Sports Day in Port-au-Prince: Running for Peace

Haitians and Brazilians spent a morning together in Port-au-Prince in an event dedicated to sports and peace. Although it was set in a city still shaken and desolate a year after the January 12th the earthquake, the sporting activities were organized to help integrate locals, boost self-esteem and encourage change. That is what organizers of the Haitian Peace and Sports Day this past Sunday the 23rd, one of the largest sports events ever held in Haiti, hoped for.

A six kilometer run through the cities of Port-au-Prince and a morning full of sports at Kay Nou, Viva Rio headquarters in Haiti, highlighted the importance of sports for social inclusion, social re-insertion and its desired effect in contributing to create an environment conducive to peace, and less violence in the area.

Almost 600 people, most of them Haitians age 15 to 50, joined the run. Runners took off at 8:30 in the morning from Place d’Italie, near the docks, winding through streets in Port-au-Prince, to the finish line in Kay Nou. Runners were given t-shirts on being enrolled, and all runners received medals celebrating their participation. The feeling of victory was shared among all the runners, and many said they had never run before, or hadn’t run in years. As the runners progressed across the streets, they were joined by bystanders and children who made the crowd grow.

In Kay Nou, 150 children age 8 to 15 took part in sports activities organized by Viva Rio, which included soccer, judo, volleyball, capoeira, athletics, gymnastics and other activities. Many accomplished and well-known Brazilian athletes were present that Sunday in the city to help encourage sports in the nation.

Brazilian athletes, among them volleyball player Nalbert, swimmer Luiz Lima, gymnast Dayane Camillo and tri-athlete Nilo Arêas told locals about their lives as athletes.

Also present at the Sports Day were UN Secretary General special representative to Haiti, Ambassador Edmond Mulet, the Brazilian ambassador to Haiti Igor Kipman, and MINUSTAH Commander Carlos Mezzano. The day was coordinated by the Brazil’s Second Battalion to the MINUSTAH, Contbras, the Municipality of Manaus, Viva Rio and the OAS Construction company.  

Photos: Oscar Emerson

Translated by LHM