Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis (May 10, 2007)
The inaugural Caribbean Conference of the International Council for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport and Dance (ICHPER∙SD) begins tomorrow in St. Kitts, bringing delegates from around the region.
The two-day event, slated for the Royal St. Kitts Hotel and Casino, is being hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and Culture in collaboration with the St. Kitts and Nevis Alliance for Sport, Physical Education and Recreation (SKANASPER).
President of SKANASPER Stanley Knight, told SKNIS that his organization, which was formed to act as an advocate for healthy lifestyle projects, views collaboration as an important tool in fulfilling its mandate.
“It is our pleasure to be associated with organizations such as the Caribbean Healthy Lifestyle Project, the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and Culture, the National Olympic Committee and other organizations that promote participation in physical activity, sport recreation and the development of healthy lifestyle,” he said.
Overseas delegates of the conference begin arriving today. A welcome reception will be hosted by the Governor General His Excellency Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, this evening at Government House for all of the participants.
Topics to be reviewed at the conference include Physical Education in the Caribbean, the new CARICOM Physical Education Curriculum and Confronting Challenges which addresses anti doping and youth sports programme.
Interactive sessions featuring Jump Rope for Heart, which is an obesity prevention programme and Kicking AIDS Out ? an awarenness campaign will also be held. A panel discussion on Women in Sport is scheduled for Friday. The session will be aired live on ZIZ Radio from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It will be moderated by the Honourable Speaker of the House Marcella Liburd, an avid sports fan and former national athlete.
A representative of the local organizing committee indicated that the hosting of this conference is extremely beneficial to St. Kitts and Nevis and will serve to enhance the capacity of sporting organizations and highlight the importance of leading healthy lifestyles.