Queen's Baton unites all
The Queen's Baton arrived in Namibia on 27 April from Zambia as part of its worldwide relay tour to promote the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
The relay, with the theme 'A Peace-Building Commonwealth' will continue for 388 days across all Commonwealth nations and territories.
This year's baton was designed in Australia and the relay was set in motion by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
On the Namibian leg of the relay, the deputy minister of youth and sport, Agnes Tjongarero, said Namibian children were in good hands because of the presence of Unicef in the country. “Sport is more than action; it builds bridges and promotes peace. The Queen's Baton Relay unites Commonwealth families. If there is no peace there will be no peace in sport development,” she said.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjivivi, who received the baton at the Parliament Buildings, said the Commonwealth symbolised “a rainbow family of peace and a family that should work together to see a better world, a brighter tomorrow for the current and future generations. Therefore, it is important that the Commonwealth preaches a global message of peace and inclusivity.”
He further said that the Commonwealth Games brought together many young people with a message of peace and harmony through sport.
“The relay is one of the Games' most effective tools to deliver a pre-games publicity programme that generates positive media coverage, community awareness and support for the Games.
“We therefore believe that since it is uniting people from various walks of life, especially the youth, in sport, it is one of the most effective ways of marketing the nation of Namibia across the world.”
The local leg of the relay started at United Nations House in Klein Windhoek, travelled through the Parliament Gardens to the mayor's office and formed part of the National Schools' Athletics Championships before ending its first day at the Windhoek Central Hospital.
The baton also visited the Grove Mall and the N/aankuse San Bushmen Sanctuary the next day.
The baton next moves on to Botswana.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
The relay, with the theme 'A Peace-Building Commonwealth' will continue for 388 days across all Commonwealth nations and territories.
This year's baton was designed in Australia and the relay was set in motion by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
On the Namibian leg of the relay, the deputy minister of youth and sport, Agnes Tjongarero, said Namibian children were in good hands because of the presence of Unicef in the country. “Sport is more than action; it builds bridges and promotes peace. The Queen's Baton Relay unites Commonwealth families. If there is no peace there will be no peace in sport development,” she said.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjivivi, who received the baton at the Parliament Buildings, said the Commonwealth symbolised “a rainbow family of peace and a family that should work together to see a better world, a brighter tomorrow for the current and future generations. Therefore, it is important that the Commonwealth preaches a global message of peace and inclusivity.”
He further said that the Commonwealth Games brought together many young people with a message of peace and harmony through sport.
“The relay is one of the Games' most effective tools to deliver a pre-games publicity programme that generates positive media coverage, community awareness and support for the Games.
“We therefore believe that since it is uniting people from various walks of life, especially the youth, in sport, it is one of the most effective ways of marketing the nation of Namibia across the world.”
The local leg of the relay started at United Nations House in Klein Windhoek, travelled through the Parliament Gardens to the mayor's office and formed part of the National Schools' Athletics Championships before ending its first day at the Windhoek Central Hospital.
The baton also visited the Grove Mall and the N/aankuse San Bushmen Sanctuary the next day.
The baton next moves on to Botswana.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
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