The 9th Ordinary General Assembly of the Association of African National Olympic Academies of (AANOA) met in Algiers from 3-6 March 2024, to evaluate efforts made by National Olympic Academies and their respective NOCs to promote and disseminate Olympic ideals and values.
The conference was organised under the aegis of ANOCA, in collaboration with the Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee, COA, headed by President Abderrahmane HAMMAD. It was attended by the ANOCA President, the Honourable Mustapha BERRAF.
25 of the 39-member national African academies took part in the deliberations.
The opening ceremony was graced by ANOC President Robin MITCHEL, and a number of high-profile figures from the international, African and Algerian Olympic family.
Speaking on the occasion, AANOA President, Dr Ridha LAYOUNI, declared that “The 9thAANOA session, which is being held in Algiers, is an opportunity to discuss the body’s role in promoting and disseminating the values and principles of Olympism on the African continent”.
He went on to say that “AANOA is a non-governmental organisation active in disseminating and upholding the values and principles of Olympism in Africa, overseen by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa, ANOCA, headed by Mustapha BERRAF. Our aim is always to seek to intensify our activities and contribute effectively to the African and international Olympic Movement, particularly in this Olympic year, which represents an important opportunity for us”.
The Algiers deliberations afforded an opportunity for the various academies to present their annual activities and raise their concerns and difficulties. It was also an opportunity to exchange experiences and present the future programmes of the African academies and the Association of Academies.
Participants reviewed and evaluated the recommendations of the 8th session held from 23 to 26 June 2023 in Hammamet, Tunisia, with a view to developing new proposals for the future.
The Director of the Algerian Olympic Academy, Fouad JABROUNI, pointed out that “Our role is to consolidate Olympic values at primary, secondary and high school levels as well as at university level, in order to promote sport in Algeria through a number of activities, including the celebration of World Olympic Day and the Olympic Week organised by the Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee.”
In his opening speech, ANOCA President, Mustapha BERRAF had this to say: “The Association of African National Olympic Academies has a more important status than the Association of Academies of certain continents, given the growing number of national academies that participate in it. The Academy Associations work effectively to convey the message of Olympic values to young Africans, so that they become familiar with the four Olympic cornerstones: respect for oneself and others, sport, education and the environment. Through this organisation, we seek to inculcate in African children and youth the principles of integrity, friendship and fraternity amongst peoples”.
At the end of the opening ceremony, Dr Ridha LAYOUNI presented AANOA badges to Mr Mustapha BERRAF, President of ANOCA, Mr Robin MITCHELL, President of ANOC and Mr Kheireddine BARBARI, Secretary General of the Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee.
At the end of the session, the AANOA President, Dr Ridha LAYOUNI, congratulated the AANOA board and the representatives of the participating academies on the successful deliberations and the constructive and fraternal atmosphere in which the session was held. He handed certificates of participation to the representatives of the academies and to the organising committee.
The 9th session concluded with a visit to the Algerian Olympic Museum and the headquarters of the Algerian Olympic Academy.
One of the structures of the Association of African National Olympic Academies is the African Olympic Observatory in Mali. AANOA plans to launch the African Olympic Forum, to be headquartered in Tunisia or Senegal.
On the sidelines of this session, the AANOA Executive Committee held its regular meeting and took part in the ANOCA Forum on environmental protection and the fight against global warming.
