International Inspiration set to leave long-term global legacy

ernational Inspiration set to leave long-term global legacy 19 Feb 2010 The team behind London 2012’s International Inspiration programme have guaranteed a long-term legacy for the first global sports participation programme ever delivered by an Organising Committee. Internation Inspiration in Vancouver Seb Coe (London 2012 Chair), Tessa Jowell (Olympics Minister) and Keith Mills (London 2012 Vice-Chair and Chair of the II Foundation) met with President of the Brazilian Olympic Committee and President of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games to discuss an extension of the programme through to the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio. This follows discussions at Government level led by Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell. Brazil is already part of the International Inspiration programme, with more than 450,000 children and young people engaged in sports projects within their schools and communities as a result of the programme. International Inspiration was developed as a result of the commitment made by the London 2012 bid to ‘reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to chose sport’. With support from ambassadors including David Beckham, Sir Chris Hoy, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Denise Lewis and Colin Jackson, it is intended that the programme will enrich the lives of 12 million children across 20 countries by 2012 through the power of high quality and inclusive physical education, sport and play. The programme has been running since 2007 and has already enriched the lives of 3.5 million young people in 12 countries. Seb Coe, London 2012 Chair, said: ‘The International Inspiration programme is really the cornerstone of what London 2012 stands for – the vision to inspire young people, and our ambition to be the Games for everyone’.