Sports City hosts event to ‘unite’ kids of different backgrounds

AMMAN — The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) on Sunday held their Sport for Development programme at Sports City with 200 children from across Jordan participating.

The event was held to mark the UN’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and gave youth a chance to play ultimate frisbee, football and other games, as well as “express with colours and papers what sports means to them”.

The 200 boys and girls came from different regional, social and physical backgrounds but were united in their joy of playing together regardless of gender, age, disability or race, organisers said, adding that the day was special “not only because of the diverse group of participants, but also because it was in large parts planned and conducted by ‘Youth Leaders’”.

Organisers said that the youth leaders are young people trained by GIZ to become agents of change in their communities using sports.

“We train coaches, teachers, social workers and young people to use sport as a tool to support the development of children’s personalities and to teach them important life skills. Therefore, we regularly conduct workshops for people working with children and youth to show them how to integrate sport in a meaningful way in their work,” said Henning Schick, head of the GIZ Sport for Development programme.

Values like respect, tolerance, empathy, discipline, fair play and confidence are conveyed in a fun and playful way, so that young people learn those values at an early age, organisers underscored.

The GIZ Sport for Development programme is supported by the Jordan Paralympic Committee and commissioned by the German government, according to a statement from GIZ.