UGANDA SET TO HOST MAJOR ATHLETICS EVENT
(Posted 07th February 2016)
Uganda is hosting the IAAF World Cross Country Championship Kampala 2017 on the 26th of March 2016 at the Independence Grounds in Kololo, an upscale Kampala suburb.
The local organizing committee has already put in place an official information sharing platform. These are the website www.iaafkampala2017.org together with the Twitter, Facebook and Instagram social media accounts.
‘We are hosting an international event and we would like to interact with the world‘ Uganda’s State Minister for Sport and LOC Chairman Charles Bakkabulindi said.
‘Cross country is a sport about unity and involves that interaction of all stakeholders from the runners, the organisers and the fans to make it memorable. We want to have a great atmosphere at Kololo Independence Grounds and the only way we can have it is by involving all the stakeholders to be part of the event‘.
The event’s official hash tag is #iaafkampala2017.
‘We are requesting that all the people out there use this hash tag for easier communication and interaction. This is a people’s cross country and we believe that the conversation on the different platforms will show the warmth of Uganda’s hospitality‘ Bakkabulindi added.
Head of media for the event Norman Katende said that the website was designed to give all the visitors the required information about the event and other activities that come alongside hosting such events.
‘It is a full package for the athletes, journalists, managers, coaches and fans," Katende said. “It gives detailed programmes, required team and media manuals, information about Kampala and all activities lined up. We also have a team of motivated people in the background ready to answer and help people who are in need of information about the World Cross Country as we make the event a memorable one‘.
Uganda Tourism Board CEO, Stephen Asiimwe, said the IAAF is a great opportunity for Uganda to go into people’s home around the world: ‘For that one day, the world’s top athletes, media and sports personalities will be here in Uganda — and the whole world will be watching. Hosting an international athletics event like this a proof of confidence in the people and Government of Uganda‘.
About Uganda (Download App Destination Uganda):
While in Uganda, you could also visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda home of the endangered mountain gorilla, spend a night on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi, the second deepest lake in Africa, visit Queen Elizabeth National Park where over 640 bird species have been recorded. Further north, you can go to the Murchison Falls National Park where the mighty Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge, only 7 metres (23ft) wide, before plunging 43 metres (141ft) below. If you are into fishing, the River Nile is a great area for sport fishing. Still north you can enjoy the hidden gem of Kidepo Valley National Park.
Away from the wild, you can enjoy the vibrant life of Kampala – the entertainment city of East Africa that never goes to sleep.Going East, you can travel to Jinja, the adventure capital of East Africa where the Nile begins its journey to Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. The ashes of Gandhi, the great leader of India, were sprinkled at the source of the Nile in Jinja where they too began their journey to the rest of the world.
Wherever you go in Uganda, you are sure to enjoy the best of the people—with 56 languages and dialects, you will sample as many cultures, foods, lifestyles – all linked by the smile and warmth that defines the people of Uganda. It is a nation that brings together all peoples and probably that is why Mahatma Ghandi’s ashes were sent to the world from here at the source of the Nile.
For added information about Destination Uganda click on www.visituganda.com or check out www.ugandawildlife.org
