Following the FASU General Assembly, FISU-FASU Strategic Dialogue event was held in Kigali, Rwanda, on March 19. The event started with opening speech by FISU President Mr Oleg Matytsin, addressing university sports leaders of 23 African nations and invited guests from continental university sports federations.

The FISU-FASU Strategic Dialogue was hosted at the University of Rwanda, and was aimed at discussing the current state and the future of university sports in African University Sports Federation (FASU) and on the continent. Such events have been initiated by FISU, in cooperation with its associate members, the Continental University Sports Federations. The first Strategic Dialogue was organised by the Asian University Sports Federation (AUSF) in November 2016 in Xiamen, China.



The programme of the Kigali meeting included a keynote speech by Mr Matytsin, presentations by FASU President Mr Malumbete Ralethe, FISU 1st Vice-President Mr Leonz Eder, Vice-Presidents Mr Marian Dymalski and Mr Leopold Senghor.



Special guests of the Dialogue, EUSA President Mr Adam Roczek and AUSF President Mr Xue Yanqing, leaders of fellow Continental University Federations of Europe and Asia, shared their experience with their African colleagues.



The FISU President took the opportunity to inform the audience about key provisions of a future 10-year Strategy of the federation, which is set to be announced during the FISU General Assembly in Taipei. According to Mr Matytsin, in the coming years FISU will concentrate its efforts on improving relations with key players from the Olympic Movement, reaching more visibility among world universities and improving its internal organisation and good governance practices.



Several workshops and conclusion session was organized. For many African university sports leaders the meeting in Kigali gave a chance to voice their opinion on the state of affairs in African university sports. FASU new campaign ‘We Are Africa” was officially launched during the event as well.



At the final reception, the Vice Chancellor of the National University of Kigali Mr Philip Cotton greeted the participants and presented gifts to representatives of FISU and Continental Federations. On behalf of the European University Sports Association Mr Eder as the former EUSA Vice-President thanked the hosts and exchanged gifts.

For more information, please see www.fisu.net and www.africauniversitysports.com.