ADDIS ABABA – Following the announcement of the Ministry of Health, MoH, a couple of months earlier to observe vehicle free Sports for All day at the beginning of every month massive sports activities took place across Addis Ababa on Sunday. The intention of the Ministry of Health is simple and clear: to familiarize sports for all people which is helpful for their health. On Sunday many people participated in the sports activities to mark the second car free sports day.
In connection to the second car free day one participant, Tesfaye Abera, said that it is good to participate in physical exercise once or two times in a week to prevent the possible health problem. “Most people don’t take part in physical activities in Addis. Considering this the once a month car free day to participate in mass sport is beneficial.
We prefer prevention rather than medical treatment. I participated in the first car free sports for all program and last month I took part in the walking program. This was the third time for me.I believe that this is useful for our body.
I will keep doing it regularly. But I suggest for all people that it is good to do exercise at least two times a week,” he said. According to him one day in a month is not enough but at this initial stage it is good to make it for one day. “Then we hope thisprogram will be expanded to make it every weekend. Slowly but surely sport becomes the day to day life of the people in the days ahead,” he added. The Sunday program was indeed attractive.
Many people wearing sports dressing took part in this city wide sports activity. Heavy weight female and male, aged people, young and even athletes and footballers were in the attendance. There was no fear of accidents as it was a car free day. This was important at least in two things. One is it was the day of avoiding pollution in a very subtle way.
No car smoking in areas of the sports activities. The other is it gives freedom to relax on the road as there was no fear of car accidents. In Ethiopia the news of car accidents have been horrifying. The way accidents occur in the streets of Addis Ababa seems there is no traffic law that controls the people at the driving seat.
Apart from the health contribution it is also helpful to change the attitude and tradition of the people. Plus, it will give an opportunity to have relationship with different stratum of the society. Mixing with the business community, intellectuals and high profile personnel gives an opportunity to share different view. There is a possibility of joining with celebrities. Imagine running or making exercise with Tedi Afro or the international celebrity Derartu Tulu. It gives great pleasure for those who don’t get the chance to talk or walk together with people of that high calibre.
So the idea of the Ministry of Health is indeed appreciable. But one serious problem in our country is the sustainability of big ideas. For a few days things get wide coverage and it also gets high importance in the media but after some time every one forgets it. As this was the second time it seems the Ministry is serious to keep the program alive for long. This one looks a different one.
Will this continue? If the past is any guide, it will shortly be forgotten. One good solution for this is to make it institutional. The best example of this is Haile’s Great Ethiopian Run. It is an institution with full commitment that kept the difficult program to go smoothly every time. For now the first day was fantastic. The inspiration of the people was also quite good. What remains is strong institution that keeps the program going.
Herald FEBRUARY 5/2019
BY SOLOMON BEKELE
