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Organized under the banner  of UNESCO’s Fit for Life Initiative, the event brought together students from various primary schools, including St Lynn, Victoria, Thika Road Primary, Idd Amin Primary, St Austine, Pilot Primary, GSU Primary, Baraka Primary, Treeside Special School and Drive Inn Primary, including sports teams from Kariobangi Sharks Football Club, KCA University and Ruaraka, all engaged in a day's activities that emphasized the power of sport in bridging social divides, challenging stereotypes and creating equal opportunities for all regardless of age, gender or social background. 

Ms. Louise Haxthausen, the Director, UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa and Chief Guest for this occasion, highlighted the equalizing power of sports and its capacity to enhancing peace and inclusion, transcending barriers and bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds to promote inclusion, reconciliation, and social cohesion. She emphasized the role of sport as an accelerator for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 promoting quality education, which she further echoed using the powerful words of Nelson Mandela, when he said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”

Prof. Isaiah I. C. Wakindiki, KCA University Vice Chancellor and the Chief Host, encouraged everyone to embrace sports as a tool for building peace, promoting inclusion, and fostering personal growth. 

In a move to extend the day’s legacy, the two launched a School Holiday Sport Programme, a key moment of this event, in the presence of about 200 children and youth who were drawn from different schools in Mathare informal settlement areas, schools of learners with disability, sport clubs among others. Prof. Wakindiki noted that this initiative will not only encourage healthy recreation but also shield children from social risks such as early pregnancies, crime and drug abuse, while preparing them for the University life in future.

Prof. Vincent Onywera, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Outreach and Dr. Priscilla Gachigi, Dean of the School of Education and Social Sciences, reaffirmed the importance of sport as a unifying force that fosters peaceful coexistence within diverse communities, recalling the centrality of sports, quality physical education and sport activities for securing healthy minds and bodies in achieving academic excellence as a philosophy deep rooted at KCA University.

The day’s sport activities included soccer matches, American football, dancing and a spirited tug of war competition. The field buzzed with energy and camaraderie as young participants competed and collaborated, embodying the sport values of respect, teamwork, fair play spirit of inclusion.

A key highlight of the event was a #WhiteCardCampaign, where participants, led by the Chief Guest and Chief Host signed a symbolic whiteboard and flashed white cards as a global symbol for peace through sport. They also took group photos with the children, cementing the day’s message of unity and hope.