Gaoua Hosts 48-Hour Event Focused on Physical Activities and Extremism Prevention

Dano – The Ministry of Sports, Youth and Employment orchestrated a two-day event featuring physical and leisure activities in Gaoua on October 27 and 28, 2023. The initiative aimed at bolstering social cohesion and preventing violent extremism.

According to Burkina Information Agency, The event, hosted in Gaoua, the capital of the South-West region, was organized by the general directorate of physical and leisure activities in collaboration with the South-West regional directorate. The primary goal was to integrate leisure into the region’s development process, fostering resilience among populations, social cohesion, and socio-economic development.

The 48-hour program included a range of activities: a popular cross country, an aerobics session coupled with awareness messages on the benefits of sporting leisure, and competitions for board game enthusiasts, featuring games like scrabble, pétanque, waré, ludo, and cards. Additionally, participants were treated to tours of local tourist sites.

To further promote the significance of physical and leisure activities, a conference was held on the theme “Contribution of physical and leisure activities to the resilience of populations in the face of the security crisis: issues and challenges”. This conference saw significant participation from the residents of Bafudji.

According to Vouhoun Tamini, the general director of physical and leisure activities, these activities were organized under the “sport for all” initiative. He highlighted the role of these activities in fostering population mixing, improving social cohesion, and enhancing community living. Tamini encouraged regular participation in sports activities, noting the strategic selection of Gaoua for this event due to its numerous tourist sites.

Expressing satisfaction with the mobilization during the two days, Mr. Tamini extended gratitude to the administrative authorities for their active participation and support.

Participants Salifou Dah and Jeannette Tioyé reflected on the health benefits of sporting activities, emphasizing the correlation between good health and productivity.

Arsène Somé, the South-West Regional Director of Sports, confirmed that the event successfully raised awareness among the populations about the importance of leisure and physical sports activities.