Nairobi,
20 November 2009 - As the whole planet starts
gearing up to the World Cup in South Africa,
more than 2,000 youth will gather in Nairobi
to Play for the Planet from 21 November
to 6 December.
The 'Play for the Planet:
Play for Peace' competition, now in its
second year, is organized by non-profit
organization Mavuno Michezo with support
from the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), the International Olympic Committee
and Bayer East Africa.
It will bring together
youth aged 14 to 18 from across Nairobi
for a series of football games and environmental
activities.
A total of 64 teams,
eight from each constituency in Nairobi,
will take part in the competition which
will run on three consecutive weekends from
21 November to 6 December. Eight female
teams - one per constituency - will also
participate in the finals of the competition
on 6 December. Winners will be awarded with
trophies, medals and football kits.
The 'Play for the Planet:
Play for Peace' initiative, first organized
in June 2008, aims to use the power of sport
to promote peace and reconciliation among
Kenyans. It also provides a positive environment
for interaction for young people who are
one of the groups that are the most affected
by hardship, violence, social tensions and
other challenges in society.
It is hoped that by providing
an opportunity for young people from various
ethnic communities to participate in team
activities, the initiative will help promote
social cohesion and peace. It will also
provide a platform for young people, particularly
those on school break, to engage in constructive
activities.
Through t-shirts and
other materials, peace building and environmental
messages will be conveyed to the youth as
well as to the general public. The participants
will also participate in tree planting and
other environmental clean-up activities
in their communities.
In June 2008, a few
months after the post-election conflict
that rocked Kenya, the first edition of
the 'Play for the Planet' initiative brought
together more than 300 children and youth
for a three-month series of school and community
activities on peace and reconciliation that
culminated in World Peace Day on 21 September.
The matches in the constituencies
will take place at the following locations:
Starehe Constituency - Huruma Flats; Embakasi
Constituency - Dandora Tom Mboya, Makadara
Constituency - Makongeni; Dagoretti Constituency
- Kawangware Primary; Lang'ata Constituency
- Lang'ata High School; Kamukunji Constituency
- Shauri Moyo; Kasarani Constituency - (TBC);
Westlands Contituency - Hospital Hill. The
venue for the grand finale on 6 December
will be announced later.
Notes to Editors:
This is the second edition
of Play for the Planet: Play for Peace initiative.
The aim is to use sport as an avenue to
promote and foster peace, in line with UNEP's
long term strategy on Sport and Environment
endorsed by the UNEP Governing Council in
2003.
Mavuno Michezo is organizing
this year's event with support from UNEP,
the IOC and Bayer. Mavuno Michezo is a non-profit
society that promotes the development of
sports, social cohesion and environmental
conservation in Kenya. It supports children's
homes in Kisumu and Mombasa and organizes
sports events for corporate organizations.
Its members are young professionals from
different fields and backgrounds. More information
on Mavuno can be found on www.mavunomichezo.org.
The IOC has provided
all the equipment for the competition and
additional sponsorship has been provided
by Bayer and UNEP.
Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson, Office
of the Executive Director
