South Africa World Cup – Sport Passion and Health
Aldo Morrone, Paola Scardella
South Africa World Cup – Sport Passion and Health
MNL Casa Editrice, June 2010
Foreword
With the beginning of the World Cup on 11 June 2010, South Africa will be the destination of thousands of Italian people. Italy is present in this country from a long time and in a number of different fields.
The policy adopted by the Italian Cooperation towards the South Africa, aimed at supporting the efforts of the local government to overcome the deep inequalities inherited by the Apartheid is ideally connected with the measures actuated by the European Community towards the South Africa since 1985.
During the last few years, the Italian cooperation decided to focus on the health care sector, achieving remarkable results also thanks to the cooperation with the local authorities. In fact, the health care sector has strategic importance in the fight against poverty and social and health care inequalities.
Diffusing medical facilities on the national territory and facilitating the access to basic services represent useful strategies to favour economic and productive growth in the Country. The success of the projects carried out by the Italian Cooperation in the health sector and the satisfaction of the local authorities encouraged new initiatives aimed at diffusing at the national level those actions experimented in the provinces.
In 1996, a framework agreement was signed, followed by an agreement on technical and scientific assistance in 1998. In January 2002, on the occasion of the visit of the President of the Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, the Deputy-Minister Alfredo Mantica signed one the technical protocols aimed at supporting the health care sector.
The two countries also have a lively cooperation in the cultural, scientific and technological fields. The Italian government financially supports three additional chairs of Italian studies at the South African Universities and some scientists and researchers from Italian research centres cooperate in the development of the South African prototype of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) the biggest radio telescope in the world.
As usual, and also on the occasion of the South Africa World Cup, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs assists Italian citizens abroad. This commitment should be also carried out through the information about possible risks that all kinds of travel imply.
The publication produced by the NIHMP, research Institute of the Ministry of Health whose institutional tasks include the health promotion of travellers, can represent a useful tool to get to know South Africa, the World Cup and, above all, personal behaviours to adopt and “useful advices” for a safe and enjoyable journey.
Introduction
The World Cup 2010 will be held in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July and will the occasion for many people to visit the country and get to know a different culture.
After 32 years (last time was is 1978 in Argentina) the World Cup will be played in the southern hemisphere and, as a consequence, in winter (according to the Johannesburg weather forecast, the final match should be played at a temperature between 16°C and 4°C!) but above all, the World Cup will be held for the first time in an African country.
Sport has always represented a chance for meeting people, and international competitions give the opportunity for getting in contact with persons coming from different areas of the world.
Moreover, football is popular everywhere in the world and the World Cup, organised every four years by the FIFA, is the most important and the most followed competition (about 450,000 people from all over the world are expected to participate in the event!).
In 2010, the venue of this global event is South Africa, an extremely fascinating country for its nature, people, food, culture and religious beliefs and for the deep historical and social changes that leaded to the end of the Apartheid and to the establishment of a free and democratic republican presidential system.
“Rainbow Nation”, indicating a country populated by people of “different colours”, is the suggestive expression describing today’s South Africa. Eleven ethnic groups having different languages and religious beliefs, its natural resources (there are 19 natural reserves) and its climate variety, that makes it possible to cultivate grains, legumes and tasty tropical fruits, make of this country an extraordinary touristic destination.
The purpose of this publication is to describe this fascinating country and the World Cup that will be held there, by highlighting cultural, social, nutritional, sports and medical aspects and including advices to make the journey safe and the competition a joyful experience to be shared.
Aldo Morrone
Paola Scardella
Contents
About the NIHMP
Foreword
E. Belloni
Introduction
A. Morrone and P. Scardella
1. South Africa: “The entire world in a countrye”
(A. Morrone, P. Scardella, F. Anello, L. Piombo, C. Bertolazzi)
1.1 Data
1.2 Territory
1.3 Flora and fauna
1.4 Population
1.5 Languages
1.6 Religion
1.7 Food
1.8 History
1.9 Culture
2. The history of football
(A. Morrone, P. Scardella, G. Bandiera, F. Morrone)
2.1 Let’s kick out poverty
2.2 11 June - 11 July 2010: the South Africa World Cup
2.3 From Robben Island to the World Cup 2010: South Africa is ready for the challenge
3. The diseases… “affecting Africa”
(A. Morrone, P. Scardella, G. Bandiera)
3.1 Transmission ways
3.2 Sexually transmitted diseases
3.3 Diseases diffused in South Africa
3.4 Sexual tourism
4. Safe travelling tips
(A. Morrone, P. Scardella, G. Bandiera)
4.1 Things to do before the journey
4.2 Things to do after the journey
FAQ
Travel medicines
Health insurance
Useful addresse
Bibliography
Webography
