Partnership between Mundus maris and Amicale of soccer schools in Hann Bel-Air, Senegal
Celebrating World Ocean Day under conditions of Covid-19
As part of the partnership with Mundus maris, the Association of soccer training schools in Hann Bel-Air has been celebrating World Ocean Day for several years. But this year's day coincided with the Coronavirus pandemic which deeply impacted the programme usually run by the Amicale. This is all the more true as Hann Bel-Air is one of the municipalities where the proliferation of what are called "community cases" is still relevant. A message launched a few weeks ago by the mayor of the town calling on the population to be more vigilant bears witness of this. This particular context resulted in the suspension of sporting activities and even any other type of gathering which explains why the celebration not only was too late but also took on a special form.
Indeed, it was not until July 8, 2020 that Mundus maris and the Amicale were able to meet in the community center housed in the Doudou Mbathj school in Hann village, with all the necessary distancing measures to mark this event, but with all the well-known commitment of the two partners' representatives. Instead of the tournaments usually organised during past editions, we were limited to the donation of kits consisting mainly of water containers for hand washing for the entrance to the soccer training schools as well as face masks.
- Word of welcome by the chair of the neighborhood committee at the Doudou Mbathj school in Hann village.
Introduction of the representative of Mundus maris and reminder of the achievements of the partnership by the President of the Association of soccer trainers and educators. The latter, after having much appreciated the gesture of Mundus maris which is timely in a context of Covid-19, insisted on two facts which deserve to be known by all. First, he insisted on the fact that Mundus maris, thanks to its support for the competitions organised each year on World Ocean Day, allows the Amicale to achieve two objectives that are part of their mission: The first is that through the activities supported by Mundus maris, the WOD contributes significantly to raising the awareness of the sports community to the vital roles of the ocean and the imperative to protect it. The second objective is linked to the fact that the competitions supported by Mundus maris indirectly contributes to the social promotion of young school boarders insofar as in disadvantaged areas, sport is considered as a social lift.- The intervention of the Mundus maris representative reminded the audience of our vision, our mission and appreciation of the excellent partnership with the Amicale. After congratulating the leaders of the Amicale for their loyalty in the partnership, he made two main points. First, he regretted the context preventing the celebration of World Ocean Day 2020 on 8 June and with competitions as usual. He also explained that the choice to limit the celebration to the provision of protective kits against Covid-19 was taken in close collaboration with the Amicale and mediated through Babacar Ciss and Abdoul Aziz Babou, both members of the Amicale and also keen on collaboration between our two organisations. He publicly congratulated these two central resource people for our partnership.
- Hand-over of protective kits to representatives of the soccer schools.
- Interview of the President of the Amicale and the Mundus maris representative for the municipal tv (video).
- Closing of the session.