Cricket tournament held to raise awareness on children’s issues

ICWO NGO hosts Diplomat Cricket Tournament to raise awareness and funds to stop child abuse and trafficking.

The Indian Community Welfare Organisation (ICWO), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), working with a focus on women and children, held its first Diplomat Cricket Tournament for embassy, consulate, and high commission staff (DPL) here on Saturday. The team from the U.S. Consulate won.

The event aims to raise awareness to stop child abuse, child trafficking, child marriage, and child labour in Tamil Nadu and also raise funds. Speaking at the event, Saravana Kumar Kumaravasagam, Consulate General, Consulate of Malaysia, said “Human trafficking has now emerged as a significant problem all over the world and is the third largest international criminal enterprise. Human trafficking is a grave organised crime that affects a large number of people, specifically women and children across the globe.”

Nawabzada Mohammed Asif Ali, Dewan to the Prince of Arcot, said: “As we come together on the field, we celebrate not just the spirit of the game but also the enduring relationships and mutual respect that strengthen our global community.”

Stating that there is a greater need for stakeholders to come together, A.J. Hariharan, ICWO secretary, said: “Stakeholders need to extend support and solidarity to ‘STOP Crime Against Children’ in Tamil Nadu. The ICWO also plans to organise a men and women doubles badminton tournament next year.”

Gwendolyn, Management Officer, U.S. Consulate General, Chennai, M. Rajkumar, Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee, Chennai, Meera Murugesan, principal, Soka Ikeda College for Women, Natharsha Malim, State coordinator-Tamil Nadu, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, and others were present.