Australia Agog As Commonwealth Games Set To Kick Off

The 21st Commonwealth Games will be kick off in Gold Coast Australia, from 4 April, Barnie Choudhury, Director Media and Public Relations, Commonwealth Communications Division, said Wednesday.

The Games which is expected to run for 12 days, will see athletes from 71 countries take part in 275 events during the course of the competition.

The 9th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting will be held in Gold Coast on 3 April.

Choudhury in a statement said Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General will chair the ministerial meeting before attending the opening of the Games.

According to the media director, the ministers are expected to discuss how to improve links between government and sporting organisations.

They will equally consider ways to embed a rights-based approach in government sport policy.

“The Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting further demonstrates our work in harnessing the role of sport as a development tool, supported by strengthened governance, sport integrity and the protection of human rights in sport, towards more inclusive and sustainable development.

“Sport is a valuable asset, making an important contribution to strengthening the economic, social and cultural bonds of our growing Commonwealth family. The reach and impact of the Commonwealth Games exemplifies this,” Choudhury quoted Scotland as saying.

Meanwhile, for the first time ever, the games will have equal number of events for women and men.

In addition to the ministerial meeting and Games, the Commonwealth will also support a ‘pop up Commonwealth House’ initiative led by the governments of Queensland and Gold Coast.

Commonwealth House will host business events to promote investment opportunities and establish international partnerships with the aim of developing new supply chains across the 53 member countries.

The Commonwealth’s Head of Sport for Development and Peace, Oliver Dudfield, said, “The Commonwealth debate has become a leading global policy discussion on the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.

“This year, the debate topic is ‘Sport pays for itself in the Commonwealth” and will consider how the return from investing in sport can be enjoyed by more people and more communities across the Commonwealth.”

Choudhury added that Scotland will also deliver the concluding speech at gold coast’s ‘Trade 2018’ initiative, which will include a preview of the trade research that will be presented at next month’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.

The ‘2018 Commonwealth Trade Review’ magazine will also be launched at the event.