The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), in collaboration with the local population, on Saturday, 1 June 2013, organized a day of cultural and sports activities to promote peace and social cohesion.



Four Maracaña football teams comprising members from different trades in Grabo and several who are masters of a local game played with small stones known as "Awalé" competed for UNOCI's Peace Trophy, watched by local government officials, traditional leaders and personnel from local NGOs and the United Nations System.



Launching the activities, the head of UNOCI's delegation, José Katunda, recalled the importance of sport as a way of bringing people together and of encouraging competitors to practice fair-play in their daily lives. He also highlighted the positive values of sport as a factor of peace.



The representative of the deputy prefect of Grabo, Touré Ousmane, expressed his appreciation to the organizers who wanted the competitors to put into practice their advice and become ambassadors of peace.



The Maracaña football tournament was won by the « Invincibles de Grabo » 1 – 0 against a team of local civil servants. Kouamé Ngoran was declared champion of Awalé while Kla Théodore won the "jeux de dames".



In addition to these activities, a machine which turns cassava into pulp was presented to the women's group of Grabo by the NGO Association de Soutien à l'Auto-promotion Sanitaire Urbaine.