A VISIT by UK Minister for Sports and Olympics Hugh Robertson to Egypt has been postponed. Robertson and the head of the Egyptian National Sports Council Emad El-Banani were to have launched the International Inspiration programme in the Heliopolis Sports Development Centre in Cairo. Egypt is the 20th and latest country to join this ground-breaking international London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games sports legacy programme. "We are committed to assisting Egypt," Robertson said. "We continue to believe that sports are an important tool for youth development, and that they provide an opportunity to under-privileged youth and a way out of poverty. But given the recent events, we did not feel this was the right time for a ministerial visit focussing on these objectives." By July 2011 International Inspiration had reached 12 million children, a year ahead of schedule. With the programme launched in Egypt, International Inspiration has realised London 2012's promise to reach 12 million children in 20 countries in time for this year's Olympic and Paralympics Games. The official launch in Egypt would have been attended by Deputy Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee and Chair of the II Foundation Keith Mills, British Charge d'Affaires Thom Reilly, Director of the British Council Egypt Mark Stephens, UNICEF representative in Egypt Philippe Duamelle, First Undersecretary at the Ministry of Education Reda Mosaad and Chairman of the Egyptian Olympic Committee Mahmoud Ahmed Ali. Among those who were supposed to participate in the event were famed athletes including Egyptian swimming champion Rania Elwani, gymnastics supremo Mohamed El-Saharti and athletics champion Mustafa Fathallah. They were supposed to have been joined by Mohamed El-Sayed who was selected to join a group of 20 young people from International Inspiration countries around the world to take part in the Olympic Torch Relay in Nottinghamshire in the UK on 28 June. International Inspiration will engage 15 Egyptian schools and major universities in three governorates: Cairo, Assiut and Alexandria. It aims to link Egyptian schools and universities with partners in the UK through the power of sport. The links will enable schools and universities to share good practices and adopt innovative approaches in the use of PE, sport and play to benefit children, young people and the wider community. International Inspiration, delivered by the British Council, UNICEF and UK Sport, is bringing to life the promise made by the London 2012 bid team in Singapore in 2005 who pledged to reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so that they are inspired to choose sport. International Inspiration is focusing on ensuring that initiatives are sustainable and will leave a lasting legacy in all 20 countries after the final year of the programme in 2014. The International Inspiration programme is governed by an independent charitable foundation. It is supported and funded by a mixture of organisations and foundations, including the Department for International Development (DFID), the British Council, the Premier League, UNICEF, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Comic Relief, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, the GE Foundation and individual donors. The programme is also supported by the Youth Sport Trust, the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympics Association in addition to individual donors. To enable longer-term impact, the programme is developed jointly with the governments, National Olympic Committees and National Paralympics Committees, where appropriate, of participating countries. The programme is supported and welcomed by the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympics Committee. The vision of International Inspiration is to use the power of sport to enrich the lives of millions of children and young people of all abilities in schools and communities across the world, particularly developing countries, by offering them the opportunity to access and participate in high-quality and inclusive sport, physical education and play. The programme is already changing the lives of young people in 20 countries -- Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palau, South Africa, Tanzania, Turkey, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zambia -- and has already enriched the lives of over 12 million children and young people. The school partnerships are managed by the British Council, which has long experience of linking schools internationally, working in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, which utilises its expertise in developing teachers and young leaders through sport. The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide. It is a Royal Charter charity, established as the UK's international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. Its 7,000 International Inspiration staff in over 100 countries work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year through English, arts, education and society programmes.
