Singapore Gets Set To Welcome Inaugural Youth Olympic Games Media Accreditation Now Open
On your marks, get set…go to Singapore! Some 3,600 of the best young athletes from around the world will come together in Singapore from 14th to 26th August 2010 for the very first Youth Olympic Games, a new international sporting event introduced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
More than 500,000 spectators are anticipated to join the athletes in Asia’s sporting capital as young athletes – aged between 14 and 18 years – compete in all 26 sports on the programme for the 2012 Olympic Games. The vision of the Youth Olympic Games is to inspire young people around the world to participate in sport and adopt and live by the Olympic values. Singapore’s rich cultural diversity makes it the perfect destination to launch the first ever international sporting event to integrate sport, culture and education. Competitors will participate in a Culture and Education Programme (CEP) focused on five themes: ‘Olympism’ and Olympic values, skills development, well-being and healthy lifestyle, social responsibility and expression through digital media.
The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) is inviting media to Singapore to cover the Youth Olympic Games, with application for media accreditation open until 1st May. Media can apply for accreditation directly with SYOGOC via the Singapore 2010 official website at www.singapore2010.sg or by contacting the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in the UK. Accredited media will be able to use the media facilities and services at the Singapore 2010 Main Media Centre, competition and non-competition venues, including the Youth Olympic Village and Culture and Education Programme venues.
Key events in the run up to the Games include:
• Youth Ambassadors Seminar 20 to 25 March 2010
• Chef-de-Mission Seminar 22 to 24 March 2010
• Singapore 2010 Friendship Games, May 2010: The first round of Friendship Games in January 2010, saw 600 athletes from more than 20 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) compete in eight different sports.
• 99-day Countdown to Singapore 2010, 7 May
• Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame, July 2010: The Olympic flame will be lit in Greece and journey to Berlin (Germany), Dakar (Senegal), Mexico City (Mexico), Auckland (New Zealand), Seoul (Republic of Korea); making its way through all five Olympic continents (Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania) before arriving in Singapore.
The STB’s Area Director for Northern and Western Europe, Eunice Yeo said: “The launch of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games comes as another major sporting accomplishment for Singapore, which saw the launch of the first ever F1 night race in 2008 and became the first South East Asian stop in the Volvo Ocean Race in January 2009.
“Singapore has really put itself on the map as a global sporting destination and we’re thrilled to be welcoming these young ambassadors.”