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As part of EWI’s ongoing work with the GPKT
Education Committee, a joint sports competition was proposed as an
activity for schools from all four towns – Gjilan/Gnjilane, Presevo,
Kumanovo and Trgoviste. Following the success of the GPKT Children’s
Art Competition in Trgoviste in February 2005, and the ongoing
collaboration between GPKT schools on theatre performances, this
sports competition was part of a programme of cross border
cooperation and relationship-building activities between education
institutions and students of the micro-region.
Hosted by the proposer school, 15 Nentori in Presevo, the
competition involved co-operation with five other GPKT schools: Musa
Zajmi and Vuk Karadjic from Gjilan/Gnjilane, Koco Racin and Bajram
Shabani from Kumanovo, and Branko Radicevic from Trgoviste. Around
180 students participated, alongwith several teachers from each of
the six schools.
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Preparation meetings were held in April with EWI, school directors and
sports teachers in order to discuss and confirm the programme: schools
would compete in football and basketball in the form of a tournament,
and athletics races for different age groups and sexes would be held; in
addition, girls dance groups from schools would participate to give
equal balance to the participants (as football and basketball teams
would be mainly male).
The GPKT Schools Summer Sports Competition was held on 26 May, starting
at 10am with welcome addresses from 15 Nentori, Presevo Municipality and
EWI representatives, followed by dance performances from Musa Zajmi, Vuk
Karadjic and Koco Racin. T-shirts in four different colours for each
municipality were distributed to all students. The competition then
began in earnest, with football and basketball matches held in parallel,
including one girls’ basketball match, followed by athletics, and then a
break for refreshments and lunch before the prize-giving at around 3pm.
Trgoviste’s Branko Radicevic team won the football tournament, Musa
Zajmi’s Gjilan/Gnjilane girls’ basketball defeated the Presevo team, and
the home team from 15 Nentori won the boys’ basketball tournament. In
athletics, a system of points for first, second and third place was used
to give overall prizes for performance by school – Bajram Shabani won
first place, Branko Radicevic second, 15 Nentori third, and Musa Zajmi
fourth. Trophies were awarded for all prizes, and each student received
a certificate for participation and placement in different races or
teams. The host school was awarded a cup in recognition of their
hospitality, and each of the six participating schools were also given a
football and basketball, as well as a set of hula hoops for their modern
dance teams.
After a long but enjoyable day, students and teachers strongly supported
the idea of an annual GPKT schools sports event, and EWI plans to
organise another such event in summer 2006.
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