A < handball tournament carried out in partnership with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and hosted by the German International School in Cape Town (DSK) set out to educate players about climate change.

Handball is not a well-known sport in South Africa, however, parents and spectators who came to visit saw a lot of talent among the enthusiastic players. But The focus of the event was not only on handball. An essential part of the tournament was the “Green Award” and the Eco-Trail, which were designed to enhance environmental awareness among youth, with special emphasis placed on educating about environmental issues, such as waste management, responsible water usage and sustainable living. To translate this idea into action, tasks were given to the teams prior to the tournament and teams were challenged to develop ideas as to how they could contribute to a clean and healthy environment.

The most creative idea was awarded with a “Green Award” on the day of the tournament. The Talfalah Primary School in Manenberg won this award and was given a tree donated by the environmental organisation, Greenpop.org, which also supports the initiative. Besides the “Green-Award”, there was an Eco-Trail which awarded exciting tombola prizes. The Eco-Trail educated the participants about environmental pollution, recycling and climate change.

Christina Teichmann, Project Manager of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) explained why KAS, as a German political Foundation, supports this project: “The aim of our Foundation is to promote Democracy, Good Governance and the Rule of Law worldwide. KAS acknowledges that Climate Change is most probably the single greatest challenge of current and future generations and poses a threat to political stability, peace and prosperity. That is why we need to educate young people about the environment; how to manage natural resources responsibly; and how to live more sustainably. Sport is an excellent tool to bring across the message of healthy and sustainable living . Sport further brings communities with different cultural backgrounds together and hence promotes social cohesion. Especially in South Africa, a country still shaped by its Apartheid past, it is immensely important to create such opportunities.”

Nicola Scholl (Director of NPO PLAY HANDBALL ZA (PHZA) said: “I am very happy with the whole day. This was the first tournament that combined handball with environmental tasks, educating the players about climate change.”