Coronavirus claims World Schools Festival
SCHOOLS SPOTLIGHT: The 2020 World Schools Festival has been cancelled due to global concerns over the coronavirus.
The 2020 edition was scheduled to be hosted by the Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) from March 24-28.
However, with the life-threatening virus sweeping all countries, organisers have opted to call off the international four-day schools event.
This annual festival usually involves South African schools’ first XVs playing against those from overseas-based schools, mostly from New Zealand, Australia and England.
Event organisers Carinat Marketing released the following statement:
“As everyone is aware of the on-going and developing global situation regarding the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) is causing major concerns for everyone, and affecting day to day activities across the world.
“Governments have shut borders and imposed quarantines, and companies have imposed travel bans. The human and economic impacts on businesses have been stark.
“Global authorities led by the World Health Organization have stressed that the paramount importance and underlying message is the need to contain and try to prevent the spread of this virus due to its unique characteristics from of being highly contagious,”
“The World Schools Festival organisers have been closely monitoring this situation, particularly over the past week, and increase of spread across countries represented at the 2020 event. We have sought to look at all information available to ensure we can fully understand the potential impacts and consequences on anyone, and everyone involved in the event, wherever across the world.
“Unfortunately and with sadness due to these extraordinary circumstances, we have no option but to announce that with several of the overseas teams having to withdraw, and no alternative date options to move the 2020 World Schools Festival, we are unable to continue with the 2020 event later this month,”
The organisers are hopeful that the 2021 edition will continue without any hiccups and will confirmed dates and venue in due time.
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