Delivered by SayPro Chancellor Officer – Jeffery Montapina
Date: April 6, 2025
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today we celebrate sport not just as a game, but as a global language. One that needs no translation. One that speaks to every child who dreams, every youth who fights to overcome, and every community that strives for peace.
In the work we do at SayPro—through our training programs, youth initiatives, partnerships, and community interventions—we’ve seen firsthand how a simple ball, a court, or a field can ignite a spark of purpose in someone’s life.
We’ve supported programs that use sport to heal trauma, integrate refugees, teach leadership, and reduce violence. And we will continue to expand those programs across South Africa, Africa, and the world.
But we cannot do it alone.
So today, we call on governments, civil society, sports institutions, schools, and the private sector to come together—invest in sport, support youth, and embed peace into every play.
Let’s envision a world where every girl can run without fear.
Where every child has access to the joy of sport.
Where sport is not a privilege—but a right.
This year, under our 2025 theme “Play for Peace, Run for Change”, we recommit to using sport as a catalyst for sustainable development, inclusion, and peace.
Let us go forward, not just in motion, but in purpose. Together.
Thank you.
Ke a leboga. Siyabonga. Merci. Gracias. Thank you.
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