Queen's Baton here in April
A message from Queen Elizabeth II, contained in the Queen's Baton, will be displayed in the streets of Windhoek this year.
Namibia will host the Queen's Baton Relay in Windhoek from 28 to 29 April as preparations for the Commonwealth Games begin.
Next year's Commonwealth Games will be held on the Australian Gold Coast and the baton is expected to tour through 70 nations in a timeframe of 288 days.
Addressing a press conference in Windhoek yesterday, Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) president Abner Xoagub said the celebrations of this year's tour would even be more special.
“The Queen's Baton Relay is a much-loved Games tradition –an epic journey that unites the cultures and communities of our diverse and dynamic commonwealth.
“One single baton is passed between thousands of young people and communities across many terrains and time zones, carrying and protecting Her Majesty's message to the athletes and citizens of the Commonwealth Games,” Xoagub said.
He said he hoped many Namibians would get to hold the baton.
The baton relay has been a traditional curtain-raiser to every Commonwealth Games since the Cardiff British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958.
The baton carries a personal message to the athletes of the Commonwealth from Queen Elizabeth II.
“Every baton is designed differently for a specific Commonwealth Games and this one was made using macadamia wood and reclaimed plastic sourced from Gold Coast waterways.
“The baton's first call from London's Buckingham Palace after its launch on 13 May will be Sierra Leone,” Xoagub said.
Partnering the Namibia Commonwealth Games Association once again this year will be the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).
The local representative of Unicef, Micaela Marques de Sousa, expressed joy about the partnership.
“I would like to thank the NNOC for affording Unicef the opportunity to partner with them as Namibia receives the Queen's Baton.
“A wide range of people –both young and old and from all across the economic and social spectrum - will all get the opportunity to be part of the excitement of the Games as well as to get to touch the baton.
“Apart from the fun festivities of the relay and culminating games in Australia, there is an opportunity to yet again demonstrate how sports play a critical role in the lives and wellbeing of children.” De Sousa said.
She explained that using sport as a vehicle to reignite the hopes of young people for better education, health and better protection was the reason why Unicef was on board.
Namibia will host a gala dinner in the presence of the baton to raise funds to assist athletes and officials travelling to the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas in July.
Next year's Commonwealth Games will be held on the Australian Gold Coast and the baton is expected to tour through 70 nations in a timeframe of 288 days.
Addressing a press conference in Windhoek yesterday, Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) president Abner Xoagub said the celebrations of this year's tour would even be more special.
“The Queen's Baton Relay is a much-loved Games tradition –an epic journey that unites the cultures and communities of our diverse and dynamic commonwealth.
“One single baton is passed between thousands of young people and communities across many terrains and time zones, carrying and protecting Her Majesty's message to the athletes and citizens of the Commonwealth Games,” Xoagub said.
He said he hoped many Namibians would get to hold the baton.
The baton relay has been a traditional curtain-raiser to every Commonwealth Games since the Cardiff British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958.
The baton carries a personal message to the athletes of the Commonwealth from Queen Elizabeth II.
“Every baton is designed differently for a specific Commonwealth Games and this one was made using macadamia wood and reclaimed plastic sourced from Gold Coast waterways.
“The baton's first call from London's Buckingham Palace after its launch on 13 May will be Sierra Leone,” Xoagub said.
Partnering the Namibia Commonwealth Games Association once again this year will be the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).
The local representative of Unicef, Micaela Marques de Sousa, expressed joy about the partnership.
“I would like to thank the NNOC for affording Unicef the opportunity to partner with them as Namibia receives the Queen's Baton.
“A wide range of people –both young and old and from all across the economic and social spectrum - will all get the opportunity to be part of the excitement of the Games as well as to get to touch the baton.
“Apart from the fun festivities of the relay and culminating games in Australia, there is an opportunity to yet again demonstrate how sports play a critical role in the lives and wellbeing of children.” De Sousa said.
She explained that using sport as a vehicle to reignite the hopes of young people for better education, health and better protection was the reason why Unicef was on board.
Namibia will host a gala dinner in the presence of the baton to raise funds to assist athletes and officials travelling to the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas in July.
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