Yokohama To Host World Kids’ Tri
(August 19, 2009 )
A total of 800 school children including kids athletes aged from 10 to 15 years from 16 counties will gather in Yokohama to talk about a better future based on the spirit of fair play at the World’s “first ever” Kids’ Sports Summit in Yokohama. The goal of the summit is to create “World Kids’ Sports Summit in Yokohama Declaration” by kids and the message will be dispatched to all over the world including 121 National Federations of ITU. It aims at sharing their thoughts and hopes with other students and spreading their declaration across the world. Captains of Japanese and overseas NFs who will play an important role in the summit already started having internet meetings in June prior to the Summit. The Summit will be held on August 21st, 2009 at Pacifico Yokohama and participating countries (Japan, Paraguay, Mongol, China, New Zealand, Korea, Israel, Hong Kong, UK, Ethiopia, USA, Philippines, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Ireland) will join the opening ceremony, keynote address, kid’s presentation on sport affairs of each country and region, open forum and declaration reading.
Following the Summit, nearly 200 kids among the Summit participants will compete in World Kids’ Triathlon, the World’s first International Kids Triathlon on August 23rd after the Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Series men’s elite competition to conclude the entire events in Yokohama.
IOC President Jacques Rogge sent a message to the children coming to compete in the World Kids’ Triathlon:
Dear Young Participants,
Welcome to Yokohama for the World Kids’ Sports Summit and the World Kids’ Triathlon.
In two days, you will be like the champions you watch on TV, those whom you want to look like.
You will compete in the sport you love, triathlon, competing against other young people from other countries.
Remember that the sports arena is like a classroom with almost the same rules and values.
You lean how to live together in society. You learn excellence, friendship and solidarity. You also learn respect for each other, for differences – whether you are a boy or a girl, whether you are big or small, whether you come from a city or a village.
Sport is all that and even more. Through sport, you will also learn how to respect your environment. How to use the best practices to make a difference and contribute to protecting your planet for those who will come after you.
As you already know, sport is a wonderful meeting point. It brings together people from all over the world, thus allowing them to discover and share unforgettable cultural, social and educational experiences. And if you learn through sport to respect each other, you will be well equipped for your role in contributing to a better and peaceful society.
Sport is definitively all that. Of course, sport brings well-being for your body and mind.
Before concluding, just remember one important rule in sport: it’s not just about winning but much more about being a true, fair and respectful athlete.
Dear Young Participants, I wish you all the best here in Yokohama, and that you learn and experience sport and its values while giving the best of yourselves on and off the field of play. And may your dreams also come true!
