POSTED: Tuesday December 13th 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1st Gangwon Province PyeongChang 2018 joint TYSL project launched in Gambia
BANJUL/SEOUL: The first Thank You Small Library (TYSL) project jointly supported by the Gangwon Province and PyeongChang Organizing Committee Olympic Games (POCOG) got off the ground at the OlympAfrica center today at Serekunda East mini-stadium in Banjul.
The TYSL project is a branch of the United Nations World Tourism Organization Sustainable Tourism Eliminating Poverty (UNWTO ST-EP) Foundation and establishes small libraries in underprivileged communities to provide them with educational and recreational opportunities along the lines of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). So far over 110 TYSLs have been established worldwide, some in conjunction with a partnership with ANOCA for their OlympAfrica centers.
This marks the first project backed by both Gangwon and the PyeongChang 2018 Games in Africa.
Under the leadership of Ambassador Young-shim Dho, Chairperson, UNWTO ST-EP Foundation & UN MDG Advocacy Group Member, the project also reaches out in the sports world at the highest national level.
The TYSLs have been set up according to the Korean model towards furthering education and experience in poverty elimination.
Ambassador Dho said, "Korea was the poorest country of the world a long time ago, but now Korea is the 10th largest economic power. All because of education, we don't have oil, we don't have gold, but everybody studied and that is how we have the Secretary General of the United Nations.
"Ban Ki-moon is from Korea and he didn't have anything but he walked hours and hours to go to school. And he studied, so I think I see many Ban Ki-moons among you and I hope that in the future you will see what education can do for you."
Gangwon also has a growing outreach project called the Dream Program that introduces children, coaches and athletes from around the world to winter sport. The TYSL project in Gambia fits very well with their promotion and since 2004 it has hosted over 947 children from over 47 countries even budding Olympians.
IOC member, Beatrice Allen, and vice-president of the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) was industrious in carrying out the project.
Allen said, "These two libraries have about 1000 books each, and a full computer set at both places. The types of books cover a wide variety of topics, fiction and non-fiction, there are sports books, children's novels and books by Gambian writers, there is a little for everyone.
"What we want is more than a reading culture, for people to be aware of what is happening around them. These books are not for students only but they are also for sports writers so that they can learn about sports in the Olympic Movement. It is also about helping our sports writers to have guides to grow and learn so that when they cover sports they will be more informed.
"Look at all these beautiful children that are here, they are all excited because they have something to look forward to. We appreciate that very much."
GNOC President, Momodou Dibba, said, "I am very pleased to work with my executive not only to concentrate on the associations but also to help in doing what we can in terms of education, in terms of giving experiences and opportunities to people and I think this Thank You Small Library (TYSL) project is one of the very few activities that we are supporting.
"We are hoping that this project, organized by the UNWTO ST-EP Foundation, and sponsored by the Gangwon Province, will be replicated in other parts of the country.
"Since 2007, there have been 108 libraries, now with these two, one in the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) Resource Center and the other at the OlympAfrica Centre at the Serekunda East, it will be 110, and we hope we will be able to convince our collaborators, our friends, to replicate this project in all parts of the country."
TYSL also has a partnership with ANOCA and the World Olympians Association (WOA) to support education through the local National Olympian Associations to inspire future Olympians.
The TYSL projects are also backed nationally by the local ministry of education and sports, tourism and culture.
In an effort to raise awareness on November 2, 2011, the first UNAIDS Corner was established in a TYSL located at the Dr. Frans Aupa Indongo Primary School, Windhoek, Namibia. HIV awareness is also a vital need throughout the African continent and TYSL allows for this needed channel at elementary school level. Both these new TYSLs have UNAIDS corners to support HIV education.
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Keywords · Gambia · GNOC · Olympafrica · UNWTO · TYSL
Name: Jun-hyun Lee
Organization: UNWTO ST EP Foundation
Email:
Phone: 8223181865
URL: http://www.unwtostep.org
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