National Unity Day sports competition kicks off tomorrow
The sixth National Unity Day sports competition will resume Saturday as young South Sudanese sports stars are expected to showcase their talents at Buluk playground in Juba.
This was confirmed yesterday by the country’s ministry of youth and sports, as well as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is one of the competition’s primary sponsors.
At a press conference on Thursday, Yoshifumi Yamanaka, a representative of JICA South Sudan, announced the kickoff.
He called on the citizens to come out and provide essential support to the country’s young, gifted kids as they pursue careers in a sport that promotes unity among them.
Many people enjoy watching and being absorbed in the game, while others prefer playing games together and finding satisfaction in collaboration and new friendships, according to the JICA representative.
“Some people are embarrassed by their abilities and challenges to win the game or set a new record. In short, NUD seeks to promote young unity and societal cohesion to achieve long-term peace and stability in South Sudan,” Yamanaka said.
He said JICA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports have noticed notable successes from the series of National Unity Day sports events since its inception in 2016.
“Multiple NUD polls show that NUD members felt a sense of community among themselves and that the majority of them made new acquaintances from other regions and tribes.”
“We discovered that games all around the country provided a relaxing experience for all participants and visitors. We have met here today to celebrate sports and their importance,” JICA’s representative stated.
According to him, the event would debate how NUD sports events have changed people’s ideas of sports and what can be done through sports for South Sudan’s peace and development.
He invited South Sudanese youngsters to participate in NUD sporting events to promote “peace and social integration among communities.”
Edward Yugu, Director General of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, said all delegates from various states have arrived in Juba ahead of Saturday’s NUD.
The director stated that the event was intended to bring young people together as well as promote NUD’s talents, noting that NUD has a long list of accomplishments that many people can attest to.
“NUD has changed a lot of young people’s lives in this country. First of all, it has promoted togetherness, peaceful cohesion among the players as well as families and other many important values,” he said.
