International Olympic Committee : News

Durban Conference calls for stronger youth involvement

12/8/2010 1:36:00 PM

The 7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture, which was held in Durban, South Africa, from 5 to 7 December 2010, closed with an exciting youth caucus and a set of recommendations which show the way forward. The inclusion of young people in the programme proved to be a huge success and was suggested for adoption for future events.

Young people on the panel

“Giving a Voice to Youth” was indeed more than the Conference motto in Durban. Young people who had participated as athletes, young reporters or ambassadors in the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in August took the floor in all debates to contribute their ideas and experiences.

Thumbs up for the Youth Olympic Games

The final plenary session was the youth caucus and featured YOG participants, representing countries such as Barbados, Austria, Singapore, Brazil, New Zealand, Slovakia and South Africa, as well as local South African students. Many of the YOG participants described the experience in Singapore as “life-changing”, and vividly recounted the friendships they had made and events they had witnessed. In the light-hearted, yet informative 90-minute session, the IOC's revolutionary Culture and Education Programme (CEP) was given a rousing “thumbs up” from the entire youth caucus.

Conference recommendations

This notion was included in the final recommendations of the Conference which were agreed upon by the more than 600 delegates attending as the future direction to be taken. Moreover, the Conference recommends that certain elements of the Youth Olympic Games should be extended beyond the Games and, for the benefit of young people, integrated into other programmes and events at continental, regional and national levels. Following the example of Durban, young people should be involved in future forums and conferences of the Olympic Movement and be consulted on actions related to policies and programmes that concern them. It is also advised that, as part of the country’s legacy for hosting the Olympic Games, the dedicated culture and education programmes should be continued after the Games.

Read the full text of the recommendations here.
Learn more about the Conference here.

Experts and young people discuss Sport, Education and Culture in Durban

12/5/2010 10:51:00 AM

The 7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture kicked off in Durban, South Africa. The opening ceremony featured many high-profile speakers, including IOC President Jacques Rogge, IOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Education Chairman Lambis Nikolaou, UNESCO Deputy Director General Getachew Engida and South African Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula.

The objective of the Conference is to enrich and link the agendas of all those participating – the Olympic Movement, the United Nations, the academic world, other experts in the field of education and culture and, last but not least, a number of young people.

During a festive opening ceremony that featured a drum band playing traditional and contemporary songs, Jacques Rogge said: “I am very pleased that this Conference is being held for the first time on the African continent. This continent which, this summer, once again showed the whole world that it was capable of successfully organising a major international sports event.” Looking at the Conference topics, he added: “The task we face is immense. But more than ever, we have the duty to offer a better future to our young people, and this brighter future can come also through sport.”

The event, organised in partnership by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and UNESCO, is taking place from 5 to 7 December under the motto “Giving a voice to youth”. More than 500 representatives from over 130 countries have signed up. Among them are several young people who participated in the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in August 2010 as athletes, reporters or ambassadors. They will take the floor in all the debates and offer their first-hand input on their experiences in the fields of sport, education, culture and society.

Learn more about the conference here.
Click here to read the full programme.

Youngsters gear up for 7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture

12/3/2010 10:36:00 AM

Several young people who participated in the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in August 2010 as athletes, reporters or ambassadors are currently on their way to Durban, South Africa, to participate in the 7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture. The event, organised in partnership by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and UNESCO, will take place from 5 to 7 December under the motto “Give a voice to youth”. More than 500 representatives from over 130 countries have signed up.

A first for Africa

The Conference is being held for the first time on the African continent, and will be opened by IOC President Jacques Rogge, IOC Commission for Culture and Olympic Education Chairman Lambis Nikolaou, UNESCO Deputy Director General Getachew Engida, South African Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula and other high profile speakers.

Youth Caucus as a highlight

The discussions in the following two days will take place in plenary and parallel sessions and centre on topics such as values-based education, the role of young people in promoting inter-cultural dialogue through sport, the Cultural Olympiad, a place for sport in the education curricula, and how to develop a culture of healthy lifestyles, to name just a few. Young people will take the floor in all the debates and offer their first-hand input on their learning experiences in these fields. The Conference will conclude with a youth caucus, “How sport plays a part in MY life”, in which the YOG participants will share their own stories with their South African peers.

International Year of Youth

The character of this event is in line with the 2010 International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding, proclaimed by the United Nations. UNESCO will present the objectives and activities of this initiative and demonstrate how sport is being used to fight racism and discrimination.

Learn more about the Conference here.
Click here to read the full programme.

7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture – Final Programme and Call for Contributions

11/30/2010 5:23:00 PM

There are only a few days to go now until the start of the 7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture, which will take place from 5 to 7 December 2010 in Durban, South Africa.

The final programme featuring all the speakers, sessions and discussions is now available on the dedicated conference page at www.olympic.org/durban2010. There is also still time to submit work that addresses one of the conference themes.

The country reports, working project-based initiatives and reflection pieces (e.g. open-ended essays) in the thematic areas will extend the scope and depth of the conference. Attendance at the conference is not a prerequisite for submissions and/or selection. Learn more about the call for contributions here.

7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture - Call for Contributions

11/19/2010 2:20:00 PM

The IOC is launching a “Call for Contributions” to the 7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture to be held in Durban, South Africa. This marks an opportunity to submit work that addresses one of the conference themes. Country reports, working project-based initiatives and reflection pieces (e.g. open-ended essays) in the thematic areas would also be welcome (see General Conditions, Section 5 for further details). It should be noted that registration and/or attendance to the conference are not a pre-requisite for submissions and/or selection. Every author may only present one contribution.

The objective of this call for contributions is to extend the scope and depth of the conference. This can be achieved by creating an opportunity for dialogue, generating an “ideas” pool, and ultimately mainstreaming the concepts and experiences.
Submissions selected through the Conference Selection Committee will be published by the IOC.
Criteria for selection will be based on:

1. Originality and innovative approach of work
2. Impact/importance of the work in regard to the issue addressed and relevance to the conference platform
3. Quality and clarity of written content

Please click here to download the General Conditions for submission of contribution.
Please click here to go to the Submission Form.
Please click here and here to view a model(s) for contribution.

Youth at centre stage of the 7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture

9/7/2010 3:55:00 PM

“Giving a Voice to Youth” will be more than just the motto of the 7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture, to be held in Durban, South Africa, from 5 to 7 December 2010. During a youth session, organised within the conference, young participants at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) that were held in Singapore in August, will talk about their personal experience at this very first edition and also exchange with their South African peers. Young people will also be given the floor in other sessions to offer their first-hand input on learning experiences in the fields of sport, education, culture and society.

Other discussions, to take place in plenary and parallel sessions, will focus on values-based education, the Cultural Olympiad, education for sustainable development and how to develop a culture of healthy lifestyles, to name just a few.

Learn more about the programme here.

Save your place and register by writing to events.durban@olympic.org by 24 September 2010.
The event is being organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in partnership with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and will bring together representatives from the world of sport, universities, NGOs, governments and intergovernmental organisations.

Please visit www.olympic.org/durban2010 to learn more about the conference and receive updated information.

International Year of Youth kicks off with two days to go until the YOG

8/12/2010 9:00:00 AM

Just two days before the start of the first-ever Youth Olympic Games (YOG), which will be held in Singapore from 14 to 26 August and bring together around 3,600 young athletes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is joining in today’s worldwide celebration of International Youth Day. This day marks the official start of the “International Year of Youth – Dialogue and Mutual Understanding” (http://social.un.org/youthyear/ ), a United Nations initiative that will run from August 2010 until August 2011. The campaign aims to encourage dialogue and understanding across generations and promote the ideals of peace, respect for human rights and freedoms, and solidarity - objectives that are also inherent to the Olympic Movement and the Youth Olympic Games.

Impacting young people’s lives, shaping communities

On the occasion of International Youth Day, IOC President Jacques Rogge said: “Through sport and physical activity, we can convey to young people skills and ideals which are vital for their well-being, self-esteem and confidence. Through participation in sport, we can teach them values that are important not only to building their inner character, but also to shaping the communities in which they live. Our young athletes in Singapore are already fully dedicated to sport. Whilst we believe that they can inspire their peers on all continents, the Games will provide them with unique exposure to many different sports and cultures. I am confident that the YOG will broaden each participant’s horizon in one way or another.”

A buzz of sport, education and culture for young athletes

The Youth Olympic Games will bring together the world’s most talented athletes between the ages of 14 and 18 for high-level sporting competition. The event will take place in an environment where the young athletes are encouraged to learn, share and build friendships through a supporting Culture and Education Programme in which they can take part in their free time, when they are not competing or training. Filled with fun and educational activities, the programme will help the athletes better understand important issues such as leading healthy lifestyles and the dangers of doping; as well as teaching them about the meaning of the Olympic values and what it means to behave in a socially responsible manner. Various international organisations, including three UN agencies (UNAIDS, UNEP and UNICEF), are supporting the IOC and the Singapore organisers to implement these activities.

About the IOC’s Youth Strategy

The IOC has developed a fully fledged strategy aimed at the young generation, not only to encourage them to practise sport, but also to promote and experience the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. This strategy is composed of different elements, including the YOG of course, but also an Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), Olympic Day and the Best of Us campaign. In order to reach out to as many young people as possible, the IOC has also leveraged various social media channels, and is promoting the YOG and other relevant initiatives on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Flickr.

7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture

On the occasion of the first ever YOG and the International Year of Youth, the 7th World Conference for Sport, Education and Culture will be held under the motto “Giving a Voice to Youth”. The conference, which will be held from 5 to 7 December 2010 in Durban, South Africa, will be an excellent opportunity to assess the YOG Culture and Education Programme and to learn from initiatives dedicated to the International Year of Youth. In line with the conference motto, young people will join in the event to give important input and feedback. Learn more at www.olympic.org/durban2010.

Follow the YOG live on www.olympic.org/yog and www.singapore2010.sg

Learn more about education through sport

Registration opens for the 7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture

6/30/2010 12:00:00 AM

Save your place now for the 7th World Conference on Sport, Education and Culture, which will be held in Durban, South Africa, from 5 to 7 December 2010. The event, which is being organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in partnership with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), will bring together representatives from the world of sport, universities, NGOs, governments and intergovernmental organisations.

The Conference will be opened by IOC President Jacques Rogge, and will feature plenary and parallel sessions and workshops. Among others, a key topic will be the follow-up of the Culture and Education Programme of the first ever Youth Olympic Games, which were held in August in Singapore.

The programme is as follows:

5 December 2010
17h00 Opening Ceremony at the Durban International Conference Centre
19h00 Reception

6 December 2010
09h00-18h00 Day 1 Conference
Plenary Session, Concurrent Sessions, Side Workshops and Dialogue Sessions

7 December 2010
09h00-16h30 Day 2 Conference
Plenary Session, Concurrent Sessions, Side Workshops and Dialogue Sessions

17h00-18h00 Closing Plenary Session and Reading of Conference Resolutions

Further details on the programme will be released shortly on www.olympic.org/durban2010.

To register, please contact: events.durban@olympic.org.

Last places for the Busan Forum!

9/9/2008 12:00:00 AM

If you want to get one of the last places for the 6th World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture, register now at www.olympic.org/busanforum. Under the motto "Sport and Education for the Now Generation", the event will take place in Busan (Korea) from 25 to 27 September 2008. Forum participants will also have the chance to watch the Opening Ceremony of the 4th Busan TAFISA World Sport for All Games on 26 September.

What is the educational potential of events like the Youth Olympic Games? How can we educate athletes for life after their sporting career? How can we discuss the doping scourge effectively with youngsters? And which are successful methods to implement nationwide Olympic education programmes for kids and young people in the countries of future Olympic Games? These are only a few of the topics which will be addressed during lively discussions in plenary and parallel sessions. The detailed programme is now available and features speakers from the Olympic family, governmental and non-governmental institutions, the United Nations system, universities and media groups. To get input from young people first hand, one session will feature only youngsters on the podium.

Learn more about the programme

Olympic education for 400 million young people in China

8/17/2007 12:00:00 AM

Educating young people through sport is one of the primary goals of the Olympic Movement. In China this goal is currently being achieved by providing approximately 400 million young people in more than 400,000 schools across the country with Olympic education in the run-up to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Never before has the influence of the Olympic Games on education been more pronounced than at present in China, the most populous country in the world with more than 1.3 billion inhabitants.

Reaching out to teachers and students

The programme, initiated by the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Organising Committee (BOCOG), in partnership with the country's Education Ministry and the National Olympic Committee (NOC), comprises several distinct components. One integrates Olympic education into the academic curriculum of schools in China. During dedicated training sessions, the teachers are educated on the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, and shown how to incorporate Olympism into the classroom setting. In addition, a series of textbooks has been created, introducing students to the history of the Olympic Games, the various Olympic sports and the rules of play, Olympic symbols and the role of the Olympic Movement as a contributor to international peace and friendship. Photography, painting, poetry, calligraphy and foreign-language speech contests are further means used to promote Olympism in Chinese schools.

Olympic Education Model Schools

Since the launch of the programme in 2005, 556 elementary and secondary schools have been officially recognised as "Olympic Education Model Schools" – an acknowledgement for setting the best examples in providing Olympic education to their young pupils. The programme has revitalised the schools' physical education measures and generated great interest in extra-curricular athletic initiatives. Another element of Olympic education in China is the "Heart-to-Heart" initiative, which links 203 Chinese schools in and around Beijing to schools and athletes within a specific country represented by an NOC. By "adopting" a sister school in a specific country, the Chinese students share ideas and experiences with their new friends across the globe.

A Chinese-Greek get together

During his visit to Beijing earlier this month, IOC President Jacques Rogge had the opportunity to visit the Beijing No. 4 High School, an Olympic Education Model School which is also linked to the Heart-to-Heart programme. As a highlight for everybody, students from the Greek sister school were also present in order to jointly perform a Chinese and Greek Folk Sports Show with their Chinese classmates. "The sports arena is like a classroom" Jacques Rogge told the pupils and the teachers: "there we learn to live together, in society; there we learn solidarity and friendship; there we learn respect for others: whether one is a boy or girl, short or tall, young or old, from Asia, Africa, Europe, America or Oceania. Sport is all these things. And it is also health." And looking at the get-together of the students from two different cultures Li Binghua, Executive Vice-President of BOCOG concluded: "This initiative will leave a high-level educational legacy to China".