Queen’s Baton hits the shores of Namibia
The Queen’s Baton Relay leg is now in Namibia and Agnes Tjongarero, Deputy Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service will deliver the Queen’s Baton at the UN House to mark the official start of the relay.
As a Commonwealth Nation, Namibia will be hosting the Queen’s Baton Relay from 27 to 30 April. The Queen’s Baton Relay started on 13 March from Buckingham Palace in London as a lead to the Commonwealth Games, which will be in Australia in 2018.
The baton, which is a symbol of peace and tolerance in the sporting competition, will transverse through more than 70 Commonwealth countries. This year as was the case in 2015, UNICEF Namibia has partnered with the Namibian Olympic Committee to host the 3 day relay event.
The official start of the Baton Relay will be at the UN House during the first hours of the morning (between 8:00 and 10:00 am) on Friday, 28 April. The Baton will be delivered at the UN House, followed by a 30 minute ceremony with the Australian High Commission to South Africa taking the lead with the Support of the Deputy Minister of Sport.
UN Resident Coordinator, Kiki Gbeho, said that the event recognises that the United Nations sees sports for development as a critical mechanism to achieve solidarity, peace, human rights, development and prosperity.
First Secretary for the Australian High Commission David Eggleston, UNICEF Representative Ms. Micaela Marques de Sousa and of the Adv. Jesse Schickerling Vice President of the Namibia National Olympic Committee as well as Olympian Helalia Johannes will also be at the event to be hosted at the UN House
Leaving the UN House, the relay will be led to the next stop, Parliament building, where it will be welcomed by the Hon. Speaker of Parliament.
The Relay will then proceed with various activities on Saturday and will leave Namibia on Sunday, 30 April. During its time all are welcome to get the opportunity to touch the baton and also to exchange messages with other people across the globe through the google camera embedded in the Baton.
