Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts Elvis Nkandu, has called for the use of sport as a strategy to strengthen societies and enhance national unity.
Mr. Nkandu says sport can be used as a vehicle to create employment opportunities and alleviate poverty, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals.
He was speaking during the 11th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting convened on the sidelines of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France under the theme “Building Inclusive and Resilient Societies through Sports.
“When sport language is spoken in the fields of play, such as the times when our national teams are playing, we forget about everything to cheer Zambia, thereby reaffirming our ‘One Zambia One Nation’ motto,” said Mr. Nkandu.
Mr. Nkandu acknowledged the strategy of using sport as a means of breaking barriers in communities where societies exist with diversity.
He highlighted the transformative power of sports, particularly football, in catalysing national unity in Zambia.
Mr. Nkandu called on delegates to explore ways to increase Commonwealth Games competitions as a means of promoting the strategy of sport to strengthen communities in diversity towards inclusivity.
By Chimba Chilopa