27.11.2019
The Turkish Olympic Committee (TOC) and Kırıkhan Municipality of Turkey have kicked off a second year of activities for the Olympic Solidarity-supported Active Kids Sport Schools Project with an event for 300 local children and Syrian refugees.
The event, which took place on 23 November in Kırıkhan, Hatay Province, saw 300 children take part in a full day of sports activities with Turkish athletes. Sports practiced included badminton, basketball, karate and volleyball.
All children attending the event received sportswear including t-shirts, tracksuits and sports shoes.
Speaking after the event TOC Board Member Seyit Bilal Porsun said:
“We’ve had the great pleasure today of providing children with sportswear and contributing to their wellbeing.
“We believe that by providing children with the opportunity to practice sport we are positively contributing to the future of this region.
“Through the Active Kids Sport Schools Project, we are determined to support children’s social and physical development and social cohesion.”
About the Active Kids Sports Schools Project
The TOC’s Active Kids Sport Schools Project was first launched in 2017 with support of Olympic Solidarity and in collaboration with the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality. Children in Gaziantep now have access to classes where they can learn basic skills and techniques in nine Olympic sports including badminton, basketball, gymnastics, wrestling, judo, karate, archery, taekwondo and volleyball.
In November 2019, the project was expanded to Kırıkhan where 300 children can now practice badminton, basketball, karate and volleyball under the supervision of qualified instructors.
The aim of the project is to contribute to children’s physical and social development through greater accessibility to sport.
The project has focused on areas in Turkey where there are Syrian refugee children, with the aim of improving the integration in to their new communities.