PYEONGCHANG, KOREA — Dream Program 2012, an annual winter sports youth festival, kicked off on February 9 in Pyeongchang, the host city of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
During the eleven-day run, over 140 children and adolescents from 31 nations converge at the main Olympic venues at Alpensia Resort and Gangneung Ice Rink, to participate in winter sports through the program’s Winter Sports Academy.
This year, they're joined by competitors with physical disabilities from Malaysia, Mongolia, Thailand, and Kenya. The 20 young athletes join the rank of other non-disabled youths to reach higher athletic and personal potential at the venues of the upcoming 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics World Winter Games.
This event has been underway since 2004 as part of the city’s 2010 bid, the Dream Program invites young participants from tropical countries and developing nations that have fewer chances to enjoy winter sports.
The annual youth gathering seeks to instill the values and ideals of the Olympic Movement, to inspire and motivate children through educational programs and interactive challenges. The program has received substantial support and praise from the members of the International Olympic Committee for imbuing young athletes with zeal and hope, leading to its selection as host city last July.
A total of 947 children from 47 nations in Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe have benefited from the program over the past eight years. Among the participants, many whose first encounter with winter sports is through the Dream Program, twelve athletes from eight countries have achieved the goal of representing their own country as national team members in international sports events, including the Winter Olympic Games.
For its ninth edition, and first time since the 2018 Winter Olympic Games were awarded to Pyeongchang, a session tailored to hone the abilities of trainers was introduced to keep up the momentum of fostering the younger generation even after the participants return to their home countries.
“The Dream Program has greatly contributed to raising awareness of Pyeongchang city in a bid to host the Winter Olympics and is considered the pride of Gangwon-do (Gangwon Province),” said an official of Gangwon-do. “The government will pour its utmost efforts in fostering the power of sport among youths across the globe by cultivating their dreams and athletic skills.”
For more information, please visit the official website at: www.dreamprogram.co.kr
