“The Olympic Movement is above all an educational movement” stated International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge at the opening ceremony of the 5th World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture in Beijing. He added “Sports events such as the upcoming Games of the XXIX Olympiad are ideal platforms for information and education. They will also have a general educational impact on the world’s population, as we can all use them to learn and know each other better, in accordance with the motto for Beijing 2008 “One world, One dream”.
The president addressed the different activities undertaken in the field of education by the IOC, Olympic Museum, Olympic academies and universities. The Organising Committee for Olympic Games plays a key role in Olympic Education, he explained. Since Calgary in 1988, each Organising Committee has created an educational tool enabling it to reach schools in the host country. “I am particularly proud that this effort is continuing today in China, and that millions of young Chinese children and adolescents are being acquainted with the power of the Olympic values, such as friendship, excellence and respect,” he underlined.
These are educational and cultural activities particularly aimed at young people who represent, without a doubt, the future of the Olympic Movement. “…we must concentrate on this age group, which is attracted these days by other leisure activities, such as music, video games, the internet and films. We must make a serious effort to maintain their interest in sport and physical activity.”
The president explained how that the IOC and the Olympic Movement have integrated educational and cultural elements into numerous other activities, such as the transfer of knowledge in the framework of the organisation of the Olympic Games; projects for environmental protection, including the new Guide to Sport, the Environment and Sustainable Development; and developing, in the medical field, consensus documents with high educational value, for example on training of young athletes, or sexual harassment.
He continued by mentioning that the IOC’s educational mission also included all the efforts made to inform both elite and amateur athletes of the disastrous health consequences of doping. “Scientists and doctors who, through their anti-ethical behaviour, contribute to medicinal substance abuse must be stigmatised – which can be considered as another form of education,” he concluded.
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‘Malta u Dinja tal-Hames Crieki’
Next Sunday at 1.05pm on 103FM (RTK), this programme will include representatives from the Malta Chess Federation and the Malta Judo Federation who will discuss the national youth development programme of their respective federations.
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MOC News: Meeting for all equestrian sport lovers
After the very positive first two meetings hosted at Malta Olympic Committee (MOC) Headquarters, the MOC in conjunction with the Malta Equestrian Federation will be scheduling a final meeting to approve the Malta Equestrian Federation Statute governing this sport with fixed rules and regulations.
This meeting will take place on Monday 27 November at 7pm. At this meeting all clubs must present their statute, committee members, calendar for the year and full details regarding the club operations and activities for the Year 2007.
Following approval of the statute, a general meeting will take place on Friday 15 December at the MOC HQ where the Malta Equestrian Federation will be officially launched with an official press conference.
These meetings will be chaired and addressed by Director of Sport Pippo Psaila. For further information, interested persons may contact the Malta Olympic Committee on tel.: 2133-2801 or alternatively by email to [email protected].
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Athlete profile: Christopher Camilleri
Age: 23 years
Sport: Canoeing sprints
Discipline: 200m, 500m
Club: Malta Canoe Federation
Started: First B’kara Scout group
Job: University post-graduate student – teaching
Personal bests:
• 200m – 38.9secs
• 500m – 1min 54secs
Achievements
• 2006 – Manuel Island Race Joint Champion – K1 Elite Class
• 2006 – Manuel Island Race Champion – K2 3km Open
• 2005 – Third in indoor rowing competition
• 2005 – Manuel Island Race Champion – K1 Elite Class
• 2004 – Manuel Island Race Champion – K1 Open Sea Class
Other
• Participation in ICF Flatwater World Championships 2006: official world ranking of 55th out of 100 competitors
• Participation in ICF Flatwater World Championships 2005: official world ranking of 94th out of 100 competitors
• 2002 completed Lifecycle – Assisi Challenge
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MIA Olympic Special – What’s On
Thursday and Friday on E22 at 9pm (RPT), Sunday on E22 at 10am (RPT) and Monday on E22 at 2.30pm (RPT) will feature the following:
Athlete profile
Chris Camilleri, 23 years old, has been competing and practising the sport of canoeing for the last 3.5 years; he has represented Malta at the flatwater world championships twice in 2005 and 2006, in the last edition he placed 55th out of 100 competitors. He is the current national champion. Find out more about Chris Camilleri in this interview produced by University communication students Vanessa Attard and Malcolm Zammit.
What is tennis?
Tennis is a game played with a racket and a ball by two (as in singles) or four (as in doubles) competitors, on a rectangular court with a net strung between the midpoints of the longer sides of the court. Tennis may be played indoors or outdoors. Find out more about this sport practised in Malta in this feature produced by University communication students Mohit Bindra and Louise Caruana Galizia.
Feature event
Table Football – Subbuteo fifth edition of the World Masters tournament organised by the Federation of International Sports Table Football and hosted by the Malta Table Football Sports Association last Saturday at the Marsa Sports & Country Club. Find out what happened during this international tournament, including a number of interviews with MTFSA officials.
Highlight events
This week’s highlights will focus on the Judo Ranking competition organised by the Malta Judo Federation last Saturday at St Aloysius Complex, B’kara, the Karate National Kumite (sparring) Championship 2006 organised by the Malta Karate Federation last Sunday at St Aloysius Sports Complex, B’kara, and an Archery Double 25 metres competition organised by the Malta Archery Association last Saturday at Pembroke.
Schedule available every week on www.nocmalta.org and on The Malta Independent every Tuesday. Produced in collaboration with E22 and University of Malta, Centre for Communication & Technologies (CCT) Video Production Students (Video3 – 2006).