Today the International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched the registration process for the first ever International Forum on Sport for Peace and Development, which will take place at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne from 7 to 8 May 2009.
As a socially responsible organisation, the IOC is engaged in sports development at grass-roots level, aiming to increase access to physical activity worldwide as well as to improve social and human wellbeing at large. Moreover, many other international participants within and outside the sports family are working in this area, thereby recognising the value of sport as a tool for development and peace-building across the globe.
Topics for Discussion
Under the patronage the International Olympic Truce Foundation (IOTF) and the IOC’s International Relations Commission, the Forum discussions will centre on themes such as the value of sport in supporting the community’s search for peace and in achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals; how to maximise the impact of sport through partnerships with UN bodies; how to enhance youth empowerment through sport for development and peace programmes; and how to better measure the impact of physical activity on the development of deprived populations. Furthermore, the question of how to pool resources and support to invest in sport for development cost-effectively is a question of the moment, which will be discussed among the Forum participants.
Target Groups
The Forum will feature experts from the field who will share their know-how. The insights gleaned at the event will be taken to the Olympic Congress in October in Copenhagen.
The Forum is also aimed at representatives of the Olympic family, governmental and non-governmental organisations, UN bodies, academic and research organisations and the media. Save your place now by registering through the forms below!
Insights into field work
As part of its latest initiatives, the IOC joined forces with the Somali Olympic Committee to provide sporting equipment for athletics, basketball, football, volleyball and table tennis to local young people. This project aimed to help revive the sports programme of a nation which conflict and lack of facilities have severely penalised over the years, depriving its young people of healthy pastimes. In addition, inter-regional sports activities are planned to facilitate the dialogue between the various communities involved.
Similarly, the IOC recently partnered with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a project to clear outdoor sports areas of landmines in Azerbaijan. The newly created “safe play areas”, which have been rigged with basic sports equipment, have enabled local children to move freely and play like any other children in the world, which also promotes a healthier lifestyle in this war-affected area.
A preliminary programme will be published in due course here, www.olympic.org/lausanneforum
Register here:
[b]Registration form[/b] (Word document)
List of countries requiring a visa
Learn more about the IOC’s activities in the field of development through sport
Any questions? Please contact lausanneforum@olympic.org