Top UN Sports Envoy on his way to Kenya and South Africa

Following his recent mission to the Middle East, including a visit to Gaza, Mr. Wilfried Lemke continues his advocacy and coordination work for the promotion of sport as a tool for development and positive social change.

UN Special Adviser's Trip to Kenya
Today, the Special Adviser is arriving in the Kenyan Capital to open and attend the ‘Forum on Productive Youth Development through Sport in Africa’ held from June 16-18 at the United Nations Office in Nairobi.

This event is a joint initiative of the UN Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) and the Jacobs Foundation, in collaboration with the Swiss Academy for Development (SAD) and the Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA).

Gathering more than 50 experienced practitioners and experts, the Forum will address questions concerning the role sport can play to help disadvantaged youth to become more socially responsible, and how actors interested in sport's potential can better share resources and ideas.

A specific programme has been organised for the media, combining the Forum with four guided field visits to sport for development initiatives in Nairobi. 

UN Special Adviser in South Africa
The Special Adviser will during his trip also visit South Africa, where he will address the inaugural FIFA ‘Football for Hope Forum 2009’ to be held in Vaal from 23 to 25 June.

While in the country, Mr. Lemke will meet with Government officials, as well as representatives of the UN, of the 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee (in particular, the CEO Danny Jordaan) of the University of Western Cape and of non-governmental organisations, during several visits to sport-related development projects.  

On 21 June, Mr. Lemke will attend the match of the Confederations Cup Italy vs. Brazil in Pretoria. In charge of coordinating the UN activities and messaging for next year Football World Cup, the Special Adviser will seize this opportunity to look into the preparations of this crucial event from a human development perspective. 

Last week, the Special Adviser concluded a ten-day mission to the Middle East where he explored opportunities for using sport and physical activity to improve the daily lives of children and youth in the region. The mission brought him to Qatar, Bahrain, Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank and Jordan.