Sportsmen and fans of Tabou, 480 km from Abidjan, on Saturday 14 March 2014 rededicated themselves to the values of tolerance, fair play and peace during a basketball tournament and in-door games orgaanised by the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI).



Six teams, both men's and women's competed for trophies donated by the UNOCI in a bid to bring the citizens of Tabou together following a recent attack on the town. "It is because there is peace that we are able to come together and you can see how the players and supporters are happy. I urge each one of you to adopt the spirit of tolerance and fair play so that real peace can reign," the head of the UN delegation to the event, Doudou Mulaba stressed. He advised the gathering to use non-violent means to resolve differences and become ambassadors of peace and reconciliation.

The first assistant Mayor of Tabou, Issac Noman welcomed UNOCI's initiative to restore some sanity in the environment. "By organizing this tournament, the people have realized that a place which had become the scene of all kinds of acts of aggression and reprehensible behavior has become a place one can visit. We say thank you to the UN Mission for all its efforts in favour of the population and especially for de-stigmatising the place of its criminal image," Mr. Noman said.



In the men's basketball game, the team named won the trophy after beating the UN team by 14 to 13.