This year, Rwanda will for the very first time host the African Great Lakes Friendship Games – an annual event co-organized with Peace and Sport. The announcement was made today by Robert Bayigamba, President of the National Olympic Committee of Rwanda, during the Africa International Sports Convention currently underway in the Rwandan capital Kigali.
He said: "I'm proud that Rwanda is hosting these Games for the first time in its history. The African Great Lakes have long been beset by conflict and I’m confident that sport can help us reinforce the friendships that we now share with our neighbours. Since 2010, Peace and Sport has lent its expertise to building the success of this project, aimed at youngsters from bordering countries Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Together, through sport, we’re working to build peace for future generations."
The African Great Lakes Friendship Games are a symbolic, sporting and cultural gathering bringing together more than 300 young people from youth centres in the areas bordering the three countries. The event, held over three days, unites the youngsters around the values of friendship and fraternity through sport.
Joël Bouzou, President and Founder of Peace and Sport said: "We are delighted that Rwanda is fully involved in organizing the Friendship Games. The Games have well and truly made their mark as a major peace-building and peace-promotion through sport event in the African Great Lakes region. Feedback from the field has been excellent. Over the three days of festivities, high-ranking representatives of the different countries come together to exchange and strong friendship ties and respect are built among the hundreds of participants. For these young people, the Games are now an unmissable yearly event showing them that they are just like their neighbours, with the same aspirations and challenges."
2015 will mark the sixth edition of the event. The African Great Lakes Friendship Games will take place later this year in Bugarama. To date, more than 1,500 youngsters have participated in the event.
For more information, please contact:
Nicolas Serres
+33 6 58 22 44 23
ndserres@gmail.com
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