The Schools Olympic Program is a pioneering initiative which aims to encourage a healthy lifestyle among young people by integrating the practice of sport in daily life. A program of the Qatar Olympic Committee, the Supreme Education Council, Qatar School Sport Federation and Qatar Paralympics Committee, the Schools Olympic Program is a prestigious annual event which has been held in Qatar since 2007. Activities and competitions aim to deliver a unique and powerful introduction to sport values, increase the social involvement of youth through sport, advance innovation in education, and to share and celebrate the diverse cultures of Qatar in a festive atmosphere.

During the 2013-2014 Schools Olympic Program, under the theme “Sport and Integrity”. Save the Dream – in partnership with the Qatar Anti-Doping Commission, Anti-Doping Laboratory Qatar and the Ministry of Interior – offered interactive lessons, activities and workshops to inform and educate young people about corruption and illicit activities in the world of sport, in particular with regard to doping, match-fixing and fraud in sport.

Save the Dream provided educational tools tailored to primary, preparatory and secondary students in schools across Qatar, to stimulate their thoughts on sport integrity, including a colouring book depicting an outstanding act of sportsmanship by Spanish athlete Ivàn Fernàndez Anaya, winner of the inaugural Save the Dream Award and a booklet containing chapters on “Loyalty” and “Team Spirit” from Alessandro Del Piero’s book “Let’s keep Playing”.

A total of 26,454 students – 17,625 boys and 8829 girls – across 401 schools participated in the activities of the Schools Olympic Program 2013-2014. Activities for 2014-2015 under the theme “Sport and Peace” are currently under way.

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