VITALITY NETBALL WORLD CUP 2023 TROPHY TOUR CELEBRATES YOUTH DAY IN THE FREE STATE WITH MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY
Friday, 16 June – The Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 trophy tour reached the Free State province this week and today honoured a significant turning point in South Africa’s history by being part of a special Youth Day celebration.
While looking back and remembering the events of 1976, tournament organisers are also looking ahead to an event which promises to provide a legacy of youth empowerment.
The Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 will take place on African soil for the first-time next month – from 28th July to 6th August in Cape Town, South Africa.
The tournament’s Youth Day celebrations in the Free State took place alongside the national festivities in Bloemfontein and proved to be a colourful occasion with musical performances, recreational activities and the handover of sports equipment and kit to local youth.
The Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 trophy was also paraded through the streets of Bloemfontein on an open-top bus. The tour started from Hoffman Square and finished at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium – where the nation’s official Youth Day celebrations took place and the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, received the trophy from Netball South Africa president Cecilia Molokwane. Joining Minister Dlamini-Zuma for the handover was Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu.
Speaking about the occasion, Tournament Director Priscilla Masisi said: “Youth Day is a particularly special celebration in our country, marking a day in history when the youth took a stand against injustice. Those brave young people showed what is possible when we band together, and they changed the course of history.
“We salute their courage while also looking to continue their legacy by giving hope to our country. The Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 is doing just that – bringing the best netballers in the world to Africa for the first time to not only showcase the sport but also to inspire a dream in our young people and to show what is possible with hard work and determination,” she added.
“Today we say thank you to the youth of 1976. We recognise your indomitable spirit and resilience, and we will strive to continue your legacy as we utilise this great event as a compelling opportunity to engage the country’s youth in a celebration of unity and aspiration.”
Details on tickets and travel packages and more information on the Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 are all available on the official tournament website (www.nwc2023.org.za) with a range of tickets and packages still available.
