YOG is more than just winning medals

Youth Olympic Games is more than just winning medals

The Olympic Games has always been the pinnacle sporting event for athletes wanting to establish themselves as the numero uno sportsman in the world.

However, at the coming Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010, it's not just about winning medals, as the inaugural Games has already been labeled as an event that encompasses sport, culture and education.

To achieve that aim, the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee (SYOGOC) has integrated a Culture and Education Programme (CEP) that will allow athletes to embrace, adapt and live by the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.

The highlight of this programme is Friends@YOG, since forging friendships is the best way to learn about other countries' culture and develop respect for cultural diversity.

This will see Singapore schools paired up with each of the 205 National Olympic Council home countries under a twinning programme under Friends@YOG endorsed by the International Olympic Committee.

Since the programme began in December 2008, the pairing has seen 229 local schools matched up more than half of the 204 participation nations, with some schools wasting no time in introducing Singapore culture to new friends.

-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-