Ghana to host Sports for Development and Peace Conference

Accra, Nov 29, GNA - Ghana is to host the third international conference on Sports for Development and Peace (SDP) at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra from December 3-6, 2007. The meeting would also be the third Executive Committee of the SDP and the Peace International Working Group (IWG) and also the first to be hosted by Africa since the formation of the SDP and IWG. It is also the first to be hosted by Africa after the United States of America (USA) and Switzerland had hosted the first two editions. A statement signed by Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports copied to the GNA Sports said the conference is being co-hosted by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, (MOESS) and the SDP and IWP.

The conference is expected to attract various ministers of Youth and Sports from Africa, Asia, Europe and North Africa as well as other distinguished personalities and renowned athletes. The statement said 46 governments have confirmed their participation with 25 of them being first time attendants.

The meeting, according to the statement, is to afford governments the opportunity to showcase progress made in the use of sports for accelerated development and promotion of peace. It said the meeting would also offer governments the opportunity to discuss and draft recommendations on the final four-year policy initiative.

The SPD/IWG is a four year policy initiative formed to promote sports as a tool for development and promotion of peace. In a related development, Right To Play, which is the secretariat of the international working Group for Sport for Development uses specially-designed sport and play programmes to improve health, build skills and foster peace for children and communities affected by war, poverty and disease.

On December 5, a field trip will take place at the Burma camp 5 Garrison Education centre, where delegates will participate in a specially-designed Play-day organized by Right to Play to have a first hand experience that the power of sport as a tool for development can make.