Big goals for continental plan
The Egyptian Football Association is promoting the UN's Millennium Development Goals at the African Nations Cup currently taking place in Tunisia. Inas Mazhar reports
The Egyptian Football Association and the United Nations signed a protocol to support the UN's Africa 2015 campaign to achieve a broad range of the continent's developmental goals. Egypt's national team also proclaimed itself an "Africa 2015" team, and will be constantly promoting the Millennium Development Goals.
These goals were declared at September 2000's Millennium Summit, when over 190 governments made commitments to reduce poverty, ensure universal quality education, empower women, reduce mortality rates of mothers and children, halt the spread of HIV/ AIDS, and protect the environment -- by 2015.
According to the United Nations' Resident Coordinator in Egypt Anotonio Vigilante, African Nations Cup teams are being asked to support the UN's Africa 2015 campaign by promoting the millennium development goals via football. "Being an 'Africa 2015' team means raising awareness about the importance of achieving the goals over the next 11 years," Vigilante said.
The protocol was signed at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in the presence of Youth Minister Alieddin Hilal, Football Association President Youssef El- Dahshouri Harb, and popular actor and UN Goodwill ambassador, Hussein Fahmi. Afterwards, Fahmi read out the things the national football team had vowed to promote. They include halving the proportion of people who live in poverty, achieving gender equality, and ending environmental degradation.
Vigilante said, "Egypt is one of those countries in the African continent which is on track to reach these goals, and with the support of the United Nations, the Egyptian government is striving to create jobs and increase incomes, empower women, improve the access to and quality of education, improve maternal healthcare services, prevent the spread of HIV/ AIDS and protect the environment."
The Youth Ministry and the United Nations are hoping that sports will prove to be a powerful vehicle for instigating the kinds of changes needed to meet all these challenges -- especially amongst young people.
According to Youth Minister Hilal, "In this regard popular sports are one of the important catalysts for change in our country. Sports teach us the value of cooperation, teamwork, good leadership, tolerance, and breaking down barriers. Moreover, through sports, women and girls can be empowered, and children can find the determination to learn. Sports can also galvanise communities and society towards self-improvement."
