The Inaugural Highlands Regional Youth Games will be hosted at the National Sports Institute in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province scheduled from 1st-6th July 2024.
Following a successful MOMASE regional youth Games hosted in Madang Province last year, the Regional Games Council has scheduled the Highlands Regional Youth Games in Goroka.
One of the Games Organizing Committee Members, John Dsiguria, said the Highlands Regional Youth Games would have the following sporting codes – soccer, volleyball, basketball, touch footy, athletics, and inclusive sports for the para-athletes.
“The Regional Youth Games Council has decided to go with five sports for various regions including finance. It will be too expensive to host many sporting codes and it is important to start with just these sports first,” Dsiguria said.
He said the idea of expanding the number of sports codes in the next regional youth games is on the table to be considered.
A total of 35 districts in seven Highlands provinces are expected to participate in the event. It would be one of the most entertaining sporting activities for youths with all districts in the region to come with a team each representing their district.
Dsigura said, following the announcement of the event, they are yet to receive registration from the districts; but they are expecting registration next month and on the game as they had experienced it in the MOMASE regional Youth Games.
The theme of the Inaugural Highlands Regional Youth Games is, ‘Putting Young People at the Centre of Sustainable Development’.