Mozambique: National Unity Crucial for Mozambique's Survival - Chapo

What the report says

Mozambican President Daniel Chapo said national unity is central to the country’s survival and economic development during the opening of the National School Sports Games Festival on Saturday in Inhambane province. According to Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique, the event gathered about 2,500 people, including 1,584 student-athletes, for competitions in sports such as handball, basketball, athletics, volleyball, chess, gymnastics and traditional games.

Chapo used the ceremony to argue that schools and youth sports should help build a more cohesive and inclusive society. He said the festival is more than a competition, describing it as a place where students from different provinces can meet, form friendships and strengthen a shared Mozambican identity. The president also said schools should prepare young people for life as well as exams, and that sports fields help shape discipline, values and character.

The report says Chapo praised the cultural and athletic diversity shown in the parade of provincial delegations and referred to Inhambane as a common home for Mozambican youth. He also pointed to Olympic champion Lurdes Mutola as an example of how talent can emerge from school sports when it is supported by opportunity and guidance.

Chapo said the government would continue linking schools, sports clubs and national federations, while stressing that access to sport should include students with disabilities and young women. The festival is being held under the theme of inclusive school sports, with patriotism, talent and solidarity as its stated goals.