Media Advisory

What: Commemoration of the African Union Day of African Sport (AU-DAS); 7-aside football tournament.

When:     Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at the Bauleni United Sports Academy, Lusaka, Zambia                                                                                                               

Who:      The African Union’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-

ECOSOCC) in partnership with the Grassroot Soccer Zambia (GRSZ).

Speakers: African Union Commission, ECOSOCC and GRSZ         

Why:  The goal of the event is to commemorate the AU Day of African Sport. This day recognises the role that African sport plays in communities and in people’s lives. Sport can cross boundaries, defy stereotypes and inspire hope across nations. The event will bring together adolescents and young people to celebrate the day as well as demonstrate through football activity, the importance of sport/physical activity in their lives. The event will bring together boys and girls to compete in a 7-aside football tournament.

During the tournament, all the COVID-19 guidelines as prescribed by the Government of the Republic of Zambia, through the Ministry of Health will be adhered to.

Objective: This type of community tournament and health event utilizes soccer as a platform to:

1. Provide linkage to services and mobilize communities and key stakeholders to challenge social norms that traditionally exclude adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) from sport;
2. Mobilise communities around Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and to provide key services (HIV Testing and STI screening, etc.) in non-clinical settings, such as high-volume soccer tournaments that double as community health events.
3. These unique events are used to sensitize community members on SRHR and facilitate access to services in non-traditional, community-based settings, reaching individuals that may not typically seek care at health facilities.

Media houses are invited to cover and participate in the commemoration of the AU Day of African Sport on Tuesday, December 14, at 9 a.m. at the Bauleni Sports Academy.

#  For media inquiries, please contact:

Ms. Carol Jilombo | Senior Communications Officer | AU ECOSOCC Secretariat, Lusaka, Zambia

E-mail: Jilomboc@africa-union.org

About ECOSOCC

The Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) was established in July 2004 as an Advisory Organ composed of different social and professional groups of AU Member States. The mandate of ECOSOCC is to contribute, through advice, to the effective translation of the objectives, principles and policies of the Union into concrete programmes, as well as the evaluation of these programmes.

Learn more at: https://www.auecosocc.org;

About GRSZ

GRSZ is a rapidly growing local adolescent health organization that leverages the power of soccer to educate, inspire, and mobilize youth in Zambia to overcome their greatest health challenges, live healthier, more productive lives, and be agents for change in their communities. Since 2005, GRS programs have reached over 25000 young people annually with life-saving HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health information and services in Zambia.