Imagine that our earth and every living creature (including ourselves) on it are part of a giant soccer match – but everyone is losing. The Earth United team needs to work a lot harder to ensure that we win the game, and that our earth and the life it sustains are able to carry on.

This is the message of a new environmental education product developed by the City’s Environmental Resource Management Department. Consisting of a poster and a teacher’s guide, the Soccer and the Environment “Making Connections” project is one of more than 40 identified for implementation in South Africa’s 2010 Green Goal Action Plan.

The ‘game’ is aimed at Grade Seven learners, helping them to become more environmentally aware and sensitive to local issues.

The unique feature of Making Connections is that the exploration of environmental issues is developed through the game of soccer, and every soccer action on the poster has an environmental action linked to it.

For example, while learning about First Aid and injuries, Grade Sevens discover that the world is like a human body: the more ‘knocks’ it takes, the more damage is done, and the longer it takes to heal. ‘Injuries’ to the planet include soil erosion, climate change, and water and air pollution.

Our earth has already been weakened by years of damage, so it is more likely to suffer injury. We need to repair it through good environmental practices (injury prevention) and preparedness to step in when disasters occur (first aid)…

The coach trains the players to use their skills and passion for the benefit of the team. You too, Grade Sevens learn, can coach others to become champions for the environment…

Perhaps learners would like to model themselves on the referee instead? The match officials ensure fair play, and uphold the rules of the game they learn. Similarly, government and environmental activists enforce the laws that are there to protect the environment.

With each soccer action or role player, class activities are designed to show learners how to score a ‘green goal’ and make a positive impact on our earth.

The project is funded by the City of Cape Town and the Royal Danish Embassy.

Champagne flowed and balloons were released into the sky as the new Cape Town Stadium was officially handed over to the City of Cape Town on a perfect summer afternoon on 14 December 2009.

At a ceremony in front of over 200 invited guests and the media representatives from around the world, Executive Mayor Alderman Dan Plato, received the keys to the stadium and proudly declared that “this stadium is ready to welcome the world”.

He said the ceremony was to “celebrate the new stadium and also the city” and later kicked a soccer ball around the new pitch.

The state-of-the-art stadium – which will seat 68,000 for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and will host eight matches, including a semi-final – was completed on schedule, just 32 months after the first sod was turned.

Plato said the R4.5-billion stadium was the biggest project of its kind ever undertaken in Cape Town, and is regarded as a triumph in both design and construction, despite some challenges during the construction period.

“But it has been worth the wait. Capetonians are proud of it, and pictures of it are being e-mailed around the world.

According to Mike Marsden, Executive Director for Service Delivery Integration, the target completion date was achieved through a “magnificent team effort” and thanked all those involved in the stadium, including the main building contractors, Murray & Roberts and WBHO and their “committed and dedicated workforce” of 2 500, as well as the professional team and City professional team.

The key issues in getting it ready in time included resolve, resources and skills, he said. “It’s a remarkable achievement.”

Marsden added that the structure is a “stadium of beauty” comparable to iconic structures elsewhere, such as the Sydney Opera House and Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. “This stadium will be identifiable with Cape Town,” he said.

Plato described the stadium as a “wonderful piece of art” and said it has a “grand, spacious, timeless design”.

“I can assure the whole world that this stadium will be a legacy for the entire country. Cape Town Stadium is set to be one of the world’s sporting landmarks. In this very arena, the best of the world will do battle. It will also be the iconic image of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.”

Plato also reiterated that it is a stadium for all Capetonians, not just for those in Green Point, where it is situated.

“People of Cape Town, this is your stadium, it is our stadium. I hope it will give us all the joy and the pleasure we deserve. This stadium is ready for the world.”

Martin Pollack

Japan play against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana on Saturday 14 November 2009 at 3:30 p.m. in Port Elizabeth.

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