Service personnel join forces for CISM anniversary run
70 per cent of youth fail to do the bare minimum amount of sports needed to stay healthy
Members of the Armed Forces of Malta, police officers and personnel from the Civil Protection Department and the Corradino Correctional Facility get together today to mark the anniversary of the International Military Sports Council (Conseil International du Sport Militaire - CISM) that was set up on February 18, 1948 to promote Friendship Through Sport.
They will hold a 40-minute group run, starting from the AFM headquarters at Luqa Barracks to the Auberge de Castille square in Valletta.
Members of the Italian Military Mission will also take part.
Through the council, service personnel from CISM members have the opportunity to compete in 25 different sports at military world championships held, when possible, every year and at the World Military Games, held in the year preceding the summer Olympic Games.
Further CISM events are held at regional or sub-regional level.
CISM strongly encourages all 131 member countries to hold a CISM Day Run on the anniversary date and Malta has, through the AFM's joining the CISM family, kept this appointment.
Sport is widely practised in the AFM and their annual programme covers various disciplines every month. Competitions include futsal, clay-pigeon shooting, darts, athletics, table-tennis, pool, cycling, soccer and others.
It has become customary in December to have an inter-service sports competition between the men and women of the AFM and the Malta Police Force in eight athletic disciplines plus basketball, volleyball and tug-of-war.
"Since its inception, CISM has always provided favourable conditions for sport to become the link that maintains peace among the armed forces" says Colonel Alexandre Morisod, the CISM secretary general.
Sports is a powerful language and a readily available economic tool as well, which helps build development and peace, bringing together athletes, coaches, administrators, technicians and volunteers around the world.
CISM unites the world of military athletics with the sports community to fight all threats to contribute peace in the world. This because military athletes are acknowledged stakeholders in the peace process and participation in international military sports is delivering a message of peace.
Lieutenant Colonel Gerald DeGaetano, the CISM Malta's Chief of Delegation, says that "the armed forces of the world are pivotal in promoting sports practice in a world where physical exertion is less fashionable among today's youth. Without this basic requirement for human equilibrium, their health is in danger".
Recent international statistics show that 70 per cent of youth fail to do the bare minimum amount of sports needed to stay healthy.
"Combining military training and physical performance is a daily challenge," adds Captain Joseph Cachia, the run's organiser. "This today is more than ever among our concerns and CISM exists through and for this challenge".
The AFM is a regular member of the Malta Employer Sports Association (MESA) and competes in seven-a-side soccer league, including over 35s and female events, besides snooker and netball. The Maltese military personnel's strong performances in all competitions gives them excellent placings in all events due also to the fact that Service personnel are members of local clubs within national sports associations or federations recognised by the Malta Olympic Committee.
The AFM joined CISM in May 2008.