Olympics project gets kids active
Millions of schoolchildren in India will have the once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of the London 2012 Olympic activities, with a new British Council physical education project which is launching there.
The project will help primary school teachers bring sport into the classroom for 12.5 million primary school learners through exciting physical education learning resources.
At the launch of International Inspiration in Delhi, India’s Minister for Human Resources Development, Kapil Sibal, emphasised the importance of sport for youngsters: 'Sports plays a crucial role in the complete development of a child,' adding that he hopes the materials will encourage all children, including girls and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to take part in sport.
The project is being run by the British Council, in collaboration with UK Sport and Unicef, in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games. International Inspiration will deliver on the promise made by the London bid team in Singapore to ‘reach children all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games and to see millions more young people across the world participating in sport and improving their lives as a result ’.
'Football superstar, David Beckham, is one of a host of British sporting celebrities who have offered their support for International Inspiration'
The Indian leg of the project kicks off in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai over the next six months, with two rural projects in Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in the pipeline.
Primary teacher, Renu Nagpal, from Apeejay School, Delhi said: ‘The uniqueness lies in the fact that the activities are designed so that each child is involved. And the ready-made handout means the teacher is not expected to be an expert in the field of physical education.’
Football superstar, David Beckham, is one of the British sporting celebrities who have offered their support for International Inspiration: 'Sport is a language that everyone speaks, and it can be used to change lives. Through International Inspiration, we have an opportunity to give millions of children the chance to experience the thrill and excitement that being involved in sport brings. We can use sport to teach them about trust and respect and we can boost their confidence. It’s a chance for them to learn how to stay safe, keep healthy and in some cases stay alive.'
Support echoed by gold medal winning cyclist, Sir Chris Hoy: 'Many children around the world don't even have a safe place to play, let alone a dream of Olympic glory. International Inspiration aims to change that by providing millions of young people with their first opportunity to participate in sport. It's a chance for them to learn how to build their skills, self esteem and confidence and improve their lives as a result.'
International Inspiration hopes to transform the lives of millions of children and young people in schools and communities across 20 developing countries worldwide, through the power of physical education, sport and play.
For more information, visit www.britishcouncil.org/sport-international-inspiration-home.htm or www.britishcouncil.org/india.
