5.10.2018
Turkish Olympic Committee (TOC) Secretary General Neşe Gündoğan today spoke of the important role sport plays in building bridges between refugees and their communities.
Gündoğan, who spoke during the Social Inclusion and Cohesive Societies working zone at the Olympism in Action Forum in Buenos Aires, discussed how the TOC has been using its Support Through Sport Project to boost inclusion for some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey.
Joining Gündoğan on the panel were Sharnelle Cader a Change Agent for World YMCA, Luke Dowdney, Founder & CEO for Fight for Peace, Raouf Mazou, Country Representative for Kenya at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Rabbi Carlos A. Tapiero, Deputy Executive Director for the Maccabi World Union.
The panel’s objective was to discuss how sport can bridge the divisions that currently exist in societies around the world, with the goal of promoting inclusion and creating cohesive communities.
The Olympism in Action Forum is a new initiative by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) focused on building a better world through sport. It will address the most important topics related to sport and society through a constructive dialogue with a diverse group of speakers and guests.
About Support Through Sport Project
The TOC and Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality launched of the Support Through Sport Project in 2017 with the aim of contributing to Syrian children's physical and social development through greater accessibility to sport.
The project, which was first financed through the IOC Emergency Fund for Refugees, has enabled the TOC to restore and transform a hall belonging to the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Community Centre into a fully equipped sports hall. In addition, the TOC has hired trainers, translators, and technical officers to support the project. The TOC wants to use the project to enable Syrian children to socialize with each other and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.