Permanent Secretary for Youth and Sports

Mr.Rovereto Nayacalevu

Saturday, 6th August, 2022, 10:00am

 

 

Salutation:

• Australian Acting  High Commissioner to Fiji;
• Distinguished Invited Guests;
• Youth Participants ;
• Ladies and Gentlemen;

_____________________________________________

Bula Vinaka and a very Good Morning to you all.

It is my pleasure to be here this morning and be part of this event which sure carries a lot of significance for all of us.

I also extend my sincere appreciation to the Australian High Commission in Fiji for organising this event in honour of World Safe Sports Day. A special thanks, in particular, to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade sports diplomacy programme Team Up which supports partnerships across the Pacific that uses sport to bring people together, champion inclusion and create opportunities.

 

 I am very happy to see everyone blooming in the spirit of the Vuvale Sports Day.

 

 

A very warm welcome to the participants and families who are here to support their children. I am overjoyed to see such enthusiastic participation by all the youth who have turned out in numbers at the event.

The primary focus in many cases is academics, which certainly is an important aspect in building a child’s career and life but many fail to recognize the importance of sports.

Extracurricular activities and sports teach youth many important life lessons. It teaches discipline, focus, dedication, hard work, commitment, teamwork. And it is our responsibility as adults to value sportsmanship and award the courage of young people to take action rather than focusing on winning or losing.

Sports instill plenty of values that help young people to cruise through life with honesty and responsibility for themselves and others. It also allows them to be agile and fit that only increases the concentration in academics and the willingness to perform better in any field.

Sport is an amazing concept that improves the lives of people. Students especially need to take part in sports that they find fun because participating in sports will not only help them to improve their physical health but will also give them the mental energy to cope and study well. By playing sports, students release serotonin and other chemicals in the brain and because of this exertion, they will feel more rejuvenated every day. It will help them to stay fit and to have a healthy and positive life. Sports also play a very important role in having stable and healthy mental health.

Mental health should not be taken lightly. In order to have a holistic and healthy life, the youth should also take care of their mental health. It plays a great role in keeping them happy and focused. By physically playing various kinds of sports, people will also realize that they can focus and concentrate better, whether it be at school or work.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to the heroes who worked behind the scenes to make the event a successful one. It is because of your hard work that we can give undivided attention to the event and not worry about anything else.

I request everyone to applaud all the work that you have done and make this a memorable day for everyone in the years to come. And lastly, I would like to request all our students to maintain discipline throughout and cooperate with us, and understand that any unruly actions will not be entertained.

I wish you all the best and a safe and fun filled day.

 

Vinaka and thank you all.

 

-ENDS-