Day of Sports observed

AS part of global celebrations to commemorate the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee took part in a series of events emphasising the value of sport and the benefits of staying active under the theme of the 2017 IDSDP “Time to Get Moving”.
Activities were held in Port Moresby and Lae.
In the nation’s capital the day kicked off with a fun sports-based session at Coronation Primary School with 145 Grade 4 and 5 students.
Team PNG athletes Linda Pulsan, Dianne Vetu, Cosmas Saliawali and Nathan Bennet joined Cricket PNG and PNG NRL representatives to run several fun interactive sporting activities for the children.
In Lae, the High Performance Momase Centre of Excellence celebrated with two educational institutes, Malahang Technical College and Balob Teachers College along with Morobe Scout Association.
In the NCD, the session began with the students listening intently as Vetu and Puslan spoke about the Olympic Values of respect, excellence and friendship and the positive impact sport had on their lives.
Students partook in a range of sporting activities from cricket games to basic rugby league skills drills as well as a karate demonstration.
PNGOC secretary-general and member of the IOC Commission for Public Affairs and Social Development through Sport Auvita Rapilla joined in the activities.
Team PNG touch representative Vetu said IDSDP was a special day and to celebrate the importance of being active and the value of sport with the students at Coronation Primary was a great way to give back what sport had given her.
PNGOC joined staff from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and led a sports session reflecting the IDSDP theme and Olympic values.
With a global partnership between the International Olympic Committee and the United Nations, PNGOC is working with the UN in PNG to use sports as an enabler for human development and a tool to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
The joint activity with UNDP followed on from a session held the day before where Team PNG netball representative Lua Rikis shared her story with the staff. Rikis talked about the amazing feeling of representing her country, her personal development through sport and how the realisation of her ability to influence others had positively impacted on her own path in life.
The day’s activities were part of PNGOC’s on-gong efforts to use sport as tool for development and inspire and unite Papua New Guineans through sporting excellence and success.