Press Release 19 March 2012

Twenty young people from London 2012's International Inspiration programme have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to carry the Olympic Flame.

One young person from each of the 20 countries that are part of International Inspiration, from Azerbaijan to Zambia, has been selected as a Torchbearer for the Olympic Torch Relay. The 20 young people will carry the flame in Nottinghamshire on 28th June.

Each International Inspiration Torchbearer was nominated and selected either for their dedication and commitment to inspiring children and young people in their communities through the power of sport, or for the personal challenges they have overcome in their lives.

Three of the inspiring young people running with the Torch are:

- 18-year-old Shaquille from Trinidad & Tobago – International Inspiration is working in Trinidad and Tobago to combat issues of gang violence and anti-social behaviour, and address a lack of opportunities for young people to develop important life skills. Shaquille is a shining example of a young man whose aspirations have been raised by sport. The programme has helped him to focus on both his school work and sporting activities, improve his organisational skills and enabled him to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the World Championships in Dragon Boat Racing in July 2011. His dream is to become an Olympic runner and a pilot.

- 19-year-old Pinky from India – Pinky is an International Inspiration Young Leader in her village of Barbaruah in North Eastern India.  

Pinky runs sports session at her school for the children and young people of her migrant tea plucker community, encouraging them to participate actively in sport and talking to their parents about how sport can play a vital role in their child’s education and social development.

She also advocates on pertinent social issues such as child marriage, alcoholism and adult literacy at community meetings. After becoming aware of the level of illiteracy in her community, Pinky is now working to re-start the night school in her community which shut down 18 years ago to teach adults basic literacy skills. She is a confident agent of change and has become an inspring role model for other children and young people in her community.

- 18-year-old Shariful from Bangladesh – Trained as a Community Swimming Instructor to teach life saving survival swimming skills to children and young people in flood-prone Bangladesh, Shariful is helping to reduce the number of children who drown each year. One of his 8 year old students went on to save the life of another drowning child after learning survival swimming techniques with Shariful. Having developed his leadership skills as a Community Swimming Instructor, Shariful now motivates and mobilizes his peers, encouraging them to engage in various activities that promote social change including actions to prevent child marriage and trafficking and to decrease school drop-out rates.

International Inspiration is bringing to life the promise made by the London 2012 bid team where they pledged to reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport. The programme is delivered around the world by the British Council, UNICEF and UK Sport and it is enriching the lives of more than 12 million children in 20 countries around the world through high-quality and inclusive physical education, sport and play.

Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) said: ‘I’m thrilled that young people from around the world will also get the chance to run with the Olympic Flame. All 20 of the International Inspiration Torchbearers have been a real inspiration in their community and demonstrate the impact sport can have on a person’s life. Their stories are truly inspirational and we look forward to welcoming them to the UK in just a few weeks time.’

The torchbearers from International Inspiration were picked to run on the 28 June as it's during National School Sports week and a few days after World Sport Day, when schools all over the UK will be celebrating the athletes and cultures of the world.

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