UK Sport to stage Windhoek conference

From UK Sport
UK Sport has partnered with the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa to deliver the 2007 Next Step Conference on sport and development in Windhoek, Namibia, from September 19-22.

The biennial event focuses on the important role that sport and physical activity can play in contributing to the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals and will build on the success and outcomes from the 2005 conference by highlighting the value of educating and developing young people through sport.

The 2005 conference, held in Zambia, drew over 180 participants and was hosted by the Norwegian Olympic Committee and Confederation of Sport. At this event, The Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP announced that the UK Government would host the 2007 conference.

‘Next Step 2007’ will bring together a wide range of partners and participants from the international sport and development community. Seminars will include focusing on sport’s contribution to the building of a peaceful and better world by empowering young sports leaders to champion the Olympic values of friendship and fair play and become the leaders of tomorrow.

Martin Niblett, UK Sport’s International Projects Consultant said:

“The power of sport to inspire and involve young people has long been well understood within the international sport development community. This conference hopes to make a difference by giving our young sports leaders from across the world a platform to voice and celebrate their achievements in and through sport.

“Overall, we hope that ‘Next Step 2007’ will create an environment which will enable leaders from the international sports movement to work together to facilitate greater youth involvement in sport and to engage the expertise and resources of both the private sector and the media in youth focused sport development. Our aim is to provide examples to inspire people all over the world to invest time, resources and belief in harnessing humanity’s shared passion for sport to develop its most important resource – youth.”

For more information, click here.