POSTED: Monday December 29th 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LIVING THE OLYMPIC SPIRIT IN ALL SCHOOLS FROM 2009

Olympic Education Programme (OEP) and Friends@YOG

1.
Preparations for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) gained further momentum today with the launch of the Olympic Education Programme (OEP) and Friends@YOG by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for
Education and Second Minister for Defence.
2.
Since Singapore won the bid to host the 2010 YOG, our schools have been actively organizing various activities to intensify the YOG buzz. These two new initiatives will further lay the foundation for a successful and memorable YOG event in 2010 for our youths. With the launch of the OEP, students will have more opportunities to experience and embrace the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect. Students will also get to better understand the diverse cultures of the world and forge international friendships with young people outside Singapore through Friends@YOG, a School and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) Twinning Programme.
The Olympic Education Programme (OEP)
3.
Starting 2009, a variety of educational programmes 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. All schools will receive the specially designed “Living Olympism” Education Resource Package as part of the associated teaching materials. Teachers can draw on the various interesting ideas in the
package to develop innovative learning activities for students to acquire knowledge about the Olympics and understand the Olympic spirit in a fun way.
4.
The resource packs highlight the history of the Olympic Games, Olympic Sports and contribution of the Olympic Movement to international peace and friendship. Besides Physical Education (PE), the ideas and activities in the resource packs can also be incorporated into subject areas
such as languages, humanities and the arts, sciences and mathematics, values education, and CCA thus contributing to our students’ holistic development.

Friends@YOG: Schools forge international friendships

5.
Under “Friends@YOG”, each Singapore school will be “twinned” with one of the 204 NOCs. It will be a fun and exciting learning journey for our students as they cultivate a global mindset through the forging of international friendships, learning about other countries’ cultures and developing respect for cultural diversity. Come Games-time, 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 or two NOC countries
1
56 of the cluster have been assigned 2 NOCs.

. Friends@YOG aims 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 healthy lifestyle.

-Ends-
Note to Editors:
1. Comprising a wide range of programmes, the Culture and Education Programme (CEP) will allow our students to experience the Olympic spirit and Olympic values. It is also a key platform to educate and engage young athletes, inspiring them to play an active role in their communities.
2. MOE and SYOGOC are working closely in partnership to develop the CEP with the aim of creating sustainable programmes that will leave a lasting legacy beyond the YOG, and not just to the young people of Singapore
and but to all youths around the world.
3. The OEP and the Friends@YOG are among the programmes that MOE and SYOGOC have launched as part of the CEP for the YOG.

JOINTLY ISSUED BY:
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
SINGAPORE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES ORGANISING COMMITTEE
For further queries, please contact:
Ministry of Education
Ms Jeanne Tan
Corporate Communications Executive
Corporate Communications Division
Ministry of Education
Tel: 6879 6118 (O) / 96347199 (HP)
Email: jeanne_tan@moe.gov.sg

Ms Winnie Lim
Corporate Communications Executive
Corporate Communications Division
Ministry of Education
Tel: 6879 6023 (O) /
96154899
(HP)
Email: winnie_lim@moe.gov.sg

Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee
Mr Harold Lim
Head, Media Publicity
Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee
Tel: 6471 9733 (O) / 97494138 (HP)
Email: harold_lim@singapore2010.sg

Ms Cheryl Chong
Executive, Media Publicity
Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee
Tel: 6471 9274 (O) / 96186306 (HP)
Email: cheryl_chong@singapore2010.sg

# # #

Keywords · Singapore 2010 · Youth Olympic Games

Name: Joey Chen
Organization: Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee
Email:
Phone: +(65) 9618 6306
URL: http://www.singapore2010.sg

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