The third edition of the NA WE WE sports jamboree, organised by Cameroon NGO Local Youth Corner Cameroon, LOYOC, has kicked off in Bafoussam, West Region of Cameroon.
The sports jamboree kicked off on Saturday, July 6, and will run through August 24 under the theme, “Using Sports to Build Inter-Cultural Relationships.”
The month-long event will bring together youths aged 15-35 from displaced and host communities through sports and recreational activities.
The opening ceremony was presided over by the Secretary-General at the Ministry of Youth and Civic Education, Zachee Robert Théophile Benga, who served as the personal representative of Minister Mounouna Foutsou.
NA WE WE sports jamboree launch
He was accompanied by the resident Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon, Lorraine Anderson; Inspector General at the West Governor’s office, representing Governor Awa Fonka Augustine; Deputy Resident Head of Mission for UNFPA, Neomi Dalmonte; and officials from PLAN Cameroon, UNDP, GIZ, among others.
Speaking during the occasion, Théophile Benga extended Minister Mounouna Foutsou’s words of appreciation and encouragement to the Executive Director of LOYOC, Christian Achaleke, and his entire team for their significant strides in promoting civic values and moral rearmament.
He also lauded the support of the UN Agencies present for their leading actions geared towards youth empowerment and the implementation of the youth development policy.
HE Lorraine Anderson, on her part, said, “It is very important for youths to understand that the Canadian Government is always delighted to support them when it comes to using sports as a tool for promoting peace among their various communities and helping them learn how to handle their differences.”
Christian Achaleke stated that the aim of the “NA WE WE Sports Jamboree” is to create a platform where young people from displaced communities and their host communities can come together, learn from each other, and build long-lasting connections that foster peace and sustainable development. Supporting partners play a pivotal role in achieving this goal.
For Neomi Dalmonte, UNFPA is always enthusiastic about supporting activities aimed at prioritizing young people and promoting social cohesion. These activities can enable Cameroonian youth to live together, advocate for peace free of sexual violence, and gain knowledge about their rights and body protection.
“We urge them to take advantage of the vacation to learn more about sexuality education, play together, and live together in the same place. My message for them is to invest in entertainment activities,” Neomi Dalmonte said.
Key activities such as football, handball, basketball, dancing, health consultations, food donations, GBV sensitisation, community dialogue, tree planting, and income-generating trainings will take place during the jamboree.
A colourful display of unity with solidarity meals, health activities, ELECAM encouraging youth civic engagement, and vibrant dance groups will also be present throughout the event.
NA WE WE Sports Jamboree is an annual summer holiday youth-led community initiative that aims to use 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 youth-focused jamboree adopts an innovative sports approach inspired by global sports for peace and development tools. It focuses on using sports to bring people from different backgrounds together to play, engage in dialogue, and build relationships. It also aims to raise awareness while providing basic amenities to communities and instil core moral, civic, and entrepreneurial values in the athletes and spectators.
The 2nd edition reached 5,000 displaced persons, mobilised 500 athletes, engaged over 100,000 people physically, and reached over 3 million people through media engagements.
