adminchairperson of the Zone VI Council of Ministers of Sport.
Botswana’s Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Shaw Kgathi, was part of the dignitaries at the function that started at 10am.
The Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) based in Yaoundé, Cameroun, divides the 54 African countries into seven Zones.
Zone VI is therefore made up of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe and its head office is in Botswana.
The Zone has been instrumental in spearheading a lot of policy formulation for the Zone’s member countries in an effort to promote sport and recreation among its members.
Apart from policy formulation, a lot of programmes, projects and activities have been executed through the Zone’s initiatives among them being the popular Zone VI Under-20 Youth Games, the fifth edition which was held in Lusaka, Zambia, from December 7 to 16, 2012.
The Zone VI Games have made significant contributions towards talent identification and exposure with a lot of the Zone’s sporting icons having been a part of this regional initiative.
Notable athletes that have been a part of these games include the likes of the iconic World Junior Champion and Olympian Nigel Amos who won a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games in 800m.
The Games have provided a formidable platform for administrators and officials who have gone on to be given assignments at other major continental and international competitions.
Apart from the Games, the Zone has developed the Sport Education and Accreditation Systems (SEAS), a programme that aims at building and developing capacities of coaches and administrators through sports education, training and development.
Other significant programmes include the Zone VI Academy, Zone VI Awards as well as the Zone VI Museum under which the exhibition was launched on Friday falls.
SCSA Zone VI takes pride in recording and preserving the Zone’s rich sporting history as a legacy for posterity.
Not only does the history remind our future generations of our sporting heritage, it also forms a unique repository of our identity and creates a knowledge centre for use as reference upon which we can benchmark our successes and achievements in the future.
The exhibition that will run for three weeks seeks to engender a culture of celebrating the Zone’s own African identity as a people and invoke a spirit of believing in ourselves as Africans especially among the youth.
The exhibition further challenges the entire Zone VI members to perform better in all aspects of sports development including sports competitions based in past performances as shown in the Zone VI archives and museum records.
Most importantly, through the exhibition, the Zone creates an opportunity for scholars and other interested parties that wish to conduct research on pertinent sport related matters using empirical evidence that is authentic and credible.
The exhibition is expected to run for a period of three weeks during which the public that visits Gaborone is free to visit and enjoy the story of the proud Southern African sporting heritage.
Visitors to the exhibition will also be able to enjoy the diversity of the region’s culture as shown in the different Zone VI Games cultural artifacts and elements among them being the mascots, team regalia and other accoutrements.
The SCSA Zone VI has in its strategic focus plans to establish a fully fledged Zone VI Museum and Hall of fame as well as a Zone VI Library and Knowledge Centre in an effort to strengthen and preserve the Zone’s rich sporting heritage.
Prior to the official launch of the exhibition, the SCSA Zone VI general manager, Stanley Mutoya, made a presentation on the programmes and activities of the Zone.
The presentation highlighted the Zone’s structure, mission and vision, key strategic focus areas as well as programmes and activities.
Among the Zone’s Legacy Projects, Mutoya highlighted the Zone VI Under-20 Youth Games, Zone VI Academy, Zone VI Museum, Zone VI Awards and the Sports Education and Accreditation Systems (SEAS).
He emphasised the Zone’s commitment to driving sport development within the region by investing in programmes that benefit athletes, coaches and administrators thereby enhancing the Zone’s chances for podium performances at major regional and international competitions.
In his remarks during the function, Kambwili challenged the Zone to consider mounting similar exhibitions in all the 10 member countries in order to inspire the citizens especially the youth.
He expressed delight and appreciation at the concept of preserving the Zone’s history and sporting heritage.
The same sentiments were echoed by Kgathi who, on behalf of the Government of Botswana, pledged to continue to support the Zone and its activities.
“We are fully paid up member of the Zone and as Botswana will continue to support the Zone and its activities,” Kgathi said.
The official launch of the SCSA Zone VI Exhibition was attended by various high level dignitaries among them being the Zambian High Commissioner to Botswana, Acting Mayor of Gaborone, directors in various Botswana Government departments and members of the media.
Prior to the official launch, Kambwili and his entourage that included the SCSA Zone VI general manager, Mutoya, was taken on a tour of the Mogoditshane Centre of Sporting Excellence.
The Centre, which is one of five such facilities in Botswana, is based at a High School and serves as an Academy for young talented athletes in the fields of soccer, athletics, boxing and netball.
After the official launch of the exhibition, Kgathi, the Botswana Minister of Youth Sport and Culture, invited Kambwili and the SCSA Zone VI general manager Mutoya to visit the new office block which will house the entire Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture including the SCSA Zone VI.
The Zone is expected to relocate to the new office premises by May 2013.
Online Reporter