South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The National Minister for Youth and Sports Dr. Joseph Geng Akech on Sunday reiterated the government’s willingness to fund sports activities in a bid to realize peace in the country.
“Sports have the potential to unite our people but more importantly it has the potential to give knowledge and talent in our young people,” Geng said while launching the 8th edition of the National Unity Day games at Buluk Playground in Juba.
He said that the ministry will prioritize sports so that young people can use their passion for sports to build lasting peace in the country.
“Sports also foster cultural values, social and political that we may have and that is why when we come together as a country to play, we always see unity,” Geng said.
He revealed that the games provide an opportunity for young people across the country to demonstrate their athletic prowess.
“If there is any doubt in that we saw when Basket ballers qualified and saw some young boy crying because of what we have achieved as a country,” Geng said.
“Sport is going to be our priority as government and as a ministry, because it has the potential and ability to unite us,” he said.
“We will pursue sport because we are entering a critical period of not only consolidating peace in our country but also we are going to exercise our democratic right to elect our leaders.”
Geng said that the sports games are capable of rallying young people together ahead of the December 2024 elections.
“We come together not only to play but also to bring peace and to discover our unique talent as a country and as young people,” he said.
The National Unity Day games started in 2016 to bring South Sudanese youth together to show unity and reconciliation.
The annual event is sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and supported by the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
Young people across South Sudan have suffered immensely as a result of the civil war.
Many lost their lives, were forced to flee their homes, suffered sexual violence and were denied access to education and healthcare as a result of the conflict that erupted in 2013.
The rapprochement event was an opportunity for athletes to come together to promote reconciliation and peace.
