of many violent conflicts, must be taken into consideration when formulating such strategies. This is essential as sport reaches beyond boundaries, borders and it can help such countries to develop solidarity, dialogue, tolerance and reconciliation that will help establish sustainable peace. Recent initiatives in Burundi , Rwanda , and the Democratic Republic of Congo must be taken as a proof for us to gain a deeper understanding of the role sport can play as a contributor to peace and human development.
In fact, I suggest we should have a motto “Sports Without Borders” as a facilitating vehicle.At this juncture, I would like to congratulate UNESCO on several initiatives which it has been taking in the promotion of sport for peace and development and cross-cultural dialogues.Indeed, we give due recognition and appreciation to UNESCO for providing both guidance and expertise to Member States to debate the evolving challenges of physical education and sport. We note that the organization focuses its activities in several domains.
It plays a key role in the dissemination and normalization of ethical and fair-play issues guided by the use of the two normative instruments it has developed - the International Charter of Physical Education and Sport, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly at its 20th session in 1978, and the International Convention against Doping in Sport, which entered into force on 1 February, 2007 to promote the fight against doping in Sport.
This Round Table provides an important opportunity for African States to join many other Governments around the world in the ratification of this very important Convention.I urge UNESCO to increase its role in the development of Traditional Sports and Games programme in Africa . We have an abundance of such games in our countries; many of which are on the brink of extinction.
In Zanzibar , for example, we have a very interesting game called ‘”BAO” a form of chess, BAO is not a game of chance but rather a game of strategy. It requires the player to have a sharp memory and a good skill in arithmetic calculation. It is our belief that this particular game if taken seriously, could be developed to an international sport.
Again our traditional wrestling needs to be promoted and systematized to international standards which could be recognized and entered in the next Olympic Games.Ladies and Gentlemen,It is also necessary to continue this reflection in order to transform sport into a powerful development tool that will improve our ability to present, implement and follow policies and governmental programmes, in a participatory manner. I have just suggested to implement a plan of action designed for the African continent.
This plan should help the governments formulate and follow policies related to Sport. The expertise, as well as the minimum requirements that such a mission entails, involve the presence of UNESCO, the United Nations agency specialized in the area we are dealing with as a major support, acting in cooperation with the entire African sports movement and other key actors.Our success will be strongly linked to those complementary relationships. As a Region, we have to work in unison so as to achieve our common goal of making sport an effective tool for sustaining development and peace in our countries.With these remarks, I now have the honour to declare this Ministerial Round Table on Sport Development and Peace officially opened.Thank you for your attention.
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