By Ghatim Patience
Thousands of athletes from the Centre, West, North West, South West and Far North regions converged on July 6, 2024 at m Lycee CLassique Bafoussam Campus, in Bafoussam, chief town of the West region to part-take in the highly anticipated, third edition of the “NA WE WE” Sports holiday jamboree.
The event is Organized by the non-government organization Local Youth Corner Cameroon.
Unfolding under the theme; ’’Using sports as a tool to promote social cohesion and well-being between displaced persons and their host communities’’.
The official kick-off ceremony of the sports fiesta, was given by the Secretary Genaral at the Ministry of Youth and Civic Education, Benga Zachee Robert Theophile, personal representative of Minister Mounouna Foutsou.
Accompanying him was the resident Canadian High Commission to Cameroon, Lorraine Anderson, the deputy resident head of mission for UNFPA, Neomi Dalmonte, officials from PLAN Cameroon, UNDP, GIZ, the Inspector General at the West Governors’s office, representing governor Awa Fonka Augustin, the Senior Divisional Officer for Mifi, local administrators and some tradition rulers.
The colourful and scintillating opening ceremony was graced by a plethora of activities such as, presentation of traditional dances from the participants and artistic performance from a guest dance group. After which was a match passed of the various participating delegations.
In football, the women encounter saw the Justice team thrashing the Peace ladies on a goal 5-0 score.
Scheduled for July 6 to August 24, the various displaced persons shall compete in four disciplines, for both the men and women categories such as; Handball, football, basketball and dancing, with 40 teams and a total of 5000 athletes .
The event will also permit visitors, athletes to carry out free consultation campaigns, engage in the ongoing voters registration process and permit them to know about the activities carried out by some partnering UN specialized agencies present.
Partners and sponsors will showcase, sensitize the community about their products, services and career opportunities, and mobilize Influencers, celebrities, representatives of government and diplomats to show solidarity.
Over 100,000 people will be sensitized against gender-based violence (GBV), child protection and other community issues with referral provisions.
Speaking during the event, the Secretary General at the Ministry of Youth and Civic Education, extended Minister Mounouna Foutsou’s words of appreciation and encouragements towards the Executive Director of Local Youth Corner Cameroon, Christian Achaleke and his entire team for the giant strides made in promoting civic values and moral rearmament.
The message from the Minister of Youth affairs and Civic Education, was that of satisfaction towards LOYOC for mobilizing the youths through sports and other connected activities, to share values of love, patience, civic responsibility and unity, and especially that of peace, which is a key value of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education.
He also lauded the support of the UN agencies present, for their leading actions geared towards youth empowerment and putting in place of the youth development policy.
For the Executive Director of Local Youth Corner Cameroon, Christian Achaleke, the aim of the “NA WE WE” Sports jamboree is to create a platform where young people within displaced communities and their host communities can come together, learn from each other, build long lasting connections which fosters peace and sustainable development with the help of supporting partners playing a pivotal role.
Canadian High Commissioner, Lorraine Anderson, said; “It is very important for the youths to understand, that the Canadian government is always delighted in giving them the support, when it comes to using sports as a tool for the promotion of peace, among their various communities and helping them know how to handle their differences’’.
To Noemi Dalmonte , Deputy Resident UNFPA Director to Cameroon, “We are always enthusiastic to accompany activities aimed at putting young people first all the time and promoting social cohesion, that can permit the Cameroonian youth to live together and advocate for peace void of sexual violence, knowledge of their rights and protection of her body. We urged them to take advantage of the vacation to get more information on sexuality education, play together and live together on the same place. My message for them is to invest on edu-taining activities’’.
About “NA WE WE”
The “NA-WE-WE” Sports Jamboree is an annual summer holiday youth-led community initiative that aims at using sports and recreational activities as a vehicle to foster social cohesion, moral, civic, and entrepreneurial rearmament as well as healthy living between and among displaced persons and host communities.
This jamboree is youth-focused (15-35) and adopts an innovative sports approach inspired by global sports for peace and development tools that focuses on using sports to bring people from different walks of life to play, dialogue and build relationships; raise awareness while providing basic amenities to communities as well as inculcate core moral, civic and entrepreneurial values the athletes and spectators.
The 2nd Edition was officiated by H.E. the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education. We reached 5000 DPs; mobilised 500 athletes; over 100,000 people engaged physically; and over 3000,000 people through media engagements.
