Sport builds peace: VP Mujuru

talent in the country to exposed.
The Vice President, in a speech read on her behalf by the Minister of State in her office Sylvester Nguni at the official launch of the 2012 National Youth Games in Bindura yesterday, said the value of sport to the country was becoming more evident each day and noted that sport can serve as an important tool to improve the health standards of the youth as well as play a big part in nation building and promotion of peace and unity.
Mashonaland Central province using the theme “Harnessing youth talent through Sport” will stage the 10th edition of the Games, scheduled for August and Vice President Mujuru who also hails from the same province remained hopeful that it will be a successful event.
Vice President Mujuru said the significance of the competitions was that the Games provided the platform for young talented athletes in Zimbabwe to become future sporting icons.
“Government through the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture is committed to stimulate participation, growth and development of sport among the youth in Zimbabwe and thus provide platforms for the sporting talent to be nurtured and groomed to become future icons.
“The theme ‘Harnessing youth talent through sport’ is a clarion call for the pooling of information, financial human and material resources so that the sport talent inhibited by the youth can be exposed.
“This launch comes after the successful hosting of the 2011 National Youth Education through Sport Festival which saw 10 provinces converging in Bindura town. The exposure and experience of the National Youth Education through Sport Festival in December 2011 should inspire us to organise more successfully this 10th edition of the Zimbabwe National Youth Games.
“The Value of sport is becoming more evident each day. Besides learning skills through sport our youth also learn to become more confident, resilient, persevering and team building. In addition as they interact, they appreciate the diversity among themselves, which in turn fosters tolerance.
“The different abilities which are harnessed by their coaches for best winning chances promote team spirit. Thus the youth learn to complement and support each other,” Vice President Mujuru said.
The Vice President also challenged the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture and the Sport and Recreation Commission to work on introducing more disciplines apart from football, athletics, netball, basketball, volleyball , handball, boxing and tennis.
“Sport can serve as a significant tool to improve the overall health standard of our youth. Sport can also serve as a nation building and peace promoting instrument and for this reason the challenge becomes the provision of more opportunities for youth to participate in sport.
“I therefore urge the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture , the Sport and Recreation Commission and the educational institutions to work together to include more disciplines in competitions.
“As a nation we should thrive to avail diverse and contemporary sporting disciplines. The diversification of sport will widen both the range of choice and participation opportunities.
“Further, early identification and development of sport talent is necessary for long term success in this sector. This approach I believe will broaden the base for talent identification and the selection of formidable national teams,” said Vice President Mujuru.
The National Youth Games, Vice President Mujuru also should serve as an inspiration for the participants to aspire to represent their country in the various national teams.
“Our success in sport depends on a talent development framework. Competitions that are organised should encourage and motivate those who excel to aspire to represent Zimbabwe at regional and international competitions.
‘Representing the country at those levels is the pinnacle of any sporting career. The Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture and the Sport and Recreation Commission remains committed to the development of sport opportunities and accessibility by our youth.
“Zimbabwe is part of the Supreme Council of Sport in Africa, Zone Six, where it engages in sport at the regional level. It is in this regard that Zimbabwe will be hosting the 2014 Under-20 Zone Six Youth Games.
“As part of that thrust the National Youth Games in 2012 is mandated to be part of the build-up to the 2014 Zone Six Games. Consequently as a deliberate effort Sport Federations and the SRC should be seized with raising up of regionally competitive athletes in all major disciplines.
Government policy enjoins schools to actively participate inclusive developmental, recreational and educational sport throughout the year.
“Now in the spirit of sports development and that of a health culture, learners and teachers are expected to engage in fruitful bodily exercise throughout the year. This helps to combat such silent chronic illnesses as diabetes and hypertension whose fatality is quite excessive.
“Sport is as much a lucrative business as it is an expensive enterprise.
“The latter has been a deterrent feature to the participation in the so-called expensive sports but we would like the National Youth Games to be all inclusive, there should be a deliberate inclusion of non-traditional sports like hockey and cricket,” Vice President Mujuru said.