The Ministry and Department of Youth Development, Sports and Training in collaboration with VASANOC is currently holding the National Sports Strategy Meeting in Port Vila over three days from Wednesday 22nd to Friday 24th February.
The meeting brings together Directors, Senior Officers and Youth and Provincial Sports Officers under the Ministry, Secretary Generals from Provincial Governments, as well as representatives from national sports bodies in consultation towards developing a new National Sports and Recreational Strategic Plan for the period 2017-2020, endorsing a National Games Charter and preparing for the Pacific Mini Games (Van2017).
In the Opening Speech given on behalf of the Minister, the Acting Director General of the Ministry of Youth Development, Sports and Training, George Jonathan Maeltoka, stated that in the current national sustainable development plan, the Vanuatu People’s Plan 2030, sport is included under one of the 36 Social pillar strategic objectives for the Government to prioritise for the next 15 years.
Overall, the key message conveyed by the Ministry to direct the sports strategy meeting and discussions was that, “We need to move towards the idea that sport and physical activity can become agents of transformation for an individual, the community and the nation.”
Over 30 participants are in attendance at the meeting including Government Officials from all six provinces, National Youth Council Presidents and representatives of national sports federations: Rugby, Volleyball, Karate-do, Hockey and Netball.
The first day entailed focused discussions to inform the Government’s Sports Strategy, lead by the Acting Director of the Department of Youth Development, Sports and Training, Paul Nalau. The second day will address preparations for the Pacific Mini Games such as regulations, governance structures, Team Vanuatu development, and a final review of the National Games Charter, facilitated by Henry Tavoa, CEO of VASANOC, Simeon Roqara, Senior Sports Officer, and Trevor Toka, CEO of Vanuatu National Sports Commission. And the final day of the meeting will see the presentation and endorsement of the National Sports Strategy and National Games Charter, in addition to the National Youth Employment and Empowerment Framework – the meeting of which is running parallel to the Sports Strategy Meeting.
Acting Director, Paul Nalau, made clear the link between youth and sports, emphasizing that “Sport is not just about winning medals, but it is a way to build the capacity of young people to positively contribute to the nation’s development. We can clearly see the positive benefit of sport in our society, environment and the economy, which is why there is such a significant investment being made in sport through the Pacific Mini Games this year.”
It is expected that the National Sports and Recreational Strategy 2017-2020 will be launched in the coming months, and the National Games Charter will come into effect for preparations towards the National Games to be held in Tafea Province in 2018.