2012 OLMPICS TRUCE: ROLE OF SPORTS IN PROMOTING UNITY , UNDERSTANDING RESPECT AND TOLERANCE IN SOCIETY.
Bravo! Bravo!! Bravo!!!, It is time again for the whole world to come together as ONE, WHY? Olympics is around the corner. Sports is seen as a recreational activities which we do during our leisure time to keep our physical, mental and emotional fit and maintain good health. It serve as a unifying factor particularly in multicultural and multireligion societies, as we all know that it is part of human spirit to excel l and derive some satisfaction and past time. Sports encourages competency and perseverance, it is one of the universal bounds like music and literature depending on the level of an individual. Government also make effort to unify multiethnic and religion communities together particularly to revive National spirit. Since the conception of some of the world most popular sporting events: Olympics, World Cup, Super Bowl Sports, it has been a way for people of different background, socioeconomic status and Culture to come together for a similar cause, that effect extend from children interacting on the play ground to a global unification of Nations through sports . What often seems like nothing more than a simple games for children, has the power to affect relation on a personal, National and global level At the school because many level, sport has a way of breaking down social barriers, children from various background are able to play together and build a team spirit which create Unity and disperse CLIQUES and BULLIES , An excellent way to bring children together. Olympic Truce also brings together FANS both at local ,National and International level. During a high profile sporting activities such as OLYMPICS, fans of each team playing are bound together through mutual love of the game and support their home team . Rivalry between team can have a polarized effect on a city or state, communal love for sports gives everyone common basis of interest and activities while the player often act as ambassador of his/her state. The Language of sport is the same globally, a child in Nigeria could play soccer as easily as a child in United Kingdom. An experience of Mine that buttress the TRUCE There was an incident that occurred between myself and some of my friends, which led to bitter argument between two of them , since then, they became the worst enemy, they are no more on talking terms.
During an Easter program [Easter Monday], many people were selected to take part in an event, these two were among those that were chosen for calisthenics , after the event, the M.C told those that took part in the event to wait for game as part of Easter celebration. The game is “passing the ball round”, with music coming at the background, the rule of the game was “any one that is with the ball when music stops is out of the game”, With this agreement, the game commenced. The ball was passed round and many went against the rule, hence ,they were evicted, it went on like that until these two former friend were the only “last man standing”. At the end two of them were awarded a prize. This event settles their quarrel and they became best of friends again. Olympic Truce will unify people and develop respect among each other and foster unity amongst all.
Submitted by Olayinka Shukurat And Fanimehin Temilola Surulere Senior Secondary School Senior Secondary ONE