Sports Reporter
Sport, Arts, Recreation and Culture Minister Kirsty Coventry has hailed the Korean Embassy in Zimbabwe for donating taekwondo equipment to the Taekwondo Association of Zimbabwe yesterday.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, which she graced at the Korean Ambassador's residence in Harare, Coventry said, she was happy with the smart partnership between the Koreans and the Taekwondo Association of Zimbabwe.
"We would like to commend the embassy of Korea and the Taekwondo Association of Zimbabwe (TAZ) for the partnership, which culminated in the convening of this handover ceremony. "We appreciate the cordial relationship, which has subsisted between our two sisterly Republics, and your deliberate intentions to cascade the same into the field of sport and recreation," Coventry said.
"The sports and recreation sector has become a source of employment opportunities and job creation, particularly for the youths.
"As a ministry, we have a thrust of creating a conducive environment by developing policies and strategies that will influence the development of sustainable sport and recreation industries and its various facets.
"We would like to applaud TAZ for embracing the MDA outcomes and NDS1 outputs by taking grassroots initiatives to increase the uptake of taekwondo in the country. I understand that the association wants to increase uptake of the sport through decentralisation of its structures, operations, and activities to the rural communities in the country," said Coventry. The Korean Ambassador to Zimbabwe's representative and second secretary and consul Chungsung Lee said they are looking forward to partner more associations in the country.
"We are very happy the have made this donation to the Taekwondo Association of Zimbabwe where we have donated protection, clothing, gees, and some tatami.
"We are hopeful this donation is going to be put to good use and help the association and athletes.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"The sport is growing and we are happy that we will be bringing some experts in the sport to Zimbabwe in September," said Lee.
TAZ president Benson Zwizwai said they are grateful for the donation which they will distribute to clubs.
"We are grateful to the embassy for this kind gesture and we promise to give them value for their efforts by producing more athletes who will compete in the Olympics.
"The equipment will be distributed to clubs throughout the country,' said Zwizwai.
