Under the leadership of FASU President Hassan Chikh delegates from around 20 African countries met for an information session in the Athletes’ Village. Mr. Chikh, also FISU Vice-President, welcomed the representatives of the FASU members and also the delegation from FISU, led by President George E. Killian, Secretary-General Eric Saintrond, Vice-President and CDSU Chair Stefan Bergh, CDSU Vice-Chair Pedro Dias and Leonz Eder, Chair of the Press Committee.
After this introduction FISU President Killian took the floor: “I am very happy right now to have so many representatives from Africa in this meeting. We have worked very hard with your President Mr. Chikh and FISU Secretary-General Mr. Saintrond to make this happen. We have only scratched the surface in what we can do for you. As you know, we had some problems with the help program this time. When we go to Shenzhen, we are able to help everybody in Africa. I want to get every country from Africa to the Games in 2011. I don’t want to have nobody behind the flag bearer, I want to have African athletes at the games. I want to increase the amount of money to be given to the Continental Federation,” Mr Killian said. “FISU is not a bank. We want to share what we have with our members.”
Mr. Saintrond stressed the fact that communication sometimes was and is a problem related to African countries. He urged to start to prepare all the visa issues very early in order to make sure that everybody gets the visa on time. “We can help you, but we have to communicate,” Mr. Saintrond said.
Stefan BerghMr. Bergh made some comments about the Development Committee. From almost 40 projects over the world, many came from Africa. “We are only in the starting face of this journey”, Mr. Bergh added. “There are so many things, we have to do. Transmit your ideas via your NUSF to FASU, from where my Committee will get the proposal.” Stefan Bergh named three main elements:
1. This will take time, we cannot do everything in 1-2 years, it’s a long term aim.
2. We have to develop our communication. We need better communication, close relations with all of you.
3. Evaluation: How things come out, should be a learning lesson for other countries. We need a feedback, so we can learn from the other’s experience
Mr. Bergh said that the communication with the help of the FISU Press Committee, led by Leonz Eder, is a key factor for the success of these projects. Mr. Dias underlined the fact that the Development Committee approved 7 main development areas in which FISU would like to have all members involved.
In the second internal part of the session Steven Thomas gave an overview over the FASU activities in the last year and showed the planed program for the next year. FISU Assessor Penninah Kabenge explained the preparations for the next General Assembly of FASU to be held in August 2010 in Kampala. FISU 1st Assessor Ralethe Malumbethe showed the development of the different FASU zones, while Silvanus Lamptey reported on the last EXCO Meeting in Accra, where the next FASU Games will be held in 2012.
FISU Media asked FASU President Chikh to give an update of the membership situation on the African continent. ‘As of today we noticed that there are no less than 15 African countries that don’t have a National University Sport Federation’, Mr. Chikh explained. ‘Therefore it’s our task to promote our activities in these countries and help them establish a NUSF so they can affiliate themselves to FASU and FISU.’ – Leonz Eder
FASU President and FISU Vice-President Hassan Chikh & FISU President Killian
Leonz Eder & Eric Saintrond