A field day of celebrations
ALEXANDRA -– Norwegian Prime Minister Erma Solberg calls for the respect of the rights of women and children.
The Number 3 Square Sports Ground, which includes soccer and netball pitches and a skateboarding section, was a hive of activity when more than 1 000 converged on the sports complex to indulge in a multi-faceted celebration.
The celebrations included World Aids Day, the late former President Nelson Mandela’s centenary and the launch of Global Goals Girls Football League.
Heading the celebrations was Norwegian Prime Minister Erma Solberg, along with the Danish and South Korean ambassadors to South Africa, Tobias Elling Rehfeld and Young Dho respectively and the CEO of the Field Band Foundation Nicky du Plessis.
Addressing attendees, Solberg described the various activities on the day as ‘a nice way to bring a lighter moment into pressing political issues and in some way into serious global problems’.
The activities included music from the Alex Field Band and a kick around by the 400 young footballers divided into teams of the 17 Global Goals of Sustainable Development in an attempt to score goals to match Mandela’s centenary.
“Make no mistake, there are important goals for the world to accomplish and for you youngsters, as the future for our world, the future is in your hands to change for the better,” added Solberg.
“You must learn about these goals, follow them, live them and ensure they are achieved as this will help ease the joblessness afflicting the world.”
She called on world leaders to take a cue from the late former President Mandela and ensure that ‘our children get the right and required education in order to advance Africa’s own 2063 Development Plan’.
“You’re the first generation that can work effectively towards the eradication of poverty and other ills.
Alex Field Band manager Phumzile Twala, the daughter of legendary Alex humanist Linda Twala, urged the young girls to be vigilant at all times against abusers and continue to fight against the scourge of HIV and Aids.
“We’re all stronger together and therefore it is important that we all show our solidarity,” she said and asked for a moment’s silence to honour those who have died as a result of the dreaded disease.
