Soccer as a communication tool for ocean protection
The 2024 edition of World Ocean Day was celebrated by the 19 football training schools in the municipality of Hann Bel Air. These schools are organized in an association called "Amicale des écoles de Foot”. They celebrate this great event since several years. This was made possible with the enduring commitment and coordination of Babacar Ciss called “Gabou”, member of Mundus maris. It is the result of a partnership starting in 2014 with Mundus maris providing financial and material support for the tournament.
As in previous years, the celebration of the day took place in two stages: beach cleaning and a soccer tournament.
The 2024 beach cleaning edition was a greater success compared to the previous years. Indeed, instead of being limited to a single place (to be cleaned) three neighborhoods were cleared of their garbage. These three neighbourhoods were cleaned up in this way before June 8 as the playoff phases took place in these locations.
Linking the cleaning of the beach to the organization of a sports competition is, according to Babacar Ciss, a good pedagogical means. He noted that this has led young people to realize that their efforts to keep the bay clean offer them a great opportunity: to dip a clean yard to practice beach soccer, that is becoming a favorite sport for youth in Senegal.
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As for the soccer tournament, given the very large number of clubs willing to participate this year, it began already in the second half of May. This explains the need to organize the playoffs in three different locations on the bay. The finals of the different categories took place on June 8. During that day, a second large-scale clean-up to mark World Ocean Day took place in the morning.
After cleaning, the finals were played between the different categories, though not on the beach but in the field called "Maracana", located a few hundred meters away. Two reasons dictated this choice. First, the celebration of WOD by the soccer schools is attracting more and more teams and spectators because it is an activity now included in the agenda of the people. Secondly, with the erosion of the hillside, organizers are faced with the problem of space to accommodate the rising numbers of spectators. It would be worth noting that in some years, some competitions had to be postponed because of the rising tide.
The tournament was played in three age categories: 11, 15 and 17 years. The break-down was as follows:
=> 16 clubs competed in two categories, one for 15 years and one for 17 years. The 16 teams are: Goney Bira, Maison Foot, Goney Mafall, Mamadou Teuw, Club de l'Amitié, Caïmans de Thiaroye, Mame Rokhaya, Horizon Foot, Goney Fari Vision Mariste, Top11, Espoir Foot Centre, Diego Academy, B2 Sport, Natangue, Goney Lassana.
=> For the 11-year-old category, four teams entered the competition: Maison Foot, Goney Bira, Caïman de Thiaroye, Challenge Foot.
The winners were Goney Bira for the 11 year olds, Maison Foot in the category of 15 year olds and CFPH for the 17 year olds.
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| Goney Bira team won in the age category of the 11 year olds | Maison Foot won in the category of 15 year olds |
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| CFPH won in the category of the 17 year olds | Table of Honour with trophies |
Mundus maris was represented by Aliou Sall, vice-president, accompanied by Bina Diop, member of the Mundus maris Club of Senegal.
At the end of the presentation of the trophies, as it was already becoming dark, some brief statements were made including one by Babacar Ciss. He made three points. First, he expressed his gratitude to Mundus maris, on behalf of all trainers of the soccer schools of the town of Hann Bel Air. He hailed the consistency of the support provided without which this activity could not have been sustained for so long. He acknowledged this expression of a real commitment for the protection of the marine environment on the part of Mundus maris. The marine ecosystem constitutes the basis of life for the community of Hann.
He also commended the participation of a team from the fishing community of Thiaroye. For Gabou, the participation of this team is only the beginning of realizing a dream he and his colleagues have as soccer trainers. Indeed, their wish is that this concept "Soccer and Protection of the Ocean” put into practice for several years with MM, spills over into the other fishing communities in the wider Dakar area. For the next editions, the group of trainers plans to invite the participation of teams from more communities. Gabou concluded by expressing his gratitude to Aliou Sall who has been assisting them for several years in this initiative.
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| Ambitous CFPH Team | The joy of beach soccer |
In turn, Aliou Sall assured the organizers that Mundus maris is ready to continue supporting them to the extent possible. He conveyed the appreciation of Mundus maris for these interesting efforts towards combining sports and environment protection. He expressed satisfaction with the partnership and the celebration of World Ocean Day with these clubs as one of the flagship activities of Mundus maris.
He also noted with satisfaction that Gabou became a member of the organisation. He noted that the support for the tournament and associated activities is a contribution Mundus maris is delivering particularly happily as Gabou has shown outstanding commitment to advance the combination of sports, education and marine protection and continues to do voluntarily. It is a sort of symbiotic relationship which can hopefully also attract others. Aliou ended by reiterating towards the trainers his availability for supporting any activity aimed at raising awareness and action for the protection of the ocean.