Sports has the power to inspire and unite people-Vuniwaqa

Sports has the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else does, it speaks to youth in a language they understand and it can create hope.

This was highlighted by the Minister for Women and Children, Mereseini Vuniwaqa while officiating the opening the Digicel Punjas International Secondary Schools U19 Challenge this morning at the Vodafone Arena.

While speaking to the players, Vuniwaqa stressed that they keep in mind that while they are representing their respective teams and countries they have the capacity to inspire people, to unite people, to create hope and the capacity to change the world. 

She challenged them to let their behavior on the field in the next few days be something that they would want to see in the people that they will inspire.

Vuniwaqa also acknowledged that the tournament has countries represented that occupy the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 7th spots in the International Netball Federation rankings. 

Nine teams will be competing in the inaugural International Secondary Schools Netball Challenge which include South Africa, Australian Schools, Australian Indigenous, New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Fijians, Tongan New Zealand, New Zealand Samoans, Fiji Under 19 and the Fiji Secondary Schools team.

The competition will be held at the Vodafone Arena from tomorrow to Saturday.

The first game will be between NZ Maori against Fiji Under 19 at 10.30am while Indigenous Australia will take on Fijiana FANZ.