Olympic Games Festivals & Capacity Building Concept Document

PROPOSAL:

Olympic Games Festivals & Capacity Building Concept Document

DURATION OF FESTIVALS

There could be one festival in 6 identified provinces commencing six months before the start of the Olympics. The project can be implemented first in Pretoria before moving to other locations. Identified locations being:

l  Pretoria - January

l  Johannesburg CBD - February

l  Limpopo province - March

l  Kwa Zulu Natal – April

l  East London – May

l  Cape Town – June

RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND

With less than a year away from the greatest sporting spectacle on Earth its essential that South Africans begin to experience the excitement and buzz of what the Paris 2024 Olympics will bring. Only a select few will get to experience the Olympics as athletes in their lifetime, with the remainder being transfixed on the television screens for when its time for the Olympics and Paralympics. The Olympic Games is just but a component of the Olympic Movement . It is a philosophy of life that transcends beyond the Olympic Games every four years. Not everything related to Olympism is about the podium and medals. The concept of Olympism is embedded with ideals which make up the Olympic Values which should be transmitted to all human beings.

These three values are Excellence, Respect and Friendship. Excellence focuses on doing the best you can on the field as well as in life. The important thing as Coubertin said is not winning but taking part, enjoying the healthy combination of body, mind and will. Respect, refers to respecting yourself and your body, rules and regulations and sport and the environment. Friendship is at the heart of the Olympic Movement, it encourages us to use sport as an instrument for mutual understanding between individuals, and between people all over the world. Added to the Olympic values is the four Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality. Physical activity and sport have significant benefits for health, well – being and youth development. Sport can be a fantastic tool for outcomes such as peace, holistic education and social development. On the backdrop of the Paris games next year, what better way is there to celebrate the values of the Olympic Movement than to encourage the youth of South Africa to actively participate and take part in sport?

GOAL OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES FESTIVALS

To inspire the youth of South Africa to dream and have the hope of one day representing their country at the Olympics and through that, evolve into active, positive responsible citizens. Furthermore, to also encourage the marginalized such as the youth with special needs to take up sports through a festival that is inclusive, has equity and diversity.

OBJECTIVES OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES FESTIVAL

1. Raise awareness about Olympism to the youth of South Africa to increase sports participation and allowing young people to have an opportunity of experiencing a variety of sporting codes.

2. To learn about the Olympic and Paralympic values and to educate young people in South Africa about them.

3.  Educate coaches, teachers and administrators to use the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) within their lesson plans.

ACTION PLAN FOR THE OLYMPIC FESTIVALS

The plan is to partner with the Olympic Study Center in South Africa at UJ, South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, SSCN and supporting Sports For Development Civil Society Organizations, the Japanese Embassy / French Embassy, various city departments responsible for sports and former Olympic Athletes as ambassadors. There would be six specific events. The first event will be a launch of the festival which will consist of an SSCN Member, SASCOC, possibly the Japanese embassy and a corporate partner in January. Each month having a festival in different provinces or villages with a SSCN member. The festival would consist of both a fun day for children and youth and will be both informative and have physical activity. The final festival will involve capacity building and panel discussion in Cape Town and will be held on the opening ceremony weekend of the Olympics and will involve festival, capacity building and a panel discussion on OVEP.

THE PROPOSED PROGRAMME FOR OLYMPIC DAY FESTIVAL

The programme for the Olympic Day festival would involve:

1. Olympic Day fun walk

2. Olympic Anthem

3. Official welcome and opening ceremony

4. Reading of athletes oath

5. Mini Olympics

6. Modified Olympic Sports games in Small sided games

7. Closing ceremony

PROPOSED PROGRAMME FOR OLYMPIC PANEL DISCUSSION & CAPACITY BUILDING

1. Guest speaker

2. Introduction to panel academia, Government / SASCOC / Private sector / Athletes

3. Panelist discussion – open floor

4. Q & A open floor discussion

5. OVEP lesson plan by Olympic expert for students, coaches and educators

6. Close