12. December, 2022 News 0 Comment

28 EUROPEAN YOUNG AMBASSADORS ARE READY FOR THE WINTER & SUMMER EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVALS 2023

The European Young Olympic Ambassadors (EYOA) programme, an innovative programme developed through the European Olympic Committees (EOC) Culture & Education Commission, is set for its sixth and seventh editions.

Taking into account that the EYOF Friuli Venezia Giulia (21-28 January 2023) and the EYOF Maribor (23–29 July 2023) will take place only six months apart, the EYOA programme has been merged across both editions.

28 EYOA, will take part in the European Youth Olympic Festivals in 2023, representing 25 countries. Full list here.

The EYOA brings together young people aged 18-30, while some of them hail from an elite sporting background, all of them share the same passion, energy, motivation, and desire to inspire young athletes to follow the Olympic values on and off the field. The role of each Ambassador is to teach the young athletes about the values of friendship, respect, and excellence so that the athletes become aware of the greater meaning and role of the Olympic Movement.

The programme is led by EOC Culture and Education Commission member Nataša Janković, who shares her expectations for the new Ambassadors:

“We are very excited about the new EYOA. We have a great group of Ambassadors with different backgrounds and experiences who are very inspired and motivated to deliver the best possible programme for the young athletes. The winter edition of EYOF in Friuli Venezia Giulia will be challenging in terms of organisation and logistics with three clusters and competitions throughout the region and beyond. However, these challenges will make our young team think outside of the box which usually inspires innovation and new solutions. Therefore, I am looking forward to seeing what kind of activities our Ambassadors will create.”

In order to prepare all the activities for the athletes, Ambassadors are going through an extensive preparation process, which consists of webinars and working in small groups. The EYOA programme also helps develop the skills of the Ambassadors and Alumni, many of whom wish to pursue a career as a future leader in the sports industry.

Clea Papaellina (CYP), Vice-Chair of the EOC Culture and Education Commission who oversees Education of the EYOA programme explains the process:

“Four virtual webinars have been designed in order to provide the Ambassadors with the most important information about Olympism and Olympic values. There will be tailor-made presentations using best practice examples that provide learning opportunities and suggestions on how to attract the attention of athletes and engage them. In addition, all relevant information about the event organisation and communication will be given by representatives from the Organising Committee and other experts from the EOC and other institutions. Between webinars, Ambassadors will work in small groups which are ideal for brainstorming and developing ideas. Our Alumni team is helping them in this process by mentoring them. We are also very grateful for the support of our Chair, Jean Michel Brun, Member of the EOC Executive Board.”