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THE national awareness campaign for the December African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games kicked off on Saturday in Bindura. Bulawayo will play host to the December 5-14 Games. Eleven countries – Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia and the host, Zimbabwe – will compete at the Games.
The games’ local organising committee, alongside the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture, are spearheading the countrywide awareness campaign for the games that will see the torch and the official mascot, Jumbo, being taken to all provinces.
Dave Simba, a member of the African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games local organising committee was happy with the response that they got from Mashonaland Central Province.
“The whole idea about this nationwide tour is to create awareness about the African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games so that every Zimbabwean has a buy-in to the sports festival. The games will be held in Bulawayo with Zimbabwe the host country and for that reason, they won’t be a success if they are not taken to the people,” said Simba.
“We will be going to all provinces with the games’ torch which President Mugabe lit last month and we will parade Jumbo the mascot as well as play the official theme song. For people to feel true ownership of the games, each province’s Minister of State for Provincial Affairs will be the guest of honour for that area.”
On Saturday the games’ torch and mascot will be in the Mashonaland West capital of Chinhoyi followed by another road show in Harare next week.
Online Reporter