The South African Embassy announced in a media statement that it will host the Nelson Mandela Cricket Cup for youth development in collaboration with Kuwait Cricket, the official governing body of Cricket in the State of Kuwait. This one day cricket carnival will feature many school teams and top young cricketers and is scheduled to take place on 29 November 2014 at the Sulaibiya Cricket ground.
According to South Africa’s Ambassador in Kuwait Delarey Van Tonder the Nelson Mandela Cup is aimed at honouring the positive international legacy of Nelson Mandela in accordance with resolutions of the United Nations and in support of the role of the Youth in Celebrating South Africa’s first twenty years of Freedom and Democracy.
In this regard Ambassador Van Tonder remarked “South Africa is a Good Story. Throughout South Africa’s history sport has played an important role. The international sport sanctions to isolate the apartheid regime and the utilization by Nelson Mandela of sport to bring about social cohesion and national reconciliation in South Africa’s democratic transition remain important milestones in the country’s history”.
By hosting the Nelson Mandela Cup aimed at the further development of this great game among Kuwait’s youth we also wish to pay tribute to His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait for his high recognition by the United Nations as a Global Humanitarian Leader and in particular the constructive efforts by the Minister of Information and State Minister for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Salim Al-Hamud Al-Sabah in actively promoting the linkages between sport and youth development in Kuwait”.
“Cricket is one of the fastest developing sports in Kuwait and Kuwait’s participation at the Asian Games is an historic event, given the fact that Kuwait is the first Arab nation to achieve this milestone.
This should be a great motivator for young players to represent their country at the national and international levels. In addition cricket in Kuwait is managed in a professional and dedicated manner by officials committed to the promotion of the game at all levels – including cricket for girls” according to the Embassy statement.
Released from prison at 1990, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and inaugurated as the first democratically elected president of South Africa in 1994. Nelson Mandela is regarded as one of the world’s most significant moral and principled leaders. He was instrumental in moving South Africa towards democratic rule and he is internationally revered as an icon in the fight for justice, human rights, racial equality, national reconciliation and nation building. In order to preserve his visionary and humanitarian legacy, South Africans and the international community celebrate Nelson Mandela Day every year aimed at service delivery and promotion of social justice. Nelson Mandela had authored three books – Long Walk to Freedom, Conversations With Myself and Nelson Mandela By Himself. His role in South Africa’s historic transition was also captured in the internationally acclaimed film “Invictus” and recently in “Long Walk to Freedom”.
School/Club teams interested to participate in the Nelson Mandela Cup should contact the Director of Junior-Corporate Cricket of Kuwait Cricket Mr. Murali Kutticode at 99542107 or at [email protected].