Forum: ‘Building sustainable communities through sports’ |06 March 2023
Some of the delegates
Close partnership to ensure efficient dissemination of sports activities
Mass participation in sports activities is an Olympic ideal that embodies sport as a human right for all individuals, while it is also an expansion of opportunities for sport and play for all, regardless of race, geographical location, social class or sex.
As for the goal of Olympism, it is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of mankind everywhere, while the concept of bringing sport to everyone, everywhere, is still very much part of the Olympic culture today, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) sport for all commission is continually working to promote sport and physical education around the globe.
In the local context, with the ongoing restructuration in an attempt to rejuvenate Seychelles’ sports, the National Sports Council (NSC) now has the mandate to bring sports to the community, and along with other stakeholders and partners, the council is encouraging members of the public to take ownership of sporting programmes in their own communities, and as result it is expected that there is a significant boost to the overall health and wellbeing of the Seychellois communities in general.
To paint a clearer picture of the concept, the NSC, along with the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs hosted a forum on Saturday, gathering individuals involved in various sporting disciplines who were briefed on the importance of stepping up the effort to bring sports activities to the community.
Held under the theme ‘Building Sustainable Communities through Sports’, the forum held at the Savoy Resort & Spa at Beau Vallon was officially launched by Minister for Youth, Sports and Family Marie-Celine Zialor, in the presence of her counterpart for Local Government and Community Affairs Rose Marie Hoareau, principal secretary for youth and sports Ralph Jean-Louis, his counterpart for local government and community affairs Kevin Perrine, chief executive of the NSC Marc Arrisol, directors and other high officials from the two ministries who will work in close partnership to ensure efficient dissemination of sports activities within the community, as well as active participation from the mass.
Those present had the chance to follow presentations from the four main stakeholders – Ministry of Health, Seychelles Interfaith Council's (Sifco), Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs – who will be mainly involved in the exercise, before engaging in group work and questioning sessions.
Minister Zialor noted that sports forums should equally be regarded as important as other subjects as they boost and promote the spirit of working together towards sports development in Seychelles to empower and strengthen sport values such as peace, compassion and unity today for a better tomorrow.
She said it is equally important to strengthen the spirit of collaboration between different ministries and stakeholders as sports creates a sense of social unity, tolerance and integration, while it can also be the perfect vehicle for physical and socio-economic development.
Using South African President Nelson Mandela as a model for promoting sports to unify a nation, Minister Zialor explained that sports can be used as an important tool in addressing social issues including community development, well-being, health, education, societal equity, sustainability and peace.
Being part of the society as an educational aspect, the sports minister explained that sports can help to save a generation as it forms part of human and social development.
Addressing those present, on behalf of the NSC, Mr Arrisol also made reference to President Mandela, precisely his speech made in the year 2000 at the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards, saying that sports has the power to change the world, to inspire, and to unite people in a way that little else does, while it also speaks to youth in a language they understand.
Mr Arrisol said, other than developing individuals, sport and physical activity can help build stronger communities by bringing people together, while it is also seen as a way for people of different backgrounds to interact and integrate by taking part.
Ministry of Education
Represented at the forum by Fernand Gamatis and Bena Zelia, the Ministry of Education has consistently maintained that physical education makes valuable contributions to students at all levels, primarily in the psychomotor domain, but also in the cognitive and affective areas, while it is becoming more apparent with each passing year that schools must help students develop a vigorous healthy lifestyle, which include appropriate physical activities and attitudes for all stages of life.
In his presentation, Mr Gamatis explained that the skills developed through a good physical education curriculum are critical in ensuring that students have success in many of the sports and leisure activities common to the community, while it also help the school to develop personal and social skill in students.
He said, as benefits, students display positive attitudes towards an active lifestyle, exhibit better health habits –tend not to smoke or drink alcohol –, while also developing personal physical fitness.
Ministry of Health
It was Dr Sanjeev K Pugazhendhi who represented the Ministry of Health with a presentation entitled ‘Sports for health’.
Dr Pugazhendhi explained that there is a strong link between sports and health, while good health leads to the concept of wellbeing.
He said good health is beyond just absence of disease, but refers to complete physical, mental and social wellbeing.
Among the benefits he mentioned are improved circulation, improved brain and nerve function, improved bowel function, immune boost, among others.
Dr Pugazhendhi further explained that apart from health benefits, sports plays a key role in societal development, the sustainable development agenda 2030, and provides a blueprint for county development that inter-links the various goals and sectors.
This, he said, shows that sports contribute towards country achievement of at least six of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), including those associated with good health and wellbeing.
Seychelles Interfaith Council (Sifco)
Reverend Christine Benoit of the Anglican Diocese of Seychelles was the speaker for the Seychelles Interfaith Council (Sifco) and she said the athlete’s belief is his or her personal choice as long as he or she performs to expectations.
She said religion has had both a positive and negative relationship with sport, while they are both built upon a positive ethos of commitment to hard work, personal sacrifice, fairness and achievement.
The reverend further noted that both religion and sports incorporate the use of rituals and customs and it is common to see the invocation of God in training, team meetings and in the celebration of success and even failure.
She also noted that, however, the spirit of competitive sport has sometimes weakened the spiritual bond of people both as active and passive participants.
She added that historically, religion and sports were closely intertwined, with sporting events often having ties to religious ceremonies or festivals, and these events acted as powerful symbols or metaphors of the transcendent.
Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs
Explaining the community sports development programme, PS Perrine, who presented on behalf of his ministry, noted that sports is an integral element of their vision which is to develop and promote an effective local government system and conducive environment for community empowerment, participation and sustainable development.
He said the ministry believes in the value of community ss2ports, leisure and recreation activities as it enhances active community bonding, participation, helps build stronger, healthier, happier and safe communities.
PS Perine added that sports, leisure and recreational activities undertaken at community level helps develop strong social bonds and enhances community spirit.
He added that as part of the collaboration programme, the role of the district administration offices will be to ensure availability of facilities at community level such as community centres, mini halls and playing fields, while the NSC will be responsible for all the outdoor sports facilities.
Text and photos Roland Duval
