A team of young YOG representatives brought the 9th World Conference on Sport and the Environment to a triumphant close this week as they delivered an inspiring series of rousing speeches about the role sport can play in providing a greener, brighter future for their generation.

The group featured some familiar faces from the first ever Youth Olympic Games in Singapore 2010: YOG Young Reporters Luke Dufficy (Australia), Sonali Prasad Prasad (India) and Hiss Nasser Al-Nassr (Qatar); Young Ambassador Callum Ng and YOG equestrian athlete Dalma Rushdi H Malhas, the show jumper who made history by becoming the first Saudi Arabian woman to compete in an Olympic event before taking bronze in the individual discipline.

Invited to speak at the final session called ‘Tomorrow’s Leaders Today’, the team addressed a packed hall including Heads of State, Olympic champions, IOC members and industry experts. Despite the pressure, they all held their cool and received rapturous applause for their insightful words, with many audience members saying it was the best session of the conference.

During her speech, Sonali observed: “Just like sport which unites people all over the world, let this cause (the environment) bring us all together as one. Why? Because we need clean air, fresh water to live. We all need a brighter future.”

While Luke concluded: “Sport itself cannot save the planet. But it can lead the way by making people aware about the problems and showing them what they can do about it.”

Great work guys. Thanks for speaking the YOG word!

(Check out the interview Luke and Sonali conducted with IOC President Jacques Rogge at the conference here)