The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee and the Ministry of Education announced the launch of two programs Monday – the Olympic Education Programme (OEP) and Friends@YOG.
A Singapore 2010 press release says the two new initiatives will further lay the foundation for a “successful and memorable YOG event in 2010 for our youths”.
Under the OEP students will have more opportunities to experience and embrace the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect, said the press release. They will also better understand the diverse cultures of the world and forge international friendships with people outside Singapore through Friends@YOG, a School and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) Twinning Programme.
Beginning in 2009 a variety of educational programs that teach about the Olympic Movement will be conducted in conjunction with sports activities at all primary and secondary schools, as well as pre-university colleges and institutions in Singapore. Also, all schools will receive the specially designed “Living Olympism” Education Resource Package as part of the associated teaching materials.
The resource packages highlight the history of the Olympic Games, Olympic Sports and contribution of the Olympic Movement to international peace and friendship. According to the press release the ideas and activities in the resource packages can also be incorporated into subject areas such as languages, humanities and the arts, sciences and mathematics, and values education.
Under the Friends@YOG program each Singapore school will be twinned with one of the 204 NOC’s. Through this program the students will cultivate a global mindset through the forging of international friendships, learn about other countries’ cultures, and develop respect for cultural diversity.
During the Singapore Youth Games they will also have the opportunity to participate in various activities with the YOG athletes from their twinned NOC. The 360 schools in Singapore will form 148 clusters with each group assigned to one of two NOC countries.
The Friends program hopes to achieve the objectives of building international friendship through collaboration and cultural exchanges among youths; promulgating the Olympic Values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect; and cultivating among youths a global outlook, a passion for sports, and good habits that are part of a health lifestyle, said the press release.
Meanwhile the Singapore Youth Games organizing committee is calling an open tender for the development of the mascot for the 2010 Games.
