Airforce and Nanyuki Combined top seeds at Laikipia and beyond Unity Football Cup

Tree planting and Conservation agriculture key themes in Central Laikipia

Nairobi, 8 June 2010… As the world’s attention focuses on South Africa this Friday with the start of the month-long FIFA World Cup TM, the communities in Central Laikipia District will be gearing themselves for their own football fiesta – the inaugural Laikipia and beyond Unity Cup (LUC).

Starting on Friday, 11 June, a few hours before the Official Opening Ceremony at Soccer City, Johannesburg and the first match between host nation South Africa and Mexico, tops seeds Laikipia Air Base and Nanyuki Combined will take the field in the first of four regional tournaments, at Nyakio Primary School, Lamuria from 11am. This will be preceded by an Opening Ceremony to be addressed by acting South African High Commissioner, Thulani Nyembe, a partner of the event and the Honorable Mwangi Kiunjuri, MP Laikipia East.

With the aim of creating unity and understanding amongst the diverse communities of Laikipia and raising awareness of environmental issues amongst Kenyan youth, tree planting and conservation agriculture will be the main theme for the environmental activities that have been planned for the eight teams and communities this weekend.

Pool A is headed by Laikipia Air Base and includes Ol Pejeta, Mutara and Tigithi Combined. Nanyuki Combined will head Pool B and will play against Lamuria Combined, Segera and Sirima Combined to qualify for a place in the semi-finals, Sunday.

The Semi-finals play off will decide the teams for the finals, after which a composite team will be selected to represent the Central Unit to be pitted against Mathare Huruma, making a guest appearance.

Matches will start on Friday morning, with a half-day set aside on Saturday for tree-planting and demonstrations of conservation agriculture methods. All the pool matches will end on Saturday afternoon. Environment talks and activities will be interspersed with mini-football for children throughout the weekend co-ordinated by the Laikipia Wildlife Forum and United Nations Environment Programme. (UNEP) And to tie-in with Africa’s celebration of the World Cup, the organisers have arranged for live screening of the matches during the regional events.

Conceived by the Zeitz Foundation and sponsored by Safaricom, the Laikipia and Beyond Unity Cup it is being organised to unite the district’s communities through football and environmental activities for the next six weeks, under the patronage of Cameroon Football captain, Samuel Eto’o, who will attend the finals at the Nanyuki Municipal Stadium on 21 and 22 July 2010.

Members of the Laikipia Wildlife Forum are hosting the regional events, starting at Lamuria for the Central Unit. The Western Unit tournament will be held from 18-20 June at Sosian Centre; whilst the Uaso Nyiro Unit tournament will take place from 2-4 July at Kimanju Primary School with the last of the four event to be held at the North Kenya Polo ground from 9-11 July.

The Laikipia and beyond Unity Cup is also supported by other institutions, including the British Army who are providing the infrastructure for the players accommodation and pitches; the Kenya Airforce base and Nanyuki District Hospital are running free medical camps at each tournament.

Ends

For further information please contact

Liz Rihoy, Programme Director,

Zeitz Foundation, Nairobi Office Tel: +254 73 650 3249

or

Andrew Mudibo, Yolanda Tavares Public Relations,

Tel: 020 272 4383/5/7, Email: andrew@ytpr.co.ke Cell: +254 725 346 936

Note to Editors

The Laikipia and Beyond Unity Cup is an invitational event. A total of thirty two teams will compete at the four events for regional honours, with each region then selecting the best players from the eight teams within their region to form a Combined Team to represent the region in the Finals in Nanyuki. The teams are drawn from rural communities, local institutions, local government authorities and commercial ranches. Also invited are the Mathare Youth Sports Association who will send a team to each region to play the Combined Regional team in an exhibition match. The visiting teams from Nairobi will be treated to game drives to experience wildlife and wilderness on a firsthand basis.

Laikipia District has one of the most diverse, cultural and tribal groupings in the country. The unique Laikipia ecosystem encompasses unblemished wilderness, the mighty Mount Kenya, arid drylands savannah and forest and thus provides unique football venues.

The Zeitz Foundation

The Zeitz Foundation for Intercultural Ecosphere Safety (I.E.S.) is inspired by a vision of the Ecosphere – our planet and all of its life-sustaining regions – maintained in the healthiest possible state, and is committed to promoting an inclusive, holistic paradigm of conservation that enhances livelihoods and fosters intercultural dialogue.

The mission of the Foundation is to create and support sustainable, socially and ecologically responsible projects and destinations around the world to achieve long lasting impact and sustainability through the holistic balance of conservation, community, culture and commerce (the 4C’s) in privately managed areas.

The Laikipia Wildlife Forum (LWF)

LWF is a member driven organisation that brings together land owners and resource users of all kinds including large-scale ranchers, small scale farmers and pastoralists to tackle the challenges in the Laikipia ecosystem. They work together to achieve a common goal: Conserving the integrity of the Laikipia ecosystem, by creatively managing it’s natural resources to improve the livelihood of its people.

Laikipia Wildlife Forum is the first institution of its kind to develop a significant capacity to foster development and conservation goals on a district-wide level in Kenya.

The Zeitz Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Amadou & Mariam as Ambassadors for Culture (Art)

London, October 28th – Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia, the musical duo from Mali, met in 1977 while attending the Institute for Young Blind in Bamako. By then, Amadou was already a teenage guitarist in a well-known band. Mariam had, since a young age, sung at weddings and other traditional Malian festivals. They played their first concert in 1980 and embarked on a career that would take them around the globe, win numerous awards and produce with “Dimanche à Bamako” in collaboration with Manu Chao one of the best-selling albums ever to come out of Africa. For their latest album “Welcome to Mali” they worked with other musicians including Damon Albarn on the track “Sabali”, the Somalian rapper K’Naan and Keziah Jones.

Their unique mix of sweet melodies and funky rhythms, driven by Amadou’s bluesy guitar and the duo’s compelling voices make up the vibrant magic of their music. They have their roots deeply planted in Africa and yet they give us music for the world rather than world music.

“Our musical creativity allows us to cross borders, expand horizons and build connections. There is a new opportunity to do so within the Zeitz Foundation, and we are thrilled to embark on The Long Run as a sensible, honest and positive approach to life.”

They join an esteemed group of supporters including:
Ambassador for Commerce: François-Henri Pinault
Ambassador for Conservation: Stephen Hopkins
Ambassador for Culture (Sport): Usain Bolt
Ambassador for Community: Gregory David Roberts
Specialist for Culture (Art): Mark Coetzee
Specialist for Culture (Sport): Colin Jackson
Specialist for Community: Auret van Heerden
Specialist for Conservation: Holly Dublin
Specialist for Commerce: Derek de la Harpe

You can enjoy their music at one of their concerts in November / December 2009:
France:
10. November: Creil - La Faiencerie
11. November: Les Ulis - Espace Boris Vian
12. November: Gap - Le Cube
13. November: Nice - Theatre Lino Ventura
17. November: Tours - Atrium
18. November: Avignon - Salle Montfavet
19. November: Thonex (Switzerland)
21. November: Vienna (Austria) - Konzerthaus
03. December: London (UK) - HMV Forum
11. December: Oslo (Norway)

Olympic Athlete Usain Bolt Among Zeitz Foundation Ambassadors

Usain Bolt, often called the world's fastest man, showed the world in 2008 that determination and persistence can achieve the seemingly impossible. As both a dynamic athlete and personality, Bolt is an emblem of true sportsmanship, embodying the positive spirit of sport.

The World Champion Athlete, Olympic Gold Medalist and Zeitz Foundation Ambassador for Sport recently stated, “Sport is not only a personal passion, but a symbol of the spirit and the ability to achieve any goal we set our minds to. As an athlete and as an Olympian, I have experienced the true convening power of sport—to come together, in friendly competition, promoting the values of fair play and respect. Zeitz Foundation for Intercultural Ecosphere Safety promotes these universal values, supporting sport activities that contribute to building a sustainable future while creating a culture of peace.”

Mark Coetzee Contributes as Zeitz Foundation's Culture Specialist in Art

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Mark Coetzee has established himself as a prominent force in the international art scene. A respected artist, prolific writer, recognized art historian, and curator, Coetzee's career has included distinguished positions as Director of the Rubell Family Collection (RFC) in Miami and Program Director of PUMAVision. He has been an adjunct curator and faculty member at a variety of institutions and we are honored by his commitment to lend his support and expertise in art as a Zeitz Foundation Specialist.

“Art has the capacity to help us understand our place in the world: our cultural past reflects how we have impacted the world that surrounds us, and the present challenges us to consider how we wish to impact the future through the traditions, cultural activities and customs we surround ourselves with now.

Art does not allow us to simply accept the status quo but demands that we be aware of our actions, aesthetic traditions and ethical practices. It also asks us to think carefully on such complex issues as what it means to be both human and responsibly human.

I am honored to be associated with the Zeitz Foundation. Their dedication to promoting a holistic approach to understanding our world through art is exemplary. Their long-term goal—of finding creative ways to nurture more positive relationships in the world—is nothing short of inspiring. I join with them in striving to achieve these goals.”

- Mark Coetzee
The Zeitz Foundation Culture Specialist in Art

BBC Commentator and World Champion Athlete, Colin Jackson, Appointed Zeitz Foundation Specialist

As an important part of our universal culture, the Zeitz Foundation believes in the power of sport to unite. The Foundation is excited to announce the latest addition to its roster of Specialists. A Welsh former sprinter, 110m World Champion hurdling athlete, and Olympic Medalist who is currently known as a BBC sports commentator, inspirational speaker and author, Colin Jackson brings to the Foundation his positive message as a Culture Specialist for Sport.

“I believe in the capacity of sport to inspire and galvanize, and we should never underestimate that power. The message that the Zeitz Foundation sends—by utilizing sport as a way to communicate universal goals and bring people together in ways that contribute towards conservation and social awareness—is one that could not be more relevant at this moment in time.”

The Zeitz Foundation Specialists are experts in their respective fields whose specialties correlate with working towards furthering the Foundation’s mission and goals. The specialists are closely connected to our Ambassadors, contributing their expertise across each of the 4Cs dimensions: conservation, community, culture, and commerce.