Baidarie Sialkot with the support of International Labour Organization, Employers Federation of Pakistan and Japan Government organised Sports Gala at Government Islamia Degree College Sambrial under the project 'More and Better Jobs through Socially Responsible Labor practices in Pakistan' with an aim to pave way for revitalization of the passion for sports in our youth.
The event was attended by Shinichi Honda, First Secretary, Deputy Head, Economic and Development Section, Embassy of Japan in Islamabad, Sho SUDO, Chief Technical Adviser and Overall Coordinator, ILO/Japan Multi-Bilateral Programme, ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (Bangkok, Thailand), Ingrid Christensen, Director, International Labour Organization (ILO), Country Office, Islamabad. Majyd Aziz President Employers Federation of Pakistan, Dr Sohail Shahzad Additional Secretary Labour and Human resource Department Government of Punjab, representatives of govt departments, trade bodies, corporate sector, women entrepreneurs, civil society organizations, students, women workers, community Influential, media and players.
On this occasion six games were played including a friendly football match -under 16 (boys), Quiz competition (Girls), five hundred meter race (male workers/youth), musical chairs (girls / women workers), Push-ups (male workers/youth) and Tug-of-war (male workers/youth). Speaking on the occasion Ingrid Christensen thanked all the departments who came to join. She said we are contributing to create more and better jobs through improvement of labour practices.
Shinichi HONDA said 70 percent of schools, colleges and universities in Japan have several facilities for promotion of sports and all these sports activities begin at very early age of student and this is a good sign and we want to globalize it too internationally. While addressing the ceremony Fasihul Kareem Siddiqi welcomed the guests at the event and thanked Baidarie for organizing it so beautifully.
Professor Arshid Mehmood Mirza in his welcome address thanked International Labour Organization, Employers Federation of Pakistan and Government of Japan for providing support to organise the Sports Gala in Sialkot under the project "More and Better Jobs through Socially Responsible Labour practices in Pakistan".
Dr Muhammad Suhail Shahzad, Additional Secretary, Labour & Human Resource Department said a healthy brain fosters in healthy body. Sports build a person's character and body both so every effort should be made to promote culture of playing healthy games.
Chief Coordinator Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers Association Ijaz Ahmad Khokher (PRGMEA) stated that there is serious lack of playgrounds in our area even the educational institutions do not have such facilities available with them.