August 2 – As the Paris 2024 Olympic Games enter their second week, a new partnership has been launched by the Qatar Foundation, Education Above All Foundation, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) aiming to use sports to promote equality, inclusion, and education in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Announced at the Team Qatar Reception in Paris, the three-year project is part of the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy, which supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The initiative will reportedly focus on women and girls, people with disabilities, and marginalised communities in over 10 countries, including Qatar, Sudan, and India.
Speaking at the Paris event, Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani (pictured), Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation, said: “At Qatar Foundation, we have always realised that sports is one of the rare tools that serves so many who are wanting to better their lives and gain a sense of personal fulfilment.
“We believe everyone, regardless of their gender, ability, socio-economic status, or religious background, deserves equal opportunities to explore and share their potential with the world.”
Sheikha Hind continued: “Today, you can once again see this commitment in action, as Qatar Foundation comes together in collaboration with Education Above All Foundation and the International Olympic Committee to extend our collective efforts in harnessing the power of sports for justice and equality.”
The project has promised to create localised sports solutions tailored to each country’s needs and aims to reach up to 50,000 children and youth. It plans to train up to 5,000 coaches, teachers, and instructors to further these goals, with digital education interventions reaching hundreds of thousands more young people worldwide.
Additionally, community sports programmes, campaigns, policy development, and partnerships have been penned in in order to push towards the goal of gender equality and inclusion.
The immediate objectives of the object are to increase accessible and safe sporting opportunities, unlock new funding and programs for equality and inclusion, raise awareness of sports as a catalyst for development, and secure commitments from governments and key stakeholders to use sports to advance these goals.
Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, said: “This collaboration will not only empower thousands of young people, but also serve as a catalyst for promoting inclusion and gender equality through sport.”
“With this initiative, we aim to demonstrate how innovative partnerships can help make significant strides in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, while creating a lasting impact on the lives of young people and helping to build a more inclusive and equal world.”
Fahad Al-Sulaiti, CEO of Education Above All Foundation, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with Qatar Foundation and the International Olympic Committee in this project which will witness the participation of up to 50,000 children and youth, as well as many other youth around the world, in digital education interventions and sport-for-good projects across 10 countries and regions.
“Just like education, we believe that sports has the power to bring people together regardless of their socio-economic status, geographical location or financial ability for a more inclusive and equitable world.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1726769206labto1726769206ofdlr1726769206owedi1726769206sni@g1726769206niwe.1726769206yrrah1726769206
