Peace money to boost Olympic learning project

Derry City Council, in partnership with Omagh District Council and Strabane District Council, has secured funding from the North West PEACE III Partnership for an innovative project aimed at local schools within the North West, County Donegal and County Sligo.

The project will see children learn more about the Olympic Games as a medium to promote not only sporting achievement but also diversity and integration.

The Olympic Initiative has been designed to increase children's understanding and awareness of the world around them.

The programme will provide an educational initiative giving the children opportunities to learn about the Olympic Games, the countries that take part as well as their culture, language and history and in doing so will enable children to become more confident when engaging with people from different cultures.

Each participating school has agreed to host an Olympic Style Sports day, delivered by coaches recruited by each Council as well as the Donegal and Sligo Sports partnerships.

The events will involve pupils taking part in mini Olympic Games in their school, then going on to take part in a regional Olympic day celebration that will showcase all that they have achieved and learned throughout the project.

The "United through Sport" Good Relations campaign will run alongside the educational and practical element, to highlight the fact that the Olympics Games and sport in general unite many athletes, people and nations resulting in friendships all around the globe.

As a result of this project the schools within the North West, Donegal and Sligo areas will have the opportunities to forge cross border links and develop strong educational and sporting relationships with the other schools involved.

Mayor Paul Fleming welcomed the initiative and the opportunities it will create in the area.

He said: "I am delighted that such as initiative has had the opportunity to become a reality.

"Thanks to the funding from the NW PEACE III Partnership we now have a project that engages so many people from different social, cultural and geographical backgrounds all interested in developing close links and relationships with each other through the medium of sport.

"Strong partnerships have been forged between the local councils, the schools in Derry, Omagh, Strabane, Donegal and Sligo, the Health Service Executive and the Donegal and Sligo Sports partnerships, all of whom continue to working together to make the programme such a success".

Eileen McFarline, Chair of the NW PEACE III Partnership welcomed the initiative, saying: "It is encouraging to see how PEACE III funding is being used on the ground to create real change and have real impacts.

"This programme is tackling a range of issues effectively and is promoting physical exercise, educational attainment, cultural diversity and cross community/cross border links.

"I am sure all involved will thoroughly enjoy the events and I am delighted that this funding has enabled such a worthwhile programme".

George McGowan, Project Manager, said: "This is an exciting opportunity to create strong links at both a local and regional level.

"We have 25 schools with over 1500 children in the 5 Council areas taking part, all working toward being 'United through Sport'.

"The project itself is unique in that we are focusing on the Olympic Games and its history.

"The result will be that children gain an insight into the social and cultural significance of the Olympic Games which is particularly relevant given that the Olympics are being held so close to us in London 2012."

The project contains three elements which include the North West Olympic Initiative, a schools/community Multi Sport Programme and a Coach Education and Club Development Programme.

Each part of this project is supported by an engrained 'Good Relations' theme, addressing issues such as racism, sectarianism and cultural identity.

The NW Leisure and Sport Social Inclusion and Cohesion Programme is supported by the Peace III Programme and managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the North West Peace III Partnership.