The Africa Sports Management Association (ASMA) has joined the rest of the global sporting community to celebrate the International Day of Sport for Development, which the United Nations (UN) approved to be celebrated yearly on 6 April.
In a special message to celebrate the day, President, ASMA, Prof. Oluwaseun Omotayo, wrote: “This day celebrates the power of sports in driving social change, community development, and fostering peace and understanding.
“As the United Nations General Assembly recognized in 2013, sport is a veritable Special Purpose Vehicle to break cultural and linguistic barriers promoting peaceful coexistence and social inclusion.
“The theme for this year’s celebration is “Levelling the Playing Field : Sport for Social Inclusion”, which focus is about ensuring that all individuals have unhindered access to sports opportunities, irrespective of culture and or socioeconomic background and status.
“As we celebrate this day, let’s remember the words of Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO: “The practice of sport… carries with it the ethical principle of peaceful coexistence”. Indeed, sports have the power to unite us, to promote understanding, and to foster peace.
“The Africa Sports Management Association uses this opportunity to call on African leaders and by extension World leaders to work hard at ensuring cessation of conflicts and wars in Africa and the world at large by levelling it up in the field of play.
“All world citizens should join the celebration of the Day so that Sport for Development shall thrive for deepening of peace in the society. The transformative power of sport in reducing compartmentalization and creating a more inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable world cannot be over emphasized .
“LET us PLAY”
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