World Rugby is supporting the 2018 Friendship Games in Bujumbura, Burundi from 17 to 19 August.
The event is a key pillar of Peace and Sport’s ongoing efforts to use sport as a tool for dialogue around the world and the event is being organised in collaboration with the National Olympic Committee of Burundi, World Rugby and seven other international sport federations.
The Friendship Games brings together over 200 young athletes from Burundi, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rugby has featured previously at the event with former French National Rugby Team captain Jean-François Tordo taking part last year to help encourage better inter-cultural dialogue in the Great Lakes region.
For the ninth edition, Rugby Africa’s Regional Development Officer and Get Into Rugby Coordinator, Johnbosco Muamba, will deliver practical rugby coaching courses to participants and youth leaders alongside Peace and Sport facilitators who will integrate the values of rugby and sport into workshops designed to support and foster dialogue between communities and promote peace-building. Originally from Kenya, Johnbosco is a World Rugby-licensed Trainer and Educator and has delivered coaching courses across the continent supported by Rugby Africa, World Rugby and Olympic Solidarity.
Also at the Friendship Games, the Benin-born French basketball player, Olympic silver medallist and Champion for Peace, Isabelle Yacoubou, will team up with karate world runner-up Fodé Ndao to share the Olympic values of cooperation, self-initiative, dialogue and team spirit with the young participants.
Since 2009, Peace and Sport with the involvement of National Olympic Committees, international and national sporting federations, local authorities and Champions for Peace, has supported six training centres in the Great Lakes region in Africa. Youngsters from these centres gather for a three-day event - the Friendship Games - marked by a sport tournament, cultural exchanges and peacebuilding activities. So far more than 1,500 youngsters have had the opportunity to participate, compete, forge intercultural dialogue and experience the power of sport for peace.
Peace and Sport President and Founder, Joel Bouzou, said: “This ninth edition of the Friendship Games will focus on sharing the positive values of sports such as team spirit, respect and solidarity. Rugby represents perfectly these values, and I am pleased to continue our ongoing collaboration with World Rugby to further inspire the youth. Our Champions for Peace and all participants play an integral role in spreading our message of peace around the world and I want to thank them all for their involvement.”
World Rugby Chairman, Bill Beaumont, said: "World Rugby, along with our friends and colleagues in Rugby Africa, are delighted to be able to support the annual Friendship Games through Johnbosco’s involvement. Rugby is renowned for its character-building values – discipline, respect, integrity, passion and solidarity – and such an event in the Great Lakes region, where the local communities are determined to overcome conflict, provides the perfect platform to engage with children and young leaders to promote and demonstrate how sport can be an effective tool for peace. We are grateful to Peace and Sport for the opportunity to support this important initiative and wish all participants an enjoyable and memorable experience.”
Alongside World Rugby, a host of International Federations are also involved in the 2018 Games, including:
- Fédération Internationale de Teqball (FITEQ)
- International Basketball Foundation (IBF)
- International Judo Federation (IJF)
- International Table Soccer Federation (ITSF)
- World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)
- World Dodgeball Association (WDA)
- World Karate Federation (WKF)
About Peace and Sport
Peace and Sport is an international, neutral and independent organization based in Monaco that contributes to peace using the power of sport. Founded in 2007 by Modern Pentathlon Olympic Medallist and World Champion Joël Bouzou, Peace and Sport is under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. The organization can count on a group of over 100 high level sportsmen personally committed to the peace through sport movement, the "Champions for Peace". They dedicate their time, their fame, and their athletic experience to serve projects which use sport to tackle social issues.