By SayPro Chief Marketing Officer- Puluko Nkiwani
6 April 2025
Good morning, everyone,
It is a profound honour to stand before you on this globally significant day—the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
On behalf of SayPro—the SayPro Group of Companies—I extend our deepest gratitude to every partner, athlete, supporter, community leader, and young person joining us here today, and to the millions worldwide marking this occasion in the spirit of unity, inclusion, and empowerment.
At SayPro, our mission has always been clear: to unlock human potential and drive social transformation through practical, scalable solutions. And sport, dear friends, remains one of the most powerful tools we have to achieve this.
Sport: More Than a Game
Sport transcends language, culture, and borders. It teaches us to collaborate. It instills discipline, builds resilience, and nurtures respect. It empowers the marginalised and gives hope to the voiceless.
Whether it’s a child kicking a ball in Soweto or a youth sprinting across fields in rural Namibia—sport levels the playing field and brings people together in ways few other forces can.
Across the communities we serve, we’ve witnessed how a simple tournament can unite rival groups. How a netball game can spark dialogue where politics fall silent. And how a local coach can inspire hope that ripples through entire generations.
Peace Through Participation
Peace is not a passive state. Peace is something we build.
Through sport, we promote inclusion, nurture dialogue, and reduce violence. We equip our young people to compete with fairness, resolve conflict with dignity, and recognise that every person is worthy of respect.
This year alone, our SayPro Sport & Development Programme has engaged over 25,000 youth across 10 regions. Together with schools, NGOs, and community leaders, we are using sport not just for play, but as a vehicle for peacebuilding and empowerment.
A Call to Action
Let this day not be just a celebration—let it be a call to action.
- To every business leader—invest in community sport.
- To every policymaker—protect and fund initiatives that use sport to build peace.
- To every educator, parent, and mentor—instil teamwork, inclusion, and fairness in all you teach.
And to our youth—lead both on and off the field. Show the world that sport can build a future that is more inclusive, more peaceful, and more just.
In Closing
At SayPro, we reaffirm our commitment to this journey—not just today, but every day. In every township, on every pitch, and in every young heart that believes in the power of sport to change the world.
Together, let’s make sport a universal language of peace, hope, and unity.
Thank you.
Ke a leboha. Ngiyabonga. Dankie. Thank you once again.
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