For 10 days, from 28 July to 6 August 2023, Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, will host the 9th Games of La Francophonie, “a crossroads for exchanges between French-speaking countries”, according to the organizers. During this sporting and cultural event, which takes place every four years, more than 40 delegations are expected.
In total, more than 1,500 young people, aged 18 to 35, from the 88-member states and governments of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), including more than a third of the member states of the United Nations, will compete in sport and culture. Nine sports competitions are on the program, as well as 11 cultural competitions.
“Nzango, “footwork” in Lingala, is a discipline that will be introduced at the 9th Games of La Francophonie in Kinshasa”
In the DRC, the organizers plan to introduce a new discipline as a demonstration. This is Nzango, “footwork” in Lingala, a simple traditional game for young girls in schoolyards or on the street. Little by little, it is gaining momentum and wants to establish itself as a competitive discipline. To the point where it interests mothers and adult women. It is this growing notoriety, characteristic of “Kin la Belle”, which today opens the doors to the Games of La Francophonie.
“The OIF is taking up the challenge of organising the Games in Kinshasa after a three-year hibernation due to the Covid-19 pandemic”
The 9th Games of La Francophonie, which will take place in Kinshasa from 28 July to 6 August 2023, will be held three years later. Indeed, it is in 2020 that they should have been organised, still in the DRC. On the sidelines of the 34th summit of heads of state of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, an OIF delegation, led by Secretary General Louise Mushikiwabo, had organised a campaign to promote the event, with a concert by the Congolese artist Fally Ipupa. While everyone had planned to meet in the DRC capital a few months later, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic compromised everything.
“The IOF considers sport and culture as powerful levers in the face of the challenges of insertion, equalitý of opportunity, inclusion and parity”
Created on 20 March 1970 in Niamey, Niger, the OIF is an international community that includes 300 million citizens of French-speaking countries around the world. This unique grouping, rich in diversity, implements political, educational, economic and cultural cooperation between its member countries, in the service of the populations.
Within this organization, it is considered that “sport and culture are powerful levers for responding to the challenges of integration, equal opportunities, inclusion and paritý. And for good reason, the IOF maintains, “they convey universal messages of tolerance, respect for diversity and equity. This logic pushes the cities hosting these Games to associate themselves with these values through their social and societal commitments.”
An event dedicated to youth, the 9th Games of La Francophonie are placed under the signs of Equity, Solidarity, Excellence and Responsibility.
Source: Africa News Agency
