Three non-profit organizations based in Belgium – People for People International Foundation (PPF), Donkome Bohyeba Ministry (DBM), and Roakus FM – are co-hosting inter-church sporting activities in Antwerp, Belgium this summer.
This will be the first time DBM is co-hosting such a high-profile event with PPF and other partners. DBM had previously organized the event for the past two years on a smaller scale, focusing on sports competitions among churches and religious groups as a form of thanksgiving.
The event is supported by partners including SANKAA, Asanteman Association Antwerp, and sponsors such as Roakus Electro, Rockwood, World Know Insurance Companies, and Da Tang Culturetainment BVBA.
According to the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of PPF, Kwame Gyamfi Nuamah; DBM, Nana Yaw Gyasi; and Roakus FM, Robert Oduro Agyeman Kusi, the event is titled: “Thank You Lord Inter-Church Sports Activities.”
They explained that the event will bring together about 20 churches in and around Antwerp, as well as participants from across Belgium. In addition to churches, some mosques and synagogues in Belgium will also participate.
The CEOs emphasized the importance of bringing together people from different Christian denominations and other religious faiths to offer thanksgiving for successfully navigating the previous year, despite life’s challenges.
They noted that thanksgiving should not be limited to prayers and worship but should also include sports, which can promote social and mental development alongside spiritual growth.
The event also aims to promote integration and diversity among people of Ghanaian origin and other African nationalities living in Belgium, within the context of a multicultural society.
Some of the planned sporting activities include soccer, table tennis, oware, ludo, dama, badminton, tug-of-war, sack race, lemon-and-spoon race, chess, and running events.
The CEOs stated that the event is envisioned as a long-term project to be held annually in Belgium, preferably every summer in July. They also plan to host similar events in Ghana, annually towards the end of the year, as part of efforts to strengthen ties between Ghana and Belgium through Christian ministry and sports.
Gold, silver, and bronze medals will be awarded to the top competitors from churches in first, second, and third positions, with the gold medal also accompanied by a trophy.
The event will also serve as a platform to identify talents among boys and girls, with plans to use this data to shape the future of the project. The organizers anticipate collaborating with Ghana’s Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection in the future.
