The six-day conference featuring seminars, workshops, roundtables and cultural performances will culminate in a rare meeting of regional Sports Ministers to discuss the strategies and action plans drawn up during the event.
More than 700 participants aged 16-25 will hear from a wide variety of key note speakers including FIFA World Cup winner and former Real Madrid star Christian Karembeu. The French footballer, hailing from Lifou in New Caledonia, will open the conference along with PYASC Chairman Tai Nicholas and Manukau Mayor Len Brown following a traditional Maori Pohiri.
CEO Franck Castillo says everything is falling into place for the inaugural conference.
“We are delighted with the quality of speakers who range from high-level sports administrators to a 15-year-old volunteer coach making a real difference in his community,” said Castillo.
Organised by Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) together with the Manukau City Council, PYASC will be based around central themes including: health; education and capacity building; citizenship and good governance; social integration and anti-discrimination.
Guest speakers will include FIFA Chief Medical Officer Prof. Jiri Dvorak, Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres, Vincent Monnier from the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES), Special Olympics Regional Managing Director David Rutherford, Jovesa Saladoka from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, and Pacific Aid Foundation’s Joave Nadaudale who will talk about living with HIV in today’s society.
“The conference is about exploring ways in which sport can be used as a vehicle to bring unity and to tackle social challenges all around the Pacific. Topics will be addressed from a youth perspective, with an emphasis on youth participation and youth policies,” said Castillo.
At the completion of the conference, OFC will hold a meeting involving Sports Ministers from across the region who can adopt the strategies that are born during the event.
OFC will be involved in the implementation of new projects with assistance from its supporters FIFA, Manukau City Council, the Australian Government, Fonds du Pacifique, Cuesports Foundation, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Special Olympics, Human Rights Foundation, NZ Aids Foundation, Te Puni Kokiri, Football Federation Australia and NZ Football.