A Japanese Professor at the University of Shizuoka in Japan, Dr. Mitsuaki Furukawa on Thursday launched his first book to promote peace and unity in South Sudan.
A new book titled “Peace and Unity through Sports” in South Sudan was launched at the University of Juba.
The launch attracted several people from the University of Juba, civil society groups, students, and government officials.
Dr. Mitsuaki Furukawa said it was a wonderful honour to have the book launched in South Sudan.
He said South Sudan was depicted as poor and dangerous as a result of the violence, adding that he believed that his contributions towards restoring peace in the country would be of great help to the young nation.
Dr. Mitsuaki, the former Chief of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for South Sudan, said it was his experience of South Sudan that gave him the conviction that sports can greatly contribute to restoring unity among its people.
“This book is about the efforts to promote peace and unity through sports in the country following its independence in 2011. When I arrived in Juba to assume my post, I honestly did not think about peacebuilding through sports, “Dr. Mitsuaki said.
However, the Japanese expert stated that in the aftermath of the violence, the international community and South Sudan explored upstream peace initiatives such as the formation of a transitional government and the integration of government, rebel forces, and police.
“Of course, these were crucial in reducing the violence; nevertheless, I also saw communities and citizens pushed to the periphery who were victims of the disputes.”
Need for confidence
Dr. Mitsuaki emphasised that, while he understood their serious dissatisfaction, he believed that restoring confidence between the government and citizens was critical for social cohesiveness in the emerging nation.
He said this inspired him to join the group to consider alternatives for how JICA could help make that happen.
“I realised that football could bring people together regardless of ethnicity and unite them with a single goal.” I decided to revive the national sporting event to strengthen such bonds,” Dr. Mitsuaki.
He said JICA and South Sudan’s Ministry of Youth and Sports decided to have a national sports event, which was named “National Unity Day (NUD).”
After overcoming many difficulties, South Sudan held its first NUD in January 2016.
However, he said the 2016 conflicts jeopardised support for its continued commitment to peace and unity through sport in the country.
“After returning to Japan, I immediately met with JICA President Kitaoka and reported on the situation. He asked me how the work on the Olympics was going. I told him that I felt it would be difficult for the country to participate, given the current situation,” “he narrates
Dr. Mitsuaki said JICA president replied, “Isn’t it precisely because of the South Sudanese people’s difficult situation in this conflict that it is important to foster unity and pride among the South Sudanese people?” Shouldn’t South Sudanese and JICA speak to the people of Peace and Unity as our contribution to addressing this conflict? “
The former JICA chairman said, “My president’s statements shocked me at first, but when I considered what he meant, those words motivated me.”
He said the current situation has not convinced him to abandon his support for the South Sudanese Olympic team.
“Because of those circumstances, I was impressed that he thought South Sudan should compete in the Olympics, the celebration of peace.”
He said the book records his work with JICA and the South Sudanese to build the NUD and prepare the country for its first Olympics.
Dr. Mitsuaki dedicated the book to all people who participated in South Sudan’s “National Unity Day” and the country’s participation in the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, as well as those who participate in the yearly “National Unity Day”.
“I need to pass my cries with tears to all of South Sudan.” Let us play sports; let us leave the spears and the guns behind and put them all down. You live forever when you play sports, but not when you hold a gun. Peace should be our new guns, and we can fight those with guns using sports, and we can defeat them.”