Koiari youth spread unity through sports

 THE secretary for Communication and Information, Henao Iduhu has commended the youth of Koiari for their initiative in creating “unity and harmony” in their communities through sports.

Iduhu said it was encouraging to see young men and women gather at Dagoda village outside Port Moresby city for the annual Moroi Cup volleyball competition. 

The competition is in its seventh year. Rabuka village hosted the games last year. 

 “I am happy to see the unity and harmony displayed by the Koiari youth,” Iduhu said when opening the games on Monday.

Iduhu arrived at Dagoda village as an invited guest but was forced to declare the games open when other invited dignitaries failed to turn up.

He said the “old” Koiari way was to gather only during a funeral feast.

“Nowadays, the young generation has found another way to get together more often – sports. This is an excellent way forward,” he said.

He said the games had drawn the Koiari people together from as far as the Sirinumu Dam to Osabei (Goldie area) and Haima (Vanapa) along the Hiritano Highway in the west to Rabuka, Dagoda and Seme along the Magi Highway in the east. 

 “In the process, you are also taking your development issues to the drawing board of the national government,” he said.

This year’s organising committee chairman Maeana Osiva said nine Koiari villages with six teams each would compete for spots in the Koiari team for the volleyball national championships in Port Moresby in September.

He said his committee had worked “very, very hard” to get a Koiari team to the national championship.

He said it was up to the players to perform during the next five days to warrant selection. The games end tomorrow.